Chiaroscuro 2018

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2018

AAEP STUDENTS STUDIED IN PUERTO RICO TO EXPLORE THE IMPACT AND ROLE OF CULTURAL ARTS IN ENGAGING ISSUES OF SOCIAL JUSTICE WITHIN COMMUNITIES

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Department Chair Karen Hutzel grabs a selfie in her office.

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FROM THE CHAIR’S DESK REFLECTIONS ON A HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATION AND POLICY

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FOCUS ON UNDERGRADUATES: TAYLOR AXENE SHARES THE PATH THAT LED HER TO PURSUE ARTS MANAGEMENT

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FOCUS ON UNDERGRADUATES: JULI SASAKI REFLECTS ON A SUMMER IN MADRID

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GRADUATE STUDENT JIMIN CHA REFLECTS OVER RESEARCH TRAVEL IN SANTIAGO, CHILE

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REDEFINING INCLUSION: ALUMNA ERIN HOPPE WORKS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO ART EDUCATION

AAEP ALUMNA RACHEL NOVEMBER AND THE TRANSIT ARTS TEAM RESTORE AND BUILD COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ARTS

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ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR JEN RICHARDSON DELIVERS KEYNOTE AT AALTO UNIVERSITY IN FINLAND

INTEGRATING MINDFULNESS PRACTICE IN VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION: FROM AAEP, TO HARVARD TO GREECE

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FOCUS ON PHD: ELLE PIERMAN USES PASSION FOR DANCE TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM

WHAT MORE MIGHT WRITING BE? WHAT MORE MIGHT WRITING DO? COMPOSING POSSIBILITIES WITH DR. CANDACE JESSE STOUT

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A LOOK AT THE MUSEUM EDUCATION AND ADMINISTRATION SPECIALIZATION

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FOCUS ON PHD: TERRON BANNER EXAMINES ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE

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BARNETT FELLOWS

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FOCUS ON MA: SUSANNAH MONTGOMERY SHARES HER EXPERIENCES ABROAD IN THE NETHERLANDS FOCUS ON STUDY AWAY: CONFRONTING COLONIALISM, REIMAGINING POWER: ART AS A TOOL FOR CIVIC TRANSFORMATION DURING ECONOMIC CRISIS

AWARDS & RECOGNITION


FROM THE CHAIR’S DESK This year commemorates several important anniversaries for the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy at Ohio State. First, the department (formerly the Department of Art Education) turns 50! We also celebrate 25 years since the department kicked off the first Barnett Symposium in 1993. Finally, the Barnett Center for Integrated Arts and Enterprise, which in 2017 was folded into the department, turns 5! Without a doubt, 2018 is a year to commemorate the department, the programs, and the Barnett family for their generosity in supporting us. Therefore, I am extremely pleased to present our third annual newsletter highlighting the achievements of the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy. At such a moment in time, it is both necessary and satisfying to pause and reflect over the department’s many changes and accomplishments throughout the years. AAEP has a long history of interdisciplinarity, entrepreneurship and innovation in teaching and scholarship about the arts in society. From mechanical drawing, to digital artmaking, to art education, and, most recently, arts policy and administration, we have been a department committed to examining and shaping the complex and changing role of arts, culture, and creativity in society. To archive the trajectory of AAEP’s 50th anniversary, we recently commissioned the analysis and writing of our department history (see pg. 2), which identified four major shifts since 1977. This history includes the most recent shift in 2012 accompanying a department name change to represent the breadth of the department’s scholarship and programs. We currently find ourselves in a fourth wave of activity and identity transformation in an era of accountability and tightening budgets, but we remain flexible, diverse and resilient in our ability to adapt and create new goals for a burgeoning future. We are in a unique position to improve upon how we study, teach, and impact the arts in society across our disciplines of Art Education, Arts Administration, Cultural Policy, and Museum Education. In the spirit of our commitment to diversity in our department, I am pleased to present to you the most recent issue of Chiaroscuro, which exemplifies the breadth of scholarship within our department. This issue includes a focus on social justice and transformational leadership with Francesca Miller’s first-person account of her study away to Puerto Rico in addition to Rachel November’s development of an arts-based afterschool program to address the unique challenges of her urban students. Both of these stories highlight the stellar achievements and sensitivity of our students and alumni applying what they’ve learned out in the field. In addition, scholarship and practice in disability studies is highlighted in this issue with descriptive narratives by Erin Hoppe and Elle Pierman, exemplifying the passion they bring to their work. And be sure to check out Arts Management students and alumni Susannah Montgomery, Taylor Axene, and Juli Sasaki, as they report on the critical research they are doing in the areas of arts policy and management. I look forward to embracing change, guiding future conversations and ultimately shaping the future direction of the department with you. I hope that this newsletter creates space and opportunity to pursue some of these dialogues. With admiration,

Karen Hutzel, PhD Associate Professor and Department Chair

Middle school students in a visual arts afterschool workshop created small portraits with AAEP alumna Rachel November, artist Richard Duarte Brown and his apprentice Malik, which would later become a part of a larger collaborative mural. (read more on pg. 8)

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REFLECTIONS ON A HISTORY OF THE DEPARTMENT OF ARTS ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATION AND POLICY by Ruth Smith, PhD in Arts Administration, Education and Policy (2014)

About a year ago, I was asked to put together a history of the department to help commemorate our 50th anniversary in 2018. As I began sifting through documents in the department and university archives — old newsletters, department reviews, fiveyear plans, course bulletins, articles from The Lantern and more — and interviewed past chairs and several current and former faculty members, I found my perspective as a former student and current staff member changing. What I experienced when I entered the department in 2010 was built on the work of dozens of field leaders over the past 50 years. My focus was primarily 1985 onward, as nothing besides the Transforming Education Through the Arts Challenge (TETAC) files has been formally archived since 1985, a problem currently being remedied.

until 1995. Nancy MacGregor witnessed much of this change as an undergraduate student with Manuel Barkan and faculty member from 1975 onwards. These changes played out in the number of women earning tenure and today there is a majority female faculty.

I intentionally interviewed women, as much of the archived material featured male voices. The department was majority male

Underlying themes emerged, including a response to contemporary society and culture formation. For example, the

I organized this history chronologically, documenting major changes in the department’s curricular and programmatic focus. These pivot points have been driven by the ideas emerging from the research and interests of the faculty in addition to larger social and cultural movements. As such, I decided to also utilize the tenure of department chairs to help keep the history, since their leadership shaped the department and their faculty hires helped shape future programs.

We’ve always been sensitive [to what’s going on in the world], creative, imaginative, visionary. Some passed in and out and they made their stamp and used Ohio State as a launching pad for something else. The department has always cultivated thinkers, and folks have taken that development through their career. — Nancy MacGregor, Professor Emeritus

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DEPARTMENT OF ARTS ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATION AND POLICY

development of ideas by Manuel Barkan in the 1960s informed Discipline Based Art Education (DBAE) in the 1980s, which Ohio State then transformed through its 15-year relationship with the Getty, and resulted in an interdisciplinary approach to art education in TETAC. In addition, the changes to arts policy on the federal level in the 1980s-1990s led to the formation of an arts policy and administration program embedded within art education. The innovation of the department is evident in its role in pioneering computer graphics, promoting interdisciplinary study, partnering with policy for arts administration programming, and being the first (mostly) online master’s in art education program in the country and the first (completely) online master’s program in the College of Arts and Sciences. The department, time and again, is at the forefront of cultural production and cutting-edge research.

EARLY HISTORY The department’s early history is shared with that of the university’s other visual arts programs. In the 1920s, the university became the first of the state universities to offer graduate programs for the creative artist, art historian, and specialist in art education. In 1944, this department became the School of Fine and Applied Arts, which was renamed the School of Art in 1962. The School of Art was disbanded in 1968 and reorganized as four divisions within the College of the Arts: Art, Art Education, History of Art, and Industrial Design. This marks the beginning of Art Education as an


independent academic unit. Manuel Barkan became the first Chairman of the Division of Art Education in 1968. Barkan drew many of the faculty foundational to the department history to Ohio State, including Kenneth Marantz, who would become the Department of Art Education’s first chairperson in 1971 (until 1987). It was under Barkan’s leadership that the department rose to national prominence, and under Marantz, that it grew to include twenty faculty and several adjunct positions.

1977-1996: EXPANDING ART EDUCATION In 1977, the Department of Art Education instituted a new undergraduate curriculum, in which its students could now pursue studies without necessarily aiming toward art teacher certification. The department began to increase its course offerings, paving the way for the development of alternative areas of study including Computer Graphics/ Animation, Jewelry/Metalsmithing, The Logan Elm Press, and Arts Administration/ Community Arts Services. The Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy was originally housed in Hopkins Hall ...

Michael Parsons became chairperson in 1988 (until 1994). Under Parsons, the department identified initiatives including securing a more central place of the visual arts in general education, the improvement of programs for educating art educators and administrators for schools and other public agencies, development of a program of museum education to capitalize on the opening of the Wexner Center for the Arts in 1989, and a more focused and cooperative approach to research in art education, relating research programs more closely with instructional programs. As some alternative areas of study moved to more appropriate departmental homes such as Jewelry, Metalsmithing, Logan Elm Press and Computer Graphics, others grew, namely Arts Policy and Administration and Museum Education. James Hutchens became chair in 1995 (until 2002) and under his leadership, the Department of Art Education formalized its Arts Policy and Administration program. During his tenure as chair, the department was ranked as the leading art education program in the journal Studies in Art Education, with the largest faculty and resources to offer a comprehensive program, in the United States and Canada.

