IEA Newsletter for Wednesday, February 20, 2008

Welcome to the Institute for Education and the Arts' newsletter for Wednesday, February 20. The newsletter is posted to the IEA listserv each Wednesday and is archived here on the IEA blog.

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MEDITATION AS A PATH TO CREATIVITY
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SCHOOL YEAR TO START ON A MEDITATIVE NOTE
Bridie Smith, Theage.com.au, 1/28/08
"When the 36 students at Reservoir's Maharishi School return to the classroom this week, there will be the usual buzz that comes from the thrill of seeing classmates and starting a school year. But by 9.30am, shoes will be off and all will be quiet. Complete silence will descend over the school as the students and teachers sit crossed-legged on the floor and meditate. Breathing and pulse rates will slow as students quickly settle into their transcendental meditation — a technique that teaches pupils to slow their mental activity and experience pure consciousness ... Meditation is a central part of the education students receive at Maharishi School, an 11-year-old independent primary school that teaches consciousness-based education. The ritual was developed by Maharishi Mahesh Yogi — the man who introduced transcendental meditation to the Beatles, Mia Farrow and Shirley MacLaine in the 1960s. It is performed in two 10-minute sessions each day at the school, the only Maharishi school in Australia. Principal Frances Clarke said meditation enabled students to tap in to a reservoir of creativity and intelligence at the beginning and end of each school day."
Read more>>

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ARTS ADVOCACY DAY
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ARTS ADVOCACY DAY
March 31 - April 1, 2008
Americans for the Arts
"The 21st annual Arts Advocacy Day is the only national event that brings together a broad cross section of America’s cultural and civic organizations, along with hundreds of grassroots advocates from across the country, to underscore the importance of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts. Learn how to lobby Congress. Network with other attendees from your state and across the country. Be heard by your members of Congress when you visit them to make the case for the arts and arts education."
Register or learn more>>


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PERFORMING ARTS AND THE CHANGING DIGITAL WORLD
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CLASSICAL ARTISTS EMBRACE DIGITAL CULTURE
Hazel Davis, Reuters UK, 2/9/08
"When violinist Tasmin Little announced in January that she would be giving away her 'Naked Violin' album as a free download, she tapped into a growing trend: classical music artists and retailers utilizing digital formats and business models. Since the album features Little performing the works of such little-known composers as Ysaye and Paul Patterson, listeners were unlikely to 'buy it on the off-chance,' Little says. But the response to the free download, she says, has been 'phenomenal.' Thousands of tracks have been downloaded, and monthly page impressions on Little's Web site have increased from 5,000 to 150,000 since the announcement. ''The Naked Violin' is a snapshot,' Little says. 'The idea is that people will go and buy (more classical) repertoire.'
Read more>>


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FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ARTS EDUCATION
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BUSH'S PROPOSED ARTS CUTS BRING OUTCRY
Editorial by Dorothy Shinn, Akron Beacon Journal, 2/8/08
"Bush asks nothing — not one thin dime — for the U.S. Department of Education's Arts in Education program in the 2009 budget, compared with the $35.3 million enacted appropriations in the 2008 budget ...This brings to an end his perfect record of attempting to eliminate altogether funding for this valuable program, which includes funding for model arts programs and collaborations with schools, teacher professional development and arts programs for at-risk youth.Once again, the current administration fails to understand the valuable role of arts education in developing an innovative and creative society."
Read more>>


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GRANTS, AWARDS, AND CONTESTS
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TECHNOLOGY IN MOTION: VISION OF THE FUTURE
Sony Creative Software, Intel, Edutopia, and ISTE
Proposal entry deadline: 2/22/08 ***COMING SOON!***
"The Technology in Motion contest is designed to engage students in professional video and audio production. By participating, your school will receive everything needed to produce a film or films that will be entered into a contest for a chance to win one of three $20,000 multimedia hardware and software prize packages. The film contest encourages high school students (grades 9-12) to share their vision of how technology will shape the future. Every school that submits a qualifying Call for Entries form will receive a Technology in Motion launch kit, which includes a free copy of Sony® Vegas™ Pro 8 Promotional Edition video editing software; free Sony Vegas Pro 8 video tutorials; a free copy of the Digital Video and Audio Production Vegas Pro 8 teaching guide; [and a] free 1 year subscription to Edutopia magazine.
Learn more>>

THE PURPOSE PRIZE
Civic Ventures
Nominations Close: 3/1/08 ***COMING SOON!***
"The Purpose Prize provides five awards of $100,000 each to people over 60 who are taking on society’s biggest challenges. It’s for those with the passion and experience to discover new opportunities, create new programs, and make lasting change."
Learn more>>

DRIVING SAFETY FILM CONTEST
Bridgestone Firestone 2008 Safety Scholars
Deadline: 6/24/08
"It’s your turn to take the director’s chair. Make a short video (25 or 55 seconds) related to safe driving. Enter it in the Safety Scholars Competition and your video may be aired as a commercial for Bridgestone Firestone. The three top filmmakers also will each win a $5,000 college scholarship and the ten finalists win a new set of tires." For high school students.
Learn more>>

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