Advocacy

Scope of the Arts Advocacy Committee

Concerned with advocating inside the school for favorable arts program scheduling and funding, and acting outside the school in a fundraising capacity. Also charged with helping KCS to become a “model arts program” by examining other successful arts programs and suggesting how KCS might adopt their best practices.

Current Projects

Provide Scheduling Advocacy For Arts Departments - This annual project will take place during March when the following school year’s schedule is compiled. This project will involve advocating for favorable scheduling for all of the various activities within the KCS arts departments, including lessons, performances and exhibitions, and the use of facilities. It also involves advocating for the arts relative to other activities insofar as possible. We will collaborate with a newly-formed group concerned with all aspects of scheduling at KCS.

Provide Funding Advocacy For Arts Departments - This annual project will involve advocating for arts funding within the annual school budget. It will include demonstrating the need for funding that might otherwise be allocated elsewhere or not at all. Proposed expenditures will be solicited and reviewed carefully.

Future & Ongoing Projects

Arts Grants & Fundraising - The KCS Arts Support Group is not set up to receive funds directly. We envision soliciting arts department funding from outside the school in the form of grants and gifts. Funding sources have already been identified, we have attended a meeting at the Lake placid Center For The Arts and KCS has already received a large collection of world drum as a part of a grant valued at more than $2,000.

Help KCS Create A Model Arts Program - This long-term project focuses on the “big picture” with regard to the arts at Keene Central School. In a sense, this project embodies the essence of the KCS Arts Support Group. We will attempt to examine trends in the arts at KCS to determine how we can further, or alter, the direction of these changes to enhance the arts. We will also try to find ways to recruit new students and to better engage currently interested students and community members. Our goal is to find out what some of the best arts programs are doing and why they are doing it. We will seek advice and ideas from a wide variety of sources and make recommendations for improvements to the arts departments, administration, school board and any other relevant groups. This ongoing project will evolve with time but completion per se is not envisioned.

Completed Projects

Scheduling Advocacy Group Meeting - On Thursday, January 11, 2007 at the KCS PTA meeting, there was a discussion regarding scheduling concerns at the KCS. Among many, one aspect of this discussion included the scheduling of arts-related events. Several support group members attended on behalf of the arts at KCS. For more information contact Milton Dudley: kvcc@kvvi.net or 576-4711.