ARTS POLICY AND ADMINISTRATION Courses in arts administration have been offered since the mid-1980s, primarily under the guidance of Hutchens, who had a long-standing interest in arts management. Two endowed funds were established by Lawrence and Isabel Barnett to support the Arts Policy and Administration program. At the inaugural Barnett symposium in May 1993, Harold Williams, the president of the J. Paul Getty Trust, presented a lecture on art education policy. This was the impetus for partnering with the School of Public Policy and Management in the Fisher College of Business, what is now the John Glenn College of Public Affairs, to develop the Master of Arts in Arts Policy and Administration. This partnership was a significant shift in how arts administration programs were offered from existing programs that stressed the importance of business theory and practice. The Master of Arts in Arts Policy and Administration was first proposed in August 1994 and was approved by the Board of Trustees in 1995 followed by the Ohio Board of Regents in 1996. (continued on following page) ... But now resides in the recently renovated Sullivant Hall, a building with state-of-the-art classrooms and performance spaces.

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(continued from page 3: Reflections on a History of the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy by Ruth Smith)

1996-2012: SHIFT TO INTERDISCIPLINARY AND MULTICULTURAL ART EDUCATION Patricia Stuhr became chair of the department in 2002 (until 2011) and cultivated a culture of mentorship and international leadership. She focused on creating closer relationships with local, regional, and state arts organizations and developing curriculum appropriate for disenfranchised groups with courses including disability studies and LGBTQ+ issues. In addition to the Master of Arts in Arts Policy and Administration program, there was a curricular shift towards social justice and multicultural art education and interdisciplinary approaches to education, which included partnerships across departments, the development of interdisciplinary specializations such as Native American Studies, and offering university-wide General Education courses. In 2008, the College of the Arts merged with the College of the Humanities to form the Division of Arts and Humanities within the newly reorganized College of Arts and Sciences, which was officially ratified by the Board of Trustees in 2010. That same year, the department moved from its home in Hopkins Hall to the Ohio Stadium for a four-year interim period, while Sullivant Hall was renovated.

what art education does,” stated Deborah Smith-Shank, department chair from 20112015. On June 22, 2012, the Ohio State Board of Trustees approved the proposal to change the name of the Department of Art Education to the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy. The undergraduate program, which had previously focused on art-making, DBAE, and TETAC, now included “intensive studies in visual culture, and significant preparatory course work in the theory and practice of art education” [quote taken from 2010 department of Art Education mission and program description]. Graduate students could choose tracts in Arts Policy and Administration and Art Education, and students in both tracts could opt for a Museum Education and Management specialization. A Bachelor of Arts in Arts Administration and Management (BAAM) began in 2012. Additionally, The Barnett Center for Integrated Arts and Enterprise was established in 2012, by a generous donation from the Barnett family, and opened January 2014.  The current department chair, Karen Hutzel (2016 – present), identified opportunities for expansion under a new name. Today,

2012 TO PRESENT: THE ROLE OF THE ARTS IN SOCIETY The reorganization of the colleges in 2008 brought changes to the department and its structure. “Next, the faculty had been discussing the name change of the department ... changing our fingerprint in the world. Shifting from straight art education to something broader, which we had been moving towards for some time. When we switched from quarters to semesters [in 2012], it made us take a look at ourselves and our curriculum and realize that we were doing a lot more arts administration and arts policy than we had been doing in the past ... and so we wanted to more accurately reflect

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DEPARTMENT OF ARTS ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATION AND POLICY

AAEP continues to inform arts education policy and arts policy through participation on boards and policy development, involvement with state, regional, national, and international organizations in leadership positions, and the publication and presentation of cutting-edge research. From its inception, the department has been an innovative leader in the field of art education and now the fields of arts administration and arts policy. The curricular and programmatic focus shift from artmaking and teacher preparation to social justice and visual culture and finally to the arts in society are not simply a reflection of cultural shifts. Department leadership, faculty research, and alumni drove these shifts. Professor Margaret Wyszomirski stated, “The department is probably THE MOST interdisciplinary and innovative department in its fields. It has all these different alliances with differing interdisciplinary fields and its integration of arts policy, administration and education. We have the assemblages of pieces that could really give us a unique and valuable profile for the field … I’ve always thought we’re uniquely positioned to take on art education policy the way nobody else in the country is.”

The 2018 Barnett Symposium on the Arts and Public Policy will take place September 27-28, 2018. This year’s symposium celebrates the 50th anniverary of the department, the 25th anniversary of the Barnett Symposium and the 5th anniversary of the Barnett Center for Integrated Arts and Enterprise. While looking back on these milestones, the symposium also looks forward, with programming focused on the future of the business of the arts.


FOCUS ON MA: SUSANNAH MONTGOMERY SHARES HER EXPERIENCES ABROAD IN THE NETHERLANDS by Susannah Montgomery, MA in Arts Policy and Administration (2017) While it has been under a year since I walked out of the Ohio Stadium with my diploma in hand, it feels like a lifetime ago. In August 2017, I packed my bags for a new life in the Netherlands. Admittedly, it would not be my first time in the country. Thanks to an award from the the College of Arts and Sciences, I had the opportunity to conduct research in The Hague in December 2016 for my master’s thesis. When I wasn’t meticulously observing the engagement behaviors of museum patrons, I spent my time exploring the city and the surrounding area and was quickly charmed by the more relaxed pace of life. It was a country of possibility and a place I was eager to call home. Thus, when I boarded the plane in Columbus, it was with a lot of wanderlust and perhaps too little concern with what kind of work I would be doing once I got there. All I knew is that I was moving to a land with great art, excellent cheese, and far more opportunities to travel. Yet, within a week of moving to my new European home, I pulled off a feat almost unheard of — I had a job offer! While I had certainly hoped that my experience in the Arts Policy and Administration program would be put to good use after I graduated, I wasn’t expecting it to be so soon. Through a mix of good timing and an unexpected connection to my Ohio State network, I was offered a lecturer position at InHolland University of Applied Science in their International Media and Entertainment Management (IMEM) Bachelor’s Program. So, what is a University of Applied Science? In Dutch, a University of Applied Science is more commonly referred to as a hogeschool. Unlike a traditional university that focuses more on academic research, a hogeschool focuses more on developing practical knowledge and skills that can be applied directly in the workplace. Even though I come from a more traditional academic background in the United States, I was impressed by the testimonials of

my new co-workers about the strengths of the hogeschool. The goal of the IMEM program is two-fold. First, it is to equip students with the professional skills highly desired by employers across the creative industries. Second, it is to teach to them how to think strategically, conceptually, and commercially about creativity. I will admit, I was initially hesitant to accept the position. With only a year as a GTA under my belt, I was concerned that I would be too inexperienced to be an effective lecturer. However, I was attracted to the idea of helping students in their journey to become more creative thinkers. In many ways, I still identify as a student and a lifelong learner. Consequently, my strategy is to embody what I liked the best about my professors at Ohio State and act as a good facilitator of learning. At InHolland University, I work alongside former film executives, artist managers, and many other experts in the fields of media and entertainment. At 25, I can’t bring that kind of experience, but I can create a learning environment that presents material in a fun and engaging way and encourages students to experiment, to be vulnerable, and to never be afraid to ask questions. One my favorite projects right now is helping to redevelop the university’s film minor. I work alongside a film director and a former Hollywood marketing distributor. Together, we’re creating a curriculum to educate students about the history and techniques of filmmaking and the goal is that the students will ultimately write, produce, and premiere their own films. As we seek to balance what we teach between realism (how much money will this movie make?) and idealism (how will the art inspire the viewer?), I have come to realize that working at InHolland University has made me more of an idealist than I ever used to be. Both my students and my co-workers inspire me to work harder, stay curious, and feel excited about what my own future holds as a creative individual.

Susannah Montgomery works at InHolland University of Applied Science in the Netherlands, where she is currently helping to redevelop the university’s film minor.

On my first day of work at InHolland University, I learned a new word: gezellig. It was emblazoned on my new university bag, plastered on posters, and periodically came up in conversation between my new Dutch co-workers. Pronounced heh-SELL-ick, it is a word with no clear translation in English. It can mean everything from cozy and relaxing to friendly and gregarious. With time, I’ve come to realize that this word embodies the heart of Dutch culture. It connotes a general togetherness that I see thriving at work and I hope to one day bring a little gezellig to every place that I work.

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A group of Ohio State students in Puerto Rico tour the city on an arts-focused study away trip, Community Arts University Without Walls.

