The second meeting of the Any Given Child Indy Community Arts Team, led by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts opened with a welcome from Dr. Wanda LeGrand, Deputy Superintendent of the Indianapolis Public Schools and ended with the completion of three survey instruments finalized by the Community Arts Team (CAT). We had a full-house today as the CAT concluded the second of two sessions where we decided on what core data is needed to develop a plan for arts education in Indianapolis Public Schools. Planning begins with knowing where we are now, and the first of three surveys will be released this month where we will collect data from arts organizations and individual artists. The CAT also continued an energized discussion about a shared Vision Statement for the public schools. The plan is to finalize that Vision Statement at the December meeting. This month’s homework for the Community Arts Team is to review the Vision Statements of other Any Given Child Program sites via the Kennedy Center’s website. I can’t wait until we get together next month!

Ernest Disney-Britton, Arts Council of Indianapolis, Director of Grant Services & Arts Education