Arts in Education

ARTISTS: THE "ARTS" IN ARTS IN EDUCATION

A major portion of the Nassau BOCES Arts in Education website is devoted to the "Artists in Schools" service that we provide for our 56 member school districts. Under this rubric, performances, workshops, residencies, professional development and individually tailored programs are offered to school districts looking for quality arts programs to enhance student understanding of the curricula. These experiences provide students and teachers with a lens through which they encounter a broad range of cultures, styles and ways of looking at the world - and the person that provides this to them, through BOCES, is YOU, the artist.

As the all-important "arts" component of arts in education, you bring a unique perspective to the environment that makes learning more vital, provides support to the teachers and helps students to cultivate their own creativity. You can ensure your participation in this venture by registering your programs on this Arts In Education website. Once you do this, you and your programs will be included in our online Artist Registry.

The Nassau BOCES Arts in Education website's artist registry is the most up-to-date, comprehensive listing of arts providers for our region. As such, it has become the primary resource for parents, teachers, librarians and administrators from within and without Nassau County. All these people have quick and easy access to information about your arts programs - including a description of the services you provide, price, target audience and duration. They will also be able to read the glowing recommendations you have received, check the schedule of your upcoming appearances, and contact other school districts for permission to preview your programs in person. They will even be provided with a direct link to YOUR website (if you have one) and a direct e-mail link so that they can contact you more easily.

The cost to artists and organizations for the year is as follows:

All artists and arts organizations that support the school music, art, dance, theatre, literature, poetry or creative writing curriculum through performances, workshops, residencies and/or master classes and who have the desire and ability to share their art, their talent and their knowledge with students and teachers are eligible to participate.
For more information, call BOCES Arts in Education at 516-396-2345.

Helpful Hints for Artists:

Remember to check your e-mail on a daily basis. All requests for programs, contracts from BOCES, evaluations and invoices are submitted electronically, as well as reminders from BOCES; It is essential that you check your mailbox frequently so as not to miss important information and engagements.

• Sign your contracts and return them to BOCES as soon as possible. No artist is permitted to perform in a school until he/she has returned a SIGNED contract to BOCES. (For instructions visit "Step-by-Step Help for Artists", Section XI, 2.) Please remember that you have been contracted by Nassau BOCES - not the school district -and payment cannot be generated unless the paperwork is completed correctly. THERE ARE NO EXCEPTIONS. Our fax # is 516-997-0319.
• Make certain to submit your electronic invoice and corresponding online evaluation immediately after your program is completed. Remember to check the box at the bottom of the electronic invoice that indicates you have provided the services listed on the contract. For instructions, refer to "Step-by-Step Help for Artists", Section XII.
• Listed programs stay posted on the website for the duration of the current school year. You do not need to wait until July to update your listings and renew them for the following school year; You may re-register existing programs and enter new listings as early as May for the upcoming school year.
• Check the Website! We have included all sorts of helpful information, as well as detailed instructions for handling program requests, contracts, and invoices. Also check back frequently for announcements and events of interest throughout the year.

Purchasing Tickets for Artistic and Cultural Events

The New York State Education Department allows aid on tickets to arts events that school districts purchase for their students, teachers and chaperones if those tickets are contracted through BOCES. Admission fees to concerts, opera, theatre, ballet, dance and museums are eligible for this aid as long as the event supports the New York State Learning Standards for the Arts.

When a request for tickets or admissions is received by BOCES, the district will be billed for the total amount of the actual tickets plus the usual administrative fee applied on all arts programs. Please remember that your request must be submitted to BOCES at least 20 working days prior to the payment due date on the Box Office Invoice.

How to Purchase Tickets

• Contact the box office or ticket agent and reserve tickets for the date desired. Ask for an invoice to be faxed to you listing BOCES as the agent responsible for payment.
  • Be CERTAIN to send to BOCES the original  invoice from the Box Office to:
    Nassau BOCES Arts in Education Department
    One Merrick Avenue, Westbury, NY 11590
    or e-mail the invoice in pdf format to artsined@nasboces.org.
    Please note, tickets will not be paid unless original box office invoice is received.
• Complete the BOCES Visiting Artist Online Request Form.
• BOCES will send a check for the total amount to the box office/theater/ticket agency indicated on the Request Form.