FOCUS ON STUDY AWAY: CONFRONTING COLONIALISM, REIMAGINING POWER: ART AS A TOOL FOR CIVIC TRANSFORMATION DURING ECONOMIC CRISIS During summer 2017 (July 5-24), former Barnett Center Director and Associate Professor Sonia Manjon led a group of students on an artsfocused study-away experience in Puerto Rico — Community Arts University Without Walls (CAUWW). Curated by the Caribbean Cultural Center African Diaspora Institute, CAUWW was designed for individuals interested in the impact and role of cultural arts in engaging issues of social justice within communities. Puerto Rico, recently recognized as a U.S. colony by the United Nations, is currently undergoing a debt crisis comparable to the financial collapses of Greece and Detroit. Amidst economic and humanitarian uncertainty, a powerful public arts movement has bloomed and cultural workers have led a progressive and empowering outlet for the arts to continue cultural histories and traditions. These traditions inform the artistic expressions of diverse communities of color, poor white and culturally grounded. This has formed an ideal backdrop for students to examine the legacy of the Civil Rights Movement using the arts to examine important contemporary issues including cultural equity, community development, social and economic justice and their continuing impact on the present and future generations of cultural arts activists. Interacting with renowned local experts in professional positions of arts, public policy and advocacy within Puerto Rico’s rich and vibrant neighborhoods, students gained exposure to practices that have made significant contributions to these rich and diverse communities.

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Francesca Miller plays the guitar on the beach.

TRIP REFLECTION As I was preparing for my study-abroad trip to Puerto Rico, I think I was subconsciously mistaking it for a honeymoon — minus the husband, of course — because for whatever reason I envisioned staying in a luxurious beach-house, dining out at fancy restaurants, salsa dancing, closing out the day laying on the beach watching the sunset … and occasionally sitting in an air-conditioned conference room listening to the presenters. With that being said, one would assume that I was greatly disappointed to find that nothing about this trip would be luxurious or fancy. Our lodging space was a hot and smelly university dorm, our transit was a bus (and we walked more places than we drove), nearly every place we dined we had mosquitos feasting on our legs, and it’s a wonder how I stayed hydrated with how profusely I was sweating every day — and I LOVED every single moment. While a mini-vacay with a hint of academia was my expectation, it was not my desire. I wanted to see and experience the parts of Puerto Rico that don’t get flaunted because they aren’t tourist sites. I wanted to go where the everyday people lived, do what everyday people do and experience what life is REALLY like on the island, and I’m so thankful that’s what I experienced. One of the greatest factors that shaped this experience for me was the informality of it all. Instead of sitting in a room learning about our presenters via PowerPoint presentations and brochures, we had the privilege of going into their spaces, hearing their stories, and seeing the impact they’re making firsthand. When we went to the

Francesca Miller dances with friends, as it rains at Campo es Leña in the mountains of Adjuntas, Puerto Rico.

by Francesca Miller, Art Education undergraduate student

studio of Las Nietas de Nono, we sat in a circle on the floor, drank their homemade ginger tea, and listened to what they strive to communicate through their art, as well as stories of the pieces performed in the very space we were in. When we drove two hours into the mountains to visit Elmer “Puffay” Luciano at El Campo es Leña, we walked around to see the homes and facilities that the community had been working together to build over the past three years, we planted coffee trees in Puffay’s field (which was a bit risky because those slopes were something serious), and we ate pizza that was freshly made in the brick oven that he built himself. I could continue down the line reflecting on the unique ways that each presenter welcomed us into their spaces and engaged with us. Their willingness to give us that degree of access to their lives afforded us an opportunity to gain real insight into the crisis happening on the island, how it is affecting those living there, and how locals are working together to contend for change. For those unaware, Puerto Rico is currently in an economic crisis — $72 billion worth of debt, to be precise. Their government is in no way dependable, and they’re basically being colonized by the United States. Suicide rates are high, pay cuts and job losses are just as high, schools are being shut down, and the emigration rate is the highest it’s ever been. However, even in the midst of all that, there are so many who refuse to give up hope. While major media outlets may try to convey Puerto Ricans to the rest of the world as suffering victims, we were able to see them as hopeful

victors. We saw how community leaders, local business owners, artists, teachers and parents are joining forces to see their businesses stay afloat, keep their money circulating in their own economy and pushing for justice in the school system, workforce and every other sector of society. Witnessing this level of resiliency and determination was so beautiful and inspiring. My ultimate hope for this trip was that I would be freshly motivated to complete a mural I began in an urban community here in Columbus, Ohio. To revitalize this particular neighborhood, I started painting a mural that would inspire the local residents to grab ahold of some aspirations they may have let go of at some point. Due partially to financial setbacks, and mostly to inexperience, I started to get discouraged and questioned if something as simple as a painting would truly make a difference — but in Puerto Rico I saw evidence of the difference art can make all around me. Not only was I inspired to continue using art in impactful ways, but I was reminded that I was born to do more than just take up space. The people we met, places we went and things we experienced all reminded me that I am a solutionist. There are so many issues in the world, and rather than being one who identifies the issues and acts as though someone out there should be held accountable for them, I can acknowledge that I play an important role in fixing them. While I may not be one to lead student strikes, or build entire developments in mountains like the individuals in Puerto Rico, I can use what resources and influence I have to make a lasting, positive impact. I will forever be thankful to Puerto Rico for reviving the “world-changer” in me.

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AAEP ALUMNA RACHEL NOVEMBER AND THE TRANSIT ARTS TEAM RESTORE AND BUILD COMMUNITY THROUGH THE ARTS by Rachel (Rowen) November, MA in Art Education (2017) I am in my 8th year of teaching middle school art at Indianola K-8 Middle School, one of Columbus City Schools’ lottery schools located in Clintonville, Ohio. Our school is unique within the district, as families with young children stay through adolescence, despite transient circumstances, allowing them to remain part of one community. This allows our students to sustain a strong support network between teachers, parents and students. But three years ago, the district opened up the lottery for our school to all grade levels, to allow as many students as possible to benefit from the success of our program. We received 15 new middle school students, and as much as we welcomed and planned to greet and assimilate our new community members, it became apparent that the new students were feeling different. Changing schools several times throughout their childhood, these new students had not been afforded the time to create stable relationships with teachers and peers, or build strong academics. Existing students began to act resentful of the time the new students were taking up, while teachers worked hard to find strategies to modify curriculum, and plan for more differentiated

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Rachel November stands between artists Malik (left) and Richard Duarte Brown (right).

learning. Behavior issues became a concern, as students feeling vulnerable were acting out with aggression and frustration towards each other and staff. Witnessing this segregation increase, the dance teacher, Amy Williams and I began planning an artist visit with the Transit Arts team. Transit Arts is a local arts organization focusing on providing creative expression, support and opportunity for inner city kids. Together we planned an afternoon of miniworkshops at our school, concluding the day with a showcase for the entire middle school. Each student had an opportunity to attend two workshops choosing from: Visual Arts, Hip-Hop Dance, Beatboxing, Electronic Beat Making, Rhyming & Rap, and Creative Writing. Students and staff had a terrific time, and I noticed high engagement of the newer students throughout the day, as the workshops provided a unique opportunity for all students to come together in a different way. The success of this event provided the foundation for a fertile future collaboration between our school and Transit Arts. I began to see how the arts could build and restore our school community.

DEPARTMENT OF ARTS ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATION AND POLICY

After several meetings with Jackie Calderone, founder and director of Transit Arts, we planned our first set of afterschool workshops with a chosen group of “student leaders” — a mix of new and existing 6th-8th grade students. Students could take dance, where they learned a short, choreographed piece with our dance teacher Amy and Transit Arts Artist BHB. A visual arts class created small portraits and choice works with myself, Richard Duarte Brown and his apprentice Malik, which would later become a part of a larger collaborative mural. The small group setting of about 15 students enabled us to build relationships with new students and integrate and discuss some of the philosophies and shared values of our school. We engaged these student leaders to help us plan the next set of workshops, which gave me the opportunity to experience being a facilitator of the students’ ideas, building trust and relationships. There were a couple workshops where I felt overwhelmed, as kids were gossiping, swapping texts on their phones, and trying to sneak off into the hallways instead of


My time at AAEP taught me the theoretical foundation and confidence to address larger social issues that are difficult to navigate with students in the classroom, and the importance of making meaning through art. engaging in art making and community building. My teacher instincts wanted to add more structure, but Jackie and the lead visual artist Duarte helped me address this in a different way. Drawing on restorative justice approaches and practices, we used a circle meeting, or “check-in” to eliminate hierarchy and give everyone voice, and to bring some goal setting and order to the workshops. Jackie brought chamomile mint tea and honey to add a touch of comfort to our circle. Sitting together, we introduced the practice of checking-in, agreed on norms, and decided on a large paintbrush to be our talking stick. We passed the brush around the circle, told something about ourselves, and answered the question, “What brought you here?” This set the groundwork for deeper connection and inquiry, which began a goal setting conversation for our art making. We continued our check-in practice through the remainder of our sessions. Through art we can express ideas that may be difficult to put into words, but ultimately what has emerged through this work is community. Art provides a safe space for the students to explore new relationships and environments, build trust, and take creative and emotional risks. Having herbal tea for the very first time, using power tools, painting a portrait, or just getting to be somewhere special after school, have all proven to build a strong community in our school and beyond, as I have several students who now attend regular classes at the Transit Arts main headquarters. There are so many individual stories that fuel my passion for this work — like the kids who said they just wanted to come so they didn't have to go home, or the kids who asked for an extra snack to share with their siblings later, or the kids who have never had an opportunity for anything extra

A middle school student screens a design onto paper during an after school workshop with the Transit Arts team.

Students use a jig saw to cut out pieces of a painted piece of wood as a part of a larger collaborative mural.

outside of school because of transportation and money issues. Building community has paved the way for my students to feel inclusion, and has taught me lessons in humility and humanity. It has caused me to reflect and redefine my role as a teacher in the classroom, and how I relate to my students. I feel deep gratitude for both the

Transit Arts team and my students, who have been brave enough to step outside of their comfort zone, to take a risk with me and their peers. I continue to draw from the success of this program, redesigning a five-year plan to teach restorative practices with teachers, staff and students, and redesigning the school’s discipline practices.

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SPOTLIGHT

INTEGRATING MINDFULNESS PRACTICE IN VISUAL ARTS EDUCATION: FROM AAEP, TO HARVARD TO GREECE by Trina Langsenkamp, BA in Art Education (2016) I had just dismissed my last class of the day and you could tell it was kindergarten by the way the classroom now looked — like a tornado had blown through a superstore’s back-to-school display. Crayons littered the floor, scrap papers decorated the tables and glue sticks, with caps misplaced, were stuck to the most improbable of places. Blue paint was encrusted into my fingernails, and there was a deep orange stain on the new buttondown shirt I bought in an attempt to start “dressing more professional.” Even though I knew I had a long evening of cleaning, sorting drawings and writing progress reports ahead of me, I breathed in the sweet feeling of relief that only a moment of silence after a long, long day can bring.

After long days at work, it’s easy to start questioning one’s choices. What if I worked a job where I wasn’t on my feet all day, or didn’t have to clean all the messes I didn’t make? What if I lived somewhere without a language barrier, and I wouldn’t need to play charades with grocery store attendants to find what I need?

About to grab a broom and get to work, I heard the twisting handle of my classroom door. Two small feet stood in the doorway, belonging to a first grader who gave me a bit of trouble on the first few days of school. The first time he had class with me, he cried the entire 40 minutes, making it clear that art was not a subject he was interested in. Though he had calmed down about being in my classroom, I still worried that maybe he wasn’t enjoying the projects I was assigning.

When I graduated from Ohio State in 2016, I knew I wanted to end up in arts education, I just wasn’t yet sure what form I wanted my career to take. I loved my time student-teaching and all the previous work I had done in traditional classroom settings. I also enjoyed the more nontraditional arts education work I did as an educator at Urban Arts Space, Ohio State’s contemporary art gallery in Downtown Columbus. I was fascinated by the prospect of arts-based education research and international arts education, two things that AAEP introduced to me. Finally, I knew that my heart was still very much entangled in non-formal arts education settings, such as summer camps and non-profit organizations that could weave play, social justice and creative discovery together.

“What is it, Kostas?” I asked, scanning the room to see if there was a jacket left behind that he had come to retrieve. He didn’t answer, or even turn to look at me. He stood in the doorway, waving to someone on the other side, beckoning them in. “Mom, I want you to meet my favorite teacher,” he called. About four months ago, I got on a plane out of my hometown of Rochester, New York, with just one suitcase, setting out for Athens, Greece. I was starting my first fulltime teaching job in a big city, in a foreign country, where I didn’t speak the language and wouldn’t know anyone. Trina Langsenkamp assists students with an art project in Athens, Greece.

But there are also moments like this, where a student I once thought I wasn’t engaging, runs into my room, dragging his mom behind him. His eyes light up as he shows off his artwork. These are the moments, the ones that come unexpectedly and breathe life back into me with the reassurance that I am exactly where I need to be.

After graduating from the AAEP program at Ohio State with a Bachelor’s in Art Education, I moved to the big city of Boston to pursue a master’s degree at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. For the past year, I was an artist-in-residence for Project Zero, working on arts-based research integrating mindfulness practice in visual arts education. I enjoyed my time there immensely, and the experience undoubtedly shaped my teaching philosophies and worldviews. However, I couldn’t help but miss working with young people everyday,

and all of the wonderful, messy, creative moments they create. I think I have ended up in a place of synthesis among my many interests. I get to teach in an art classroom where I have creative flexibility in lesson planning across artistic mediums with kids of all early elementary ages — and I get to do it in a foreign city, full of rich opportunities to explore international arts and education styles. I am inspired daily by my students to continue creating my own art. Though I am a painter by trade, this job has pushed me to explore and experiment with ceramics and sculpture. The creations and innovations of my students are unhindered by a lot of the external pressures adults put into art-making, and from them I learn to be carefree, curious and innovative when I create. A single day of teaching is harder than my entire year at Harvard. Teaching in a classroom has been more stressful, more emotional and more physically demanding for me than teaching in galleries or writing project proposals. But it has also been much, much more rewarding. Even on the days when I leave work frustrated — paint stains on my new blouse, voice raspy from raising it to get the class’s attention — I know that I am incredibly lucky to have found what I love, and to have been afforded the opportunities to pursue it so vibrantly. My deep rooted belief that art education is important and necessary is fed by the small moments like today’s, when a young person feels pride in their work and experiences growth from the creative process. These small moments keep me going through the hard days, and drive me to create the best learning experiences that I can for my students. I am only just starting out and, while the thought of having my whole life ahead of me in a classroom is scary, it is also incredibly freeing. I have so much time to make mistakes, to learn, to grow and to continue doing what I love — and that is worth every paint stain.

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SPOTLIGHT

WHAT MORE MIGHT WRITING BE? WHAT MORE MIGHT WRITING DO? COMPOSING POSSIBILITIES WITH DR. CANDACE JESSE STOUT by Vicki Daiello, PhD in Art Education (2011) Professor Candace Stout’s Experimental Writing course debuted after I’d completed my doctoral coursework, however, I was fortunate to have taken several graduate courses with her at Ohio State. In fact, my first term of graduate study, Autumn 2002, included a research seminar led by Dr. Stout. It was in this course, Introduction to Qualitative Methods of Research in Art Education, where I would have my first serious encounter with academic research writing. It didn’t go well. I suppose this is because I entered the class with expectations of writing that were informed by the poststructuralist poetry I’d devoured during my fine arts studies; moreover, my perception of a text’s structure was undoubtedly influenced by long hours spent hammering and sawing metal at my studio bench. I couldn’t understand why the research texts we were reading weren’t more vibrant and evocative, more luminous, even feverish… Where is the poetry, the movement, the swerves of awareness? Although I couldn’t have explained it then, I now understand that I was searching for research writing that could pry open, engage, and perform the powerful intersections where words and lives and disciplinary practices push at and cajole one another into startling, new formations. I wondered then (as I still wonder now), What more might writing be? What more might writing do? The time was ripe for questions about writing in art education. Elliot Eisner’s “The Promise and Perils of Alternative Forms of Data Representation,” appeared in Educational Researcher in 1997; Shaun McNiff’s book, Arts-Based Research was published in 2000, and qualitative researchers were exploring arts-based and arts-informed research methodologies with increasing frequency and rigor. The emergence of Stout’s Experimental Writing course was timely and significant with a unique forum for seeking and testing out new worlds of expression, identifying new ways of thinking, and pursuing complexities of knowing and being. Yet, well before the Experimental Writing course appeared on the scene, Stout’s graduate classes prioritized experimentation and critical reflection. Her “Archimedes Paper” assignment was equal parts vexing and exhilarating. In grappling with the daunting task of articulating the slippery, shifting contours of a

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Vicki Daiello is associate professor of art education at Cincinnati College of Design, Architecture, Art and Planning.

personal, philosophical framework that I was only beginning to wrap words around, I learned through experience (fifteen drafts’ worth of experience) that writing really is an effective method of inquiry. Another Stout classic assignment, the weekly “So Far. . .” reflection essay was a brilliant exercise in accountability and awareness, motivating students to stay close to their composing processes, attentive to the resistances and flows of their writing while remaining limber, poised, and ready to leap toward unexpected


surges of insight. While Candace Stout’s quality standards were agonizingly high, and her assessments keenly incisive, there was also a distinctive spaciousness within her courses that nurtured intellectual play. In this atmosphere, we were encouraged to attune our perceptions to the wider world within which writing is but one of myriad forms of signification. There was a distinctive ontological orientation in Stout’s teaching and mentoring — a kind of deep awareness and attentive witnessing that has lingered, taking shape in my own teaching and writing. Poet Mary Oliver suggests, “To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.” As my professor and mentor, Candace Stout demonstrated what it means to be deeply attuned to the complexities of a composition — whether the composition is a manuscript, a philosophical framework, or shimmering, greening leaves lifting in the breeze on an early summer afternoon. Indeed, what I understand now, as I embark upon my fifth year of teaching arts-based writing at my university, is that Stout did more than merely teach about writing. She was a steward of flux, a faithful protector of spaces of indeterminacy. Within these metaphorical territories, students could linger amidst thickets of signification where awkward paragraphs might ripen into juicy, evocative forms; where ungraceful thesis statements could be unspooled to seek nuanced reasoning and eventually find precision of expression.