If you have any questions, please contact the BOCES Arts in Education program at 516-396-2345.

PLEASE NOTE: Nassau BOCES cannot reimburse ANYONE for tickets that have already been purchased. To remain eligible for state aid reimbursement, Nassau BOCES must pay the Box Office (or ticket agency) directly.

FINDING AN ARTIST

The following are excellent ways to identify artists who are appropriate to work in your school:

• Search the Artist Register on the Nassau BOCES Arts in Education Website.
• Attend Arts in Education regional showcases.
• Check the Calendar for "Artists in Schools" on the AIE Website, telephone the contact person to be certain that the program will take place, and attend the program to preview the artists' work.
• Ask your district Arts Administrator - he/she is a valuable source of information.
• Contact other schools' cultural arts representatives for recommendations.

PLEASE NOTE: You are not limited to the artists/organizations listed on the AIE Website. Any artist/arts organization can be contracted through BOCES as long as the service provided supports the goals of your school's arts curriculum and the New York State Learning Standards for the Arts or falls within the category of Exploratory Enrichment programs.

We encourage you to find new artists who uniquely meet your needs. Contact us immediately with their names, e-mail addresses and telephone numbers and we will assist them in registering on the AIE Website.

CHOOSING AN ARTIST

PREVIEW: We have made every effort to identify talented, effective and knowledgeable artists and to include them on the Nassau BOCES Arts in Education Website. However, before contracting for any services, we strongly advise that you preview the artist's work.

REFERENCES: We have asked each artist/organization to submit names and telephone numbers of educators who are familiar with their work. These references are listed on the website. Be sure to contact these individuals to discuss both the quality of the artist's work and the artist's ability to interact successfully with students.

HELPFUL HINTS: Work with your district arts administrator when selecting programs. He/she is very knowledgeable about excellent programs and artists and where to find them. The arts administrator may also be able to help you with block booking. Finally, don't forget that theatre tickets, and admission fees to museums and cultural events can also be purchased through BOCES. For further information, visit "Help with Tickets" above.

Prior to entering the request on the AIE website, you MUST contact the artist to make all arrangements, including date, time and cost.

TELL THE ARTIST:

During this meeting, describe your particular school, your students and any special goals or needs which you expect this program to address. Also be sure to provide the artist with details which will be of help to him/her such as:

• The age of the students who will participate
• The size of the audience
• The location in which the program will take place
• The day/week/month of the program
• The time allotted for the program
• The amount of money you have to spend. (Don't be shy about negotiating fees with artists!)
• Whether or not you want to include a "prep" workshop for teachers prior to the artists' visit
   

ASK THE ARTIST:

• To explain the cost of the program/services you wish to purchase, making sure you are very specific about your needs and interests
• To clarify any "hidden" costs such as travel, supplies, etc.
• To describe whether or not he/she can tailor the program to meet your needs
• To describe special performance needs - lighting, sound system, a special dance floor, extra large space (then honestly assess whether or not you can meet these technical needs)
• To explain any special needs he/she might have before or after the performance (help moving props and sets, dressing rooms, parking, bottled water, etc.)
• To check his/her availability on the date and time you prefer
• To describe study guides and resource materials which will be made available to teachers prior to the performance
   

FORMALIZING YOUR AGREEMENT WITH THE ARTIST

Once you are certain you have found the right artist, it is very important to  double-check dates of the performance/program with the school principal and  others who will be involved to ensure that the time is convenient for everyone.  After that it is important to follow each step, below, to guarantee that  everything proceeds smoothly and all legal requirements are met.