Understanding that writing can be a precarious journey of fits and starts and long stretches of grasping for clarity in the thickness of so many competing ideas, Professor Stout was a patient witness to students’ writing processes. However, she also had an uncanny knack for knowing when to sprint ahead of a writer to pose questions that could reveal the texture of an argument, or smooth the contours of a narrative. In short, Professor Stout not only nurtured the conditions within which experimental expressions took shape in a welcoming community of writers, she also modeled the traits of a fearless explorer, unfazed by the unruliness of first drafts, undaunted by giving feedback on a five-hundred-page dissertation. Above all, Candace Stout was a fierce advocate of writing as a form of thinking-through. She wisely stood guard over students’ fumblings toward coherence, providing space for tangled ideas to be unknotted and studied.

She understood that poetry is sometimes tucked away in the most unlikely of places: in a dense journal reflection, in a repetitive circular argument, in an interminably long run-on sentence (“monster sentence” to use Stout’s term). In sum, she demonstrated for her students, and for me, the practice of attending carefully, respectfully, and empathetically to the world and to one another.

There are myriad ways of attending to the complexity of lived experience.

Professor Candace Stout teaches “Reimagining Academic Writing” where students are given tools to expand their definitions of and approaches to research while ultimately broadening their conception of quality research.

In essence, the more languages we create, share, and provide access to, the greater our capacity to intensely experience, translate experience, know, question, shape, and reshape experience. Candace Stout’s approach to teaching experimental writing is not undertaken in a rejection of what is but in the search for something more. She inspires us to continue asking: What else can writing be? What else can writing do? Knowing these questions compel the kinds of experiments that connect us to the world in intimate and pragmatic ways, engaging wide awakeness and the kinds of constructions that make new portals possible.

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FOCUS ON PHD: TERRON BANNER EXAMINES ORGANIZATIONAL CULTURE by Terron Banner, PhD candidate, Arts Administration, Education and Policy My research looks at the system of education in the United States as an organization in the business of creating a culture. The culture within schools and districts can be thought of as an “organizational culture” or community, where the organization’s expectations, experiences and values hold it together. Organizational governance plays a vital role in this process of nurturing success through enculturation, because it directly affects organizational culture. Elliot Eisner (1993) describes this process of cultivating success in his work, The Kind of Schools We Need, when he says, “call it conation or call it will, desire provides the wind to fill the sails to move the boat and intellect the rubber to determine the direction.” Desire and inspiration to succeed is influenced by the culture students are educated within, therefore, culture and desire must be at the forefront of education reform. From the lens of a business model, reform should work to level the playing field for those who are often disenfranchised through systemic inequality. Drawing from philosophers such as Heidegger and Foucault, education reform can examine ways to combat structural oppression and transfer hegemony from the majority to the minority to increase equity and equality in society. As a business model, reform can identify education as a tangible possession and as a service of educating to discover cause and effect and dependable regularities in the system. This type of identification promotes education as the quintessential factor that can either mitigate or expand disparity. Understanding the dynamics between education and equity, culture and desire, and governing and enculturation, organizational governance and organizational culture become the crux of my research. Specifically, I am focusing on creating, monitoring, and sustaining an organizational culture through relationshipmanagement between (education) organizations and the communities they serve. Best practices must create, maintain,

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and improve the relationship between the two by ensuring consistency between the strategies of the organization and the values of the culture. Education will not have permanent solutions to its problems. There will always be disruptions that affect consistency between strategy and culture and these disruptions must be approached with sensitivity and adaptability. An adaptable organization is able to temporarily adjust its structure to fit in line with a crisis management strategy. It understands that the relationship between crisis (disruptions) and strategy determines an organization’s ability to manage external challenges and function effectively during and after a crisis. The importance of this research became tangible with the recent string of natural catastrophes and hurricanes, including Hurricanes Irma and Maria, which caused crisis to areas of the United States. In the City of Miami Beach and Miami– Dade County Public Schools there is an educational culture built around the efforts of The Miami Beach and Miami– Dade County Education Compact. This is an example of an innovative governing body, which employs creative strategies to enhance education and the quality of life for its residents. From 2006 until now, The Education Compact has helped to transform the school district from failing schools with declining student retention and graduation rates to some of the nation’s best curricular models. The Education Compact has created an organizational culture operating at peak performance, but how will the culture evolve as the organization adjusts it strategy and goals to deal with the crisis? Research never follows a straight line, but is rhizomatic in its design and direction. This is something that was always preached in academia, but something I never fully understood until now. The

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system of education in the United States is an epicenter of bureaucracy filled with multiple actors with varying interests and incentives. Because of this, I struggled with how to address the inherent issues within it. I had an existential fear that my research would be but a drop in the bucket. Putting communities and cultures first is a model that deserves recognition and by bringing light to these types of governing strategies, one dissertation can make an impact.

PROFESSOR CANDACE STOUT ON WORKING WITH TERRON BANNER Terron Banner is one of those scholars who appreciates complexity. Better yet, he thrives on it. In working with Terron throughout his doctoral coursework, I remember those early days when he envisioned the possibilities for his studies and for his dissertation research as a land without borders. Like many of us in the arts, humanities and social sciences, however, Terron began with a mindset, a voice, one that emerged from life experience — undergoing, sympathizing and empathizing. As his advisor and friend throughout his studies here at AAEP, I have watched Terron stretch into trans-disciplinarity, discovering the philosophy and dynamic practice of humanizing educational spaces as critical alternatives to school reform.


FOCUS ON UNDERGRADUATES: TAYLOR AXENE SHARES THE PATH THAT LED HER TO PURSUE ARTS MANAGEMENT by Taylor Axene, Arts Management undergraduate student If you asked me ten years ago where I would be today, my answer would have been very different. Going to college, gaining two degrees, and aspiring towards grad school never occurred to me. At age 27, I have had a very unconventional path towards my current area of study. First, I used to be a professional ballet dancer. My life consisted of waking up every morning around 7 a.m., standing at the barre in ballet class at 9 a.m. and dancing until 6 p.m. Even in high school, ballet took precedence over school no matter what. Having been raised a ballet dancer since the age of three and having put so much effort and perseverance into my career, I was positive it was something I would do for the rest of my life. The mental strife I experienced when deciding to retire was considerable. I was still so young. Ballet was all I knew. How could I be closing one chapter of my life already, to open another? I held contracts in Nashville Ballet and Nevada Ballet Theatre. I performed some of my favorite Balanchine ballets and in a collaborative performance with Cirque Du Soleil gave my final performance. What ultimately led me to retire was a desire to pursue the other interests in my life. In a dance career, there is a lot of uncertainty. Professional dancers constantly have to audition to secure a job from year to year. This alone made my stomach churn whenever that time of year rolled around. I didn’t want to live the rest of my life in uncertainty, not making much money, with a moderate rate of injury to my body. I then decided how important college is to me, and went with that path to secure my future. I began my education at Columbus State Community College where I received an Associate of Arts degree. I later transferred to Ohio State to join the BA program in Arts Management at AAEP. I was already familiar with the artistic side of the arts world, but now I had the opportunity to learn the business side of things through studying arts administration. Through my bachelor’s education, I have taken many classes that

have exposed me to the many skills I would need in my new role. During my education in arts management, I learned about creative placemaking, which has led to my interest in pursuing graduate school in the Department of City and Regional Planning. This is a relatively new sector of study, one that includes measuring the influence of arts, culture, and creativity within a city. Creative placemaking develops and brings a sense of transformation of character to a place through a creative lens. There were two very important professors who had a major influence on my dreams of creative cities — Dr. Shoshanah GoldbergMiller (assistant professor of AAEP in the College of Arts and Sciences) and Professor Kyle Ezell (professor of practice in City and Regional Planning in the Knowlton School of Architecture). Their team-taught class integrated both planning and arts and culture, and how they play a huge role in establishing creative cities.

Currently, I am utilizing a grant I received from AAEP to conduct my own research on the creative city. The research is titled, “Creative Connections: Neighborhood and Cultural Development.” In my research, I compare and contrast Columbus, Ohio, and Indianapolis, Indiana. These two cities share similar demographics and have a lot to learn from each other. I look at how arts, culture and unique urban design improve economic development and sustainability. This research will highlight all of my educational efforts thus far, while garnering the recognition necessary when applying to the school of City and Regional Planning at Knowlton. My experiences at AAEP have allowed me to network with many professionals, intern for the 2016 Barnett Symposium, research relevant information in the field of arts management and planning, and gain real-world experience. I feel that graduation in spring 2018 will make for an easy transition to enter graduate school and my career with confidence.

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FOCUS ON UNDERGRADUATES: JULI SASAKI REFLECTS ON A SUMMER IN MADRID by Juli Sasaki, Arts Management undergraduate student

As I reflect back upon my last summer of creative expression, freedom, and experimentation, I have learned so much about my role as an artist, designer, and developing arts manager. For three months this past summer, I interned at an arts and cultural center, Espacio Ronda in Madrid, as an arts administration and design team member. As I’ve learned in my arts administration classes, one of the traits of a successful arts manager is the ability to wear many hats and constantly be able to switch between them with ease and fluidity. I was constantly juggling my role as a graphic designer, as a ticket sales representative of the cultural center, as a professional friend to those musicians and artists in the Madrid community using the center, as a photographer, and as a musician. Going into this past summer, I did not expect to practice my design skills outside of the office, but I ended up working almost equally within my internship and within the community. Casual friendships through my roommates turned into connections to a larger network of those who needed design services, and as a learning student, I was happy to help. After work, I would often meet with clients for photo sessions. I worked with actors and models looking to build their professional portfolio and worked a lot with a fashion designer who wanted professional photos for her social media sites. I designed a website for a freelance emotion coach, two t-shirts for local events, and am still working on a logo for a freelance photographer and videographer. Some of my co-workers also introduced me to a local church in the area, which I ended up attending every Sunday to sing in the church band. At the end of the summer, we were even able to record a few songs for the community to sing along to during church services. Overall, I feel as though the fluidity of my role as part of Madrid’s creative community was very representative of what I had learned in my arts management classes. One’s skills are often applied to a variety of circumstances, and it is important to be flexible and take opportunities as they come, even if they may not be what was originally planned.

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Juli Sasaki (far left) stands outside the Espacio Ronda with friends in Madrid, Spain.

I had many unexpected experiences over the summer, but I was also able to invest in the projects that I had originally intended to focus on prior to arriving at my internship. Some of these projects were works in progress from my experience interning at Espacio Ronda the prior summer. The main project I wanted to further investigate was the creation of a cafe next to the cultural center. I began researching the relationship between cafes and arts spaces to begin work on this project. Visiting all types of cafes — from the cafe at the Prado to the casual neighborhood cafe that the employees of Espacio Ronda frequented — was intriguing. I noticed that it is absolutely essential that the art center’s cafe be at either the entryway or the exit of the center. This brings people into the visibility of those entering and leaving the arts spaces, thus contributing to a positive, more relaxing ambience. Through my interviews with some local and regular cafe visitors of Madrid, I found that the most commonly valued aspect of cafe culture is that it creates a space for frequent conversation, especially with co-workers – conversation that wouldn’t naturally happen otherwise. I found aspects of Spanish cafe culture to be simple, yet profound. It is an extremely relational culture and makes acceptable moments of rest within the workplace. This work-life balance is definitely something that I struggle to bring into my life back in America.

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I feel as though my education through AAEP and the Columbus arts community has given me the knowledge to succeed, and my experiences in Madrid have given me the passion to create something with it. I am most proud of the relationships that I built this summer. I am confident that the connections I formed in the Madrid community are ones that will last, and I know that I will always have a home there when I return in the future. For now, however, I plan to use my research on Spanish cafe culture to better inform my current project: creating a community arts cafe in Milo-Grogan. In order to fund this dream project, I have applied, and continue to apply for grants. This is a valuable skill that I have to thank the AAEP program for teaching me. As I develop the core ideals of the arts cafe and transform those into a functioning business plan, I am consistently amazed at how applicable my education through my arts management classes are to the situations I am facing in real life, and they have given me more confidence to navigate the creative industries.


SPOTLIGHT

GRADUATE STUDENT JIMIN CHA REFLECTS OVER RESEARCH TRAVEL IN SANTIAGO, CHILE

Jimin Cha (third from left) in the Museum of Memory and Human Rights in Santiago, Chile.

by Jimin Cha, PhD candidate in Arts Administration, Education and Policy

Travel offers excitement that liberates one from a mundane routine. Even just imagining travel can provoke excitement. My first trip to Chile was with Professor Wayne Lawson along with six Mujeres as part of our department’s summer class, Chile: Comparative Cultural Policies in an Emerging Democracy, in 2015. While that trip was a stimulating experience, I wasn’t excited about my second visit as the date fast approached last October.

mean that I am not prepared enough? This chain of thoughts made me even more fearful about the upcoming visit to Chile.

While the emphasis of this second trip was clearly placed on research and immense pressure on DISSERTATION, I quickly noticed that for the others, it was equivalent to any other trip. Even if I told them it was a “dissertation research trip,” somehow those first two words failed to grab their attention and disappeared from their minds.

After I checked in, I went straight to the Museum of Memory and Human Rights for a meeting with the museum staff. Contrary to my wild imagination, the meeting went very well and the interview started from the next day as scheduled. As the day progressed, I gradually realized how amazing it was that the visitors, most of whom were traveling from abroad, were extremely kind, sympathetic, and generous to allow me their time to share their thoughts. I was surprised and grateful that they cared about what I am doing.

As it might be apparent, I wasn’t excited at all for my “dissertation research trip.” How can I, let alone anyone else, possibly be excited when there is so much at stake? Why don’t they understand that this is a very serious trip? But why are others so excited about their research trips? Wait, does it

There were many factors that contributed to my anxiety. First of all, I don’t speak the language — by this I mean literally zero Spanish; and second, it is for my DISSERTATION(!). So obviously I wasn’t in a good mood when I was getting on my plane. Then, I arrived in Santiago.

After a few days, which amounted to an amazing experience, one thing became

very apparent to me. It became clear how ludicrous it was to make such a big fuss about my “dissertation research trip” and to complain that this trip is going to be so “serious.” I had to remind myself what I often jokingly, but not-jokingly, say to my colleagues, which is … nobody cares: this is a fact and we should all accept it. Also, while it is important to remind oneself that nobody cares, because nobody does, hence the more it is important for me to care. But at the same time, one shouldn’t get too serious about what one is doing. It is a tricky balance. This fragile equilibrium is embedded and controls the life of a graduate student, because research oftentimes pushes one to care too much about what one is doing. And I cared too much when I was heading to Chile. I was hell-bent on insisting that it was not a “trip,” when it was indeed a trip. And it turned out to be a great one. The only catch was that the excitement came after, not before. Now I am excited, because now I know what I do matters. So, yes, I am excited that others care, which is an oxymoronic statement. I am full of contradictions and so is life.

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SPOTLIGHT

REDEFINING INCLUSION: ALUMNA ERIN HOPPE WORKS TO INCREASE ACCESS TO ART EDUCATION by Erin Hoppe, MA in Arts Policy and Administration (2008)

When I graduated almost 10 years ago (yikes!), I found a place at the intersection of arts, education and disability as the director at VSA Ohio (www.vsao.org). Every day of those first years was a learning experience from colleagues, constituents, partners, and the community. Today, I have a changed perspective of disability, am more comfortable talking in front of 200 people than I ever thought possible, and I get to pursue new initiatives and make a difference. As a student, I spent my summer internship at the Smithsonian Institution’s Office of Policy and Analysis as much for the glory of interviewing visitors at the National Postal Museum as for the awe of accessing the Smithsonian’s library, trolling for decades of any study on visitor services. There’s nothing quite like the smell of primary sources in the morning and the sound of auto-ethnography in the afternoon. As much as I love research, I had no idea if it would stay part of my life once this thesis was written, printed, and defended. As it turns out, when the minutia of directing a nonprofit became more ingrained and

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things settled down, I found opportunities to include research and use it as a tool to learn more about my work. There is a lot happening in arts and disability, and so many smart people are writing about it (go read Dr. Jennifer Richardson’s work). But there also are a lot of gaps, especially when it comes to how administrators can put research to work. Barriers to access, misconceptions about disability, information mismatches, and administrative bureaucracies all affect my constituents and work. Artists create to communicate, heal, earn a living, and change perceptions. But what do people living with disability want and need? Do they get to voice their experiences or do people speak for them? How can we educate people to influence policy and administration, ultimately improving communities and individual experiences? Non-profits exist to make the world a better place but I didn’t know what role I could play at VSAO. It turns out more than I expected. Aside from the everyday program/event evaluation, opportunities to conduct in-depth research began to present themselves, and I jumped at them. The Ohio

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Arts Council asked how we can increase access to the arts/education for people with autism. Because of a strong relationship, the OAC asked VSA Ohio to explore this question and I found myself organizing focus groups and developing surveys for the community with partners and experts. It turns out there are a lot of things we can do to increase access and inclusion: forge partnerships, make long-term investments, make accessibility a line item on meeting agendas and in budgets. Five years later, VSA Ohio is making connections, leading trainings, hosting conferences, and distributing new resources aimed at closing gaps in accessibility which ultimately increase inclusion. I recently sat in a conference session about the intersection of policy and practice. Sometimes it seems like research is all well and fun, but change is slow. Is anyone really going to read a thesis and put those findings to work? I’ve come to learn that advocacy, research, policy, and practice are all wrapped up and we can put this work to use at every level. They say politics is local. This is true. Our findings from the Arts and Autism in Ohio Initiative and quantitative


Erin J. Hoppe is the executive director of VSA Ohio, a statewide nonprofit working to make the arts/education more accessible and inclusive for people with disabilities and their support networks. Erin is also a board member for Columbus Arts Marketing Association, Ohio Citizens for the Arts, and VSA affiliate network. Erin is a transplant from California who loves Ohio and birdwatching.

study of the Adaptation, Integration and the Arts program may not change the U.S. Department of Education policies (yet). But it’s useful when I’m at the table with statewide advocates working on an arts education plan for Ohio. It matters to the principals who can justify investing limited resources in arts education. It makes a difference in classrooms where educators enact best practices and students can access information in new ways. And it has definitely impacted my own personal views on inclusion.

Pro tip: you can’t be inclusive if you aren’t accessible. Research has always been one of my interests (junior high science fair winner). A degree in arts policy and administration connected me with a community of people dedicated to fostering creativity. It’s up to each of us to use the tools and knowledge this program offers to merge our passions and practical experiences in a way that pushes the field forward – that’s why we’re here.