1. Contact the artist by telephone/e-mail to confirm the date of the program and to make  certain the artist understands that you are working with BOCES and that payment  will be made by Nassau BOCES. During this conversation, obtain all information  you will need to complete the on-line Request Form. Request copies of artists'  study guide for all teachers and students if applicable
2. Contact the school principal and district arts administrator to confirm the  date of the program.
3. Complete the "Request for Visiting Artists" form.   (You may obtain further information and help completing this form by going to Step-by-Step Help).
4. Transmit the "Request Form" to the arts administrator for approval.  Once approved, the arts administrator  will electronically submit the Request Form to BOCES. (Requests MUST be received by BOCES at  least 10 working days prior to the program)
5. Send travel directions and the school's telephone number to the artist along with a letter confirming date, exact time and exact location of the program.
6. Distribute study guides to all teachers whose students will participate in the program.
7. At least two weeks before the scheduled program, check with the district arts administrator to be sure that the artist's contract has been processed by BOCES.
8. If the district arts administrator cannot verify that the artist's contract has been processed, telephone BOCES immediately at 516-396-2345.

PLEASE NOTE: The BOCES contract is a legal and binding contract between the artists and the school district.

Do not sign any contract, which is presented to you by the artist, which includes cost of program, cancellation policies, cancellation fees, deposits, liability issues, etc. If you sign such a contract the artist may hold you  responsible.

It is permissible to sign a letter of agreement which acknowledges physical  requirements the artists may have regarding space, equipment, etc. and it is  important that the school meets these requirements.

Shared By All Arts Diciplines

Subject Areas for Exploratory Enrichment From the New York State Standards

• National Art Education Association

• Nassau Region PTA

  To support and speak on behalf of children and youth in the schools, in the community, and before governmental bodies and other organizations that make decisions affecting children; and to assist parents in developing the skills they need to raise and protect their children; and to encourage parent and public involvement in the public schools of this nation.

• National Association for Music Education

  Formerly the Music Educators National Conference(MENC).

• Learning Through An Expanded Arts Program, Inc.

  LEAP is a not for profit educational organization serving 220,000 students in approximately 450 schools in the Northeast each year. LEAP works with students, trains teachers, conducts graduate courses at universities and produces educational curricula and materials.

• Kennedy Center for the Arts

  Home of the Alliance for Arts Education; Website includes “Past Practices”information.

• Getty Center for Arts Education

• Educational Theatre Associaton

• Crayola For Educators

• Art Supervisors Association

  The Art Supervisors Association is a professional organization of art supervisors and administrators. Its membership principally represents the Nassau county area. A not-for-profit advocacy group for education in the visual arts, the Association is active in the promotion of quality art instruction at all educational levels and provides a forum for ideas and activities related to art and art education. The Association sponsors conferences, seminars and art exhibitions, serves in a consulting capacity and works with other art and professional organizations.

• American Alliance for Theatre and Education

  Disseminates quality practices in theatre and theatre education, connects artists, educators, researchers and scholars with each other, and provides opportunities for members to learn, exchange, expand and diversify their work, the audience and their perspectives. This site has extensive links to other theatre sites.

• Alvin Ailey Dance Company

• American Museum of Natural History

• Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)

• Carnegie Hall

• Chamber Music Society at Lincoln Center

• Cooper-Hewitt Museum of Design of the Smithsonian

• Frick Collection

• Guggenheim Museum

• Heckscher Museum

• Jazz at Lincoln Center

• Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

• Lower East Side Tenement Museum

• Metropolitan Museum of Art

• Metropolitan Opera

• Museum of Modern Art

• The Paley Center for Media

  formerly the Museum of Television & Radio and the Museum of Broadcasting

• New York City Ballet

• New York City Opera

• New York Philharmonic

• Tilles Center for the Performing Arts

• Whitney Museum of American Art

• Wadsworth Atheneum Museum of Art, Hartford, CT

• United States Marine Band, Washington, D.C. (also tours)

• Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C. & NYC

• Rock & Roll Hall of Fame & Museum, Cleveland, OH

• Philadelphia Museum of Art, Philadelphia, PA

• Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts, Philadelphia, PA

• Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, MA

• Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

• J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles, CA

• Hillwood Museum & Gardens, Washington, D.C.

  Home of Marjorie Meriweather Post

• Harvard University Art Museums, Boston, MA

  see all Harvard museums at http://www.harvard.edu/on-campus/museums

• Bruce Museum, Greenwich, CT

• Barnes Foundation, Merion, PA

• Art Institute of Chicago, IL