ASSOCIATE PROFESSOR JEN RICHARDSON DELIVERS KEYNOTE AT AALTO UNIVERSITY IN FINLAND Jennifer (Eisenhauer) Richardson traveled in October 2017 to deliver her keynote address at the First International Conference on Disability, Arts and Education in Helsinki. Her paper was titled “Writing and Creating on the Schizophrenic Spectrum: An Autotheoretical Encounter.” Dr. Richardson also met with graduate students at Aalto University. Her presentation explored artwork from the Hans Prinzhorn collection, which contains about 5,000 works by 450 artists with mental disabilities. In addition, her presentation investigated her essay, “Writing My Lecture-Loose Associations,” and the writing of other authors on the schizophrenic spectrum. The paper concluded with a discussion of the importance that teacher education plays

in preparing them to question limiting and stigmatizing representations of disability and to better understand the subjectivity of students with disabilities in the classroom. Richardson’s research during the past 14 years has focused primarily on Disability Studies in Education and particularly on representations of mental disability. Disability Studies is an interdisciplinary field that positions disability as resulting from barriers, be they physical or attitudinal, rather than from personal limitation or pathology. In Disability Studies in Education, there is a shift from views on inclusion that stem from traditional special education marking a shift from “special” education to “equal” education.

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My experience in AAEP has enabled me to explore dance and its potential to influence children with special needs, particularly autism.

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For her master’s thesis, Elle Pierman studied a dance program provided in a public preschool inclusion classroom. The program, held once a week for 10 weeks, taught a creative movement program – rather than teaching dance technique, they encouraged students to explore concepts and tell stories through movement. Pierman focused her research on measuring traits characteristic of three domains of development: socio-emotional, cognitive and motor.

FOCUS ON PHD: ELLE PIERMAN USES PASSION FOR DANCE TO EDUCATE STUDENTS ON THE AUTISM SPECTRUM Elle Pierman by

Though I identify myself as many things, one of the most influential aspects of my identity is “dancer.” For six years, I have been a teaching artist at BalletMet Columbus, where I go out to schools and work primarily with preschool students teaching creative movement classes. My lifelong passion for dance and dance education led me to pursue my master’s degree and now my PhD in the Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy (AAEP). My experience in AAEP has enabled me to explore dance and its potential to influence children with special needs, particularly autism. Autism is a developmental disorder that often affects social skills and communication, and can also result in sensory issues, restricted interests and repetitive behaviors, all of which can impact a child’s ability to be successful in a traditional classroom. Because of the variability of autism, no case looks the same; needs and levels of support vary greatly from person to person, which can make it difficult for teachers to cater to every student’s needs. With a rising constituency of children with autism and the resultant barriers to success in traditional education, I want to know if dance could potentially be an effective classroom intervention for preschool children with autism. For my master’s thesis, I studied a dance program provided in a public school preschool inclusion classroom. Two teaching artists and one accompanist went into the school once a week for 10 weeks and taught a creative movement program – rather than teaching dance technique, they encouraged students to explore concepts and tell stories through movement. I focused on measuring traits characteristic of three domains of development: socio-emotional, cognitive

, PhD student in Arts Administration, Education and Policy

and motor. Using a mixed-methods design, I employed survey materials for quantitative data and also conducted my own observations and interviews with teaching artists and the classroom teacher to attempt to understand how dance influenced socio-emotional (communication, managing feelings, self-regulation, eye gaze), cognitive (attention, remembering, self-correcting, following directions), and motor development (gross motor, locomotor, general improvement in completing movement exercises) in students. The inclusion of both students with special needs and their “typically” developing peer models allowed me to compare how the dance program influenced each group. The results of my master’s thesis were overwhelmingly positive. I essentially found that all children experienced positive results in all areas of development. Additionally, I found a gap-bridging phenomenon happening: the children with special needs, though they did not quite meet the baseline of their same-age peers, improved even more than the peer models. That told me that dance can be beneficial for all children, and particularly for students with special needs. But there was something else happening that is much more difficult to quantify and I think sometimes even transcends analysis — the kids were having fun. So much fun. And sure, I can try to quantify “fun” and count how many times a kid smiled, but that doesn’t quite convey the empowerment and joy that I saw during dance class. For example, there was a boy (let’s call him Richard) who always came in and did his best, but had a lot of trouble doing complex movement without the help of a teacher. He was nonverbal, and though he was able to walk into the room himself, he couldn’t

jump, skip or hop like the other kids. During class, while reading The Mitten by Jan Brett, the teachers had the students do a “mole crawl” (basically an army crawl using their arms to scoot forward on their bellies). All of a sudden, Richard, who previously needed help with most of our activities, blossomed into an expert mover. Every time they did the mole crawl, he got so excited, and he moved confidently around the floor without anyone’s help. He was so proud of himself and had so much fun that it didn’t even matter that he struggled with other movement activities. In that moment, his disability didn’t matter — he was overjoyed and inspired to be moving just like everyone else, and I think that inspiration alone can help any child. I have learned to apply some of the things I found in my master’s thesis to my own teaching in special needs/inclusion classrooms as a teaching artist at BalletMet. One of the most important things I have taken away from my research in AAEP and my work with BalletMet is never to underestimate any child, regardless of diagnosis or perceived ability. Chances are, if we change the delivery of the program or our own teaching methods, every student can be successful. What is so inspiring to me is that every child I have taught, whether in my creative movement class at BalletMet specifically for children with autism or in a preschool inclusion classroom, has demonstrated strengths and growth in dance class. Every child has had moments of success in one thing or another, and every child has been accepted and valued in the dance classroom. As someone who proudly identifies as a dancer, it is my hope to share my love and passion for dance with others. If I have learned anything from my research and teaching, it is that no matter the level of ability, everyone can be a dancer.

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A LOOK AT THE MUSEUM EDUCATION AND ADMINISTRATION SPECIALIZATION by Dana Carlisle Kletcha, Assistant Professor of Art Museum Education

A note of introduction: I’m Dana Carlisle Kletchka, PhD, and I recently became an assistant professor of museum education in the department as well as the new faculty director for the Museum Education and Administration specialization — after 20 years as an educator in art museums. As I learn more about our students and the meaningful work they are doing in community arts spaces and museums, the more I am inspired to build upon the foundational values of the department to create a museum education and administration program that is theoretically rigorous, socially responsive, grounded in critical pedagogical strategies, and embedded with opportunities to put ideas into practice in and with arts institutions.

Licensure student Heather Allen engages a group of participants in an art project at Ohio State’s Urban Arts Space.

The students who are currently enrolled in the specialization are excellent examples of the possibilities for public scholarship and community engagement fostered by AAEP. Heather Allen (Licensure student) has, since fall 2016, worked as the Education Assistant at the Urban Arts Space, an innovative space that brings

together artists, community, educators, and exhibitions. Her work enables her to consider the multiple ways in which young children learn in informal art-making environments and how to work with both children and adults with varying degrees of developmental ability. Sujin Kim, a PhD candidate with a research interest in collaboration between art museum educators and teachers, worked in an intern capacity at both Columbus Museum of Art, where she assisted with the Learning Department’s Teaching for Creativity Summer Institute, and Ohio State’s Wexner Center for the Arts, where she worked with the Pages program, a program that supports literacy and writing skills by partnering Ohio teachers with Wex staff members to plan arts-based curriculum for their students. The interplay between theory and practice and the learning that can only take place by doing is firmly entrenched in the culture of AAEP. I look forward to working with students, educators, and arts institutions as we envision new ways of working for and with public audiences and communities.

I have been challenged to create thoughtful lessons built around the exhibitions at Urban Arts Space. It has cultivated my ability to construct lessons that foster creative thinking, and develop innovative methods for teaching to diverse groups of students. I feel more determined, prepared, and confident in my ability to succeed as an art educator. — Heather Allen

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DEPARTMENT OF ARTS ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATION AND POLICY


CONGRATULATIONS TO THE 2018 BARNETT FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENTS! The Lawrence and Isabel Barnett Fellowship Fund provides tuition, fees and an annual stipend to promising arts policy and administration students, for two years. The Barnett Dissertation Fellowship assists advanced doctoral students specializing in Cultural Policy and Arts Management to finish their dissertation and launch their professional careers.

Zoë Zwegat

MA in Arts Policy and Administration Zoë Zwegat is a first year Barnett Fellow and student in the Arts Policy and Administration MA program. Zoë has interned at both the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston and the Cleveland Museum of Art. These experiences have inspired her research interests, which include museum accessibility, audience relations, and community engagement through the arts.

Biyun Zhu

PhD in Arts Administration, Education and Policy Biyun Zhu is a Barnett fellow and second year PhD student. She is from Beijing, China, and earned her master’s degree from Ken’s College London. She has worked as an intern in the ministry of Culture in China and UN ESCAP in Bangkok as well as for the Half the Sky foundation. These experiences have enabled her to gain an interest in cultural diplomacy and management of arts non-profit organizations.

Kris Roberts

MA in Arts Policy and Administration Kristopher Roberts is a second-year Barnett Fellow and student in the Arts Policy and Administration MA program. Kris has worked with the McConnell Arts Center and Wexner Center for the Arts, and is interested in how arts institutions and administrators create opportunities for people to connect with one another and with themselves.

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AWARDS & RECOGNITION UNDERGRADUATE STUDENTS Cassy Sinchok and Sarah Ketron received the 2017 Beverly Baer Endowed Scholarship Award, established in 2003 by William D. and Thomas N. Baer for art education majors who demonstrate strong social consciousness and utilization of art for the betterment of society. Summer Jordan and Ruthie Myers received the 2017 Sara Jane Pyne Memorial Scholarship Award, established in 1981, for students who demonstrate exceptional promise and potential for service in the visual arts. Sarah Ketron and Rebecca Lieb received the 2017 Aida Cannarsa Snow Endowment Fund Scholarships to assist with their student teaching practica. Arts Management major Juli Sasaki was awarded a Critical Difference for Women Professional Development Grant and a Phi Kappa Phi Ohio State University Chapter Undergraduate Enrichment Scholarship, which enabled her to complete a summer graphic design and arts administration internship at arts venue Espacio Ronda in Madrid, Spain. BAE student Tashonda Ward was awarded the first annual, 2018 Barbara Strutin Schwartz and Stanley Schwartz Scholarship.

GRADUATE STUDENTS AND ALUMNI AAEP alumni Kate Collins, Ross Schlemmer, Ahran Koo and Meaghan Brady Nelson and PhD candidate Allison Paul copresented at a session titled, "Local Efforts and Global InquiriesIntroducing the Community Arts Caucus and the Creative and Scholarly Contributions of its Members: A Pecha Kucha Presentation," at the 2017 Imagining America Conference at UC Davis on October 13, 2017. PhD candidate and Distinguished University Fellow Kathleen Goodyear was named a 2016-17 Preparing Future Faculty Fellow by the Ohio State Graduate School. In addition, she presented on her dissertation research, “Undergraduate Arts-Based Identity Exploration: Increasing Self-Awareness and Cultural Sensitivity,” at the Ohio State Academy of Teaching’s 2017 Conference on Excellence in Teaching & Learning and at national art education, curriculum and pedagogy, qualitative research and student affairs conferences. Second year PhD student Divya Janardhan received the Kevin V. Mulcahy Student Award for Research Excellence for her presentation at the 2017 Social Theory, Politics, & the Arts conference held in Minneapolis, MN. Divya’s research presentation captured the intersection of urban systems analysis, the spread of arts institutions, and cultural planning and funding in Houston, Texas.

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DEPARTMENT OF ARTS ADMINISTRATION, EDUCATION AND POLICY

The Graduate Studies Committee named PhD candidate Christopher Jeansonne as AAEP’s 2017 Outstanding Graduate Teaching Associate, in the inaugural year for this award. Christopher also received a College of Arts and Sciences Small Research Grant to present “Superheroes in the Classroom: Identity, Transmediality, Pop-Culture and Creative Practice” at NAEA’s 2017 conference in New York, New York. Christopher organized, moderated and curated the Barnett Center’s March 2017 “Superheroes en Vogue” panel and exhibition, which featured discussion on issues of social justice and diversity in the popular culture genre. PhD candidate Christopher Jeansonne was selected by the Graduate School for a Preparing Future Faculty Program career development fellowship, and has been paired with mentor Joy Sperling, professor in the Department of Art History & Visual Culture at Denison University. PhD students Christopher Jeansonne and Kelsi Stoltenow were each awarded a 2017 Graduate Associate Teaching Award (GATA), the highest recognition of graduate teaching excellence at Ohio State, by former Interim Dean of the Graduate School Scott Herness. Kelsi was also chosen to be a judge for the 2018 GATA. Art Education MA student Hilary Katz and MA in Arts Policy and Administration student Miranda Rife earned competitive 20172018 University Fellowships from the Graduate School. Miranda was selected as a Distinguished University Fellow. PhD student Sharbreon Plummer received a Graduate School Graduate Enrichment Fellowship. Both University and Graduate Enrichment Fellowships are awarded based on merit, to recruit new, incoming talent to Ohio State. PhD student Sujin Kim presented at the 35th World Congress of the International Society for Education through Art (InSEA), in Daegu, Korea. Sujin’s presentation included nine types of recent visitorcentered practices in art museums.


FACULTY AND STAFF The National Art Education Association (NAEA) Women’s Caucus awarded Associate Professor Joni Boyd Acuff the 2017 Mary J. Rouse award. The Mary J. Rouse Award is given annually to recognize an early professional who has evidenced potential to make significant contributions in the art education profession.

PhD candidate Allison Paul co-facilitated an embodied art, poetry and movement workshop titled, “Addressing Issues of Memory & Identity through Expressive Arts,” at the International Institute on Peace Education in Innsbruck, Austria on August 29, 2017. Allison also co-presented “Actionable Strategies for Equitable Practice: Culturally Sustaining Teaching in the Arts” at the 2017 NAEA Conference in New York, NY, alongside Associate Professor Joni Boyd Acuff, and PhD alum and Instructor Ruth Smith. PhD candidates Terron Banner, Kristen Breitfeller, Allison Paul and Kelsi Stoltenow represented Ohio State at the October 2017 Graduate Research in Art Education conference in State College, Pennsylvania. Terron, Kristen, Allison and Kelsi presented their respective doctoral research on “Creating, Sustaining, and Monitoring Organizational Culture: A Case study of the Miami Beach and Miami-Dade County Education Compact,” “Humanizing Teacher Accountability Discourses in the Public Sphere: A Critical Narrative Inquiry,” “Youth-Driven Art for Community Change: An Arts-Based Participatory Action Research Study,” and “YouTube beauty vlogs: How social media blurs social boundaries and serves as a site for subverting social norms.”

Assistant Professor and affiliate faculty in City and Regional Planning Shoshanah Goldberg-Miller successfully published her first book, Planning for a City of Culture: Creative Urbanism in Toronto and New York (Routledge, March) The book has received praise from leading scholars and practitioners in the urban planning and creative economy fields, including Richard Florida, Robert Beauregard and Charles Landry. Associate Professor and Chair Karen Hutzel’s book, Transforming City Schools Through Art: Approaches to Meaningful K-12 Learning, inspired an Ohio Art Education Association workshop series, “Reaching Innercity Youth through Art Education,” across Ohio’s major cities: Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo. Alumna Janet Fedorenko, PhD ‘96, coordinated this project, and Hutzel provided consulting and inspirational guidance. Assistant Professor Dana Carlisle Kletchka delivered a keynote lecture, From Practice to Theory: (My) Art Museum Education, at the 13th Annual Graduate Research in Art Education conference in October 2017. Associate Professor Shari Savage received the 2017 Kenneth A. Marantz Distinguished Alumni Award, selected by the current AAEP graduate students for her compelling scholarship on narrative inquiry, issues of gender in popular culture media, and mentorship in higher education.

PhD student Audrey Reeves received the College of Arts and Sciences Education Abroad Award 2017 to assist with the Exploring Jamaican Arts and Culture study abroad summer program. Audrey presented her doctoral dissertation research, “Compassion Fatigue: Narrative Study of Art Teachers Instructing a Trauma Curriculum,” at the Social Theory, Politics and the Arts 2017 Conference in Minneapolis. Audrey also co-presented “Group Projects-Overcoming Challenges using Multiculturalism” at the 2018 NAEA National Convention in Seattle with fellow PhD student Michelle Attias. MA students Kris Roberts and Zoë Zwegat, and PhD student Biyun Zhu were awarded 2017-2018 Barnett Fellowships for distinction in the Arts Policy and Administration field. BAE alum Geoff Schmidt authored and illustrated a book, The Art Teacher is Weird, available for purchase on Amazon.

Shari Savage and Joni Acuff were promoted to Associate Professors with Tenure by the Ohio State Board of Trustees in June 2017. Associate Professor and affiliate faculty in Disability Studies Jennifer (Eisenhauer) Richardson delivered the Studies in Art Education Invited Lecture, awarded to an individual who has made significant contributions to research in the field of art education, at the 2017 NAEA National Convention in New York, NY. Her presentation explored the politics of artwork created by artists with mental disabilities in the Hans Prinzhorn Collection from the late 19th to early 20th centuries. Jennifer Richardson was also a keynote speaker at the First International Conference on Disability Studies, Arts, and Education in Helsinki, Finland in 2017. Professor Deborah Smith-Shank received the 2017 Ziegfeld InSEA Award, awarded triennially to honor an arts education leader who has forged new directions in the field, at the InSEA World Congress in Daegu, Korea on August 6, 2017. Professor Smith-Shank is also serving as the elected President of the Semiotic Society of America during 2017. aaep.osu.edu

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Department of Arts Administration, Education and Policy 231 Sullivant Hall 1813 N. High St. Columbus, OH 43210-1307 aaep.osu.edu Donate online at aaep.osu.edu/donate.

SAVE THE DATE FOR THE UPCOMING MULTI-ANNIVERSARY ALUMNI CELEBRATION & BARNETT SYMPOSIUM!

The 2018 Barnett Symposium on the Arts and Public Policy welcomes alumni back to campus September 27-28, 2018. This year’s symposium celebrates the 50th anniverary of the department, the 25th anniversary of the Barnett Symposium and the 5th anniversary of the Barnett Center for Integrated Arts and Enterprise. While looking back on these milestones, the symposium also looks forward, with programming focused on the future of the business of the arts.


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