The Right Brain Initiative
The Right Brain Initiative, formerly Arts Partners, is a collaborative initiative involving arts organizations, school districts, governments, and private donors to develop a comprehensive solution for providing arts education opportunities for every student in the Portland metropolitan area. RACC is convening the visioning and planning phases of this project.
The Right Brain Initiatives’ purpose statement: To achieve a measurable impact on learning by integrating the community’s arts and cultural resources into the education of every K-8 student in the region’s school districts.
To learn more about The Right Brain Initiative, to get involved, and/or to receive regular updates on our progress, please contact:
Marna Stalcup
The Right Brain Initiative Program Manager
503.823.4698
mstalcup@racc.org
Latest News
December 12, 2008
RACC and THE RIGHT BRAIN INITIATIVE Featured on Cable TV. On Wednesday evening, RACC was the subject of a 30 minute segment on Community Hotline, a live weekly cable access program of MetroEast Community Media serving east Multnomah County. RACC Community Affairs Director Jeff Hawthorne reviewed for viewers the many services RACC provides and the benefits to the east county community. The Right Brain Initiative was the focus of the program. The Right Brain video provided the introduction, then Marna followed with program details and discussed the impact on schools through an interview with Elaine Luckenbaugh, principal of Hollydale Elementary in the Gresham-Barlow School District. The show will be rebroadcast according to the schedule below, and soon we will post segments on our You Tube page at http://www.youtube.com/user/RegionalArts.
Sat., December 13, 6:00 PM, Ch. 30
Sun., December 14, 7:30 PM, Ch. 30
Mon., December 15, 9:00 PM, Ch. 11
Mon., December 15, 12:00 PM, Ch. 22
Tue., December 16, 12:00 PM, Ch. 22
Wed., December 17, 12:00 PM, Ch. 22
Thu., December 18, 12:00 PM, Ch. 22
Fri., December 19, 12:00 PM, Ch. 22
(You may or may not receive all of these channels depending on what part of the county and region you live in.)
November 25, 2008
“Arts Partners” Selected. The Right Brain Initiative has selected its 2008-2009  “Arts Partners,” i.e., the 10 artists and 10 arts organizations who will provide services to 20 tri-county schools during the program’s initial year. These Arts Partners will provide a variety of services for K-8 students, including performances, field trips to arts and cultural sites, and classroom residency and workshop experiences. Arts Partners will meet with school planning teams prior to delivery of the services to connect the arts experiences with the school’s curricular goals. In preparation for the work ahead, the Arts Partners participated in full-day professional development workshop on November 14th; the school planning teams’ corresponding professional development session was held on October 7th.
November 18, 2008
New funding received. RACC has received $140,000 in new grants to support The Right Brain Initiative. RACC is the managing partner of this effort, which now includes support from the following businesses and foundations:
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$75,000 (over three years) from the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation, whose principal purpose is to assist with Jewish, cultural, youth, education, medical, social service, and community activities in Oregon and Clark County Washington;
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$25,000 from the Spirit Mountain Community Fund, which focuses on improving the quality of life in Northwest Oregon through community investments that provide lasting benefits consistent with the culture and values of The Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde;
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$25,000 from the William Swindells Sr. Fund of The Oregon Community Foundation, whose mission is to improve life in Oregon and promote effective philanthropy. OCF works with individuals, families, and businesses to create charitable funds to support the community causes they care about.; and
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$10,000 from The Standard, a leading provider of financial products and services whose philanthropic priorities include cultural development, education and advancement, disability and empowerment and healthy communities.
Click here to read the complete press release.
October 2, 2008
Call for Artists and Arts Organizations. The Right Brain Initiative, with RACC serving as the managing partner, will connect teaching artists and arts organizations as “Arts Partners” (i.e., arts service providers) with 20 tri-county schools during the 2008-2009 academic year. These Arts Partners will provide a variety of services for K-8 students, including performances, field trips to arts and cultural sites, and classroom residency and workshop experiences. Artists and arts organizations will meet with school planning teams prior to delivery of the services to connect the arts experiences with the school’s curricular goals. Artists and organizations from all artistic disciplines are invited to apply. Learn more about the role of these Arts Partners in The Right Brain Initiative by downloading an Artist Application (WORD doc). For additional copies of the reference form only (two references are required), download here (WORD doc). Applications must be RECEIVED by 5pm, Wednesday, 10/15/08, at the e-mail or street address on the application form.
September 22, 2008
CALL TO ARTISTS
The Right Brain Initiative will connect teaching artists and arts organizations with 20 tri-county schools during the 2008-2009 academic year. Join us to learn more about the role of artists and arts and culture organizations in The Right Brain Initiative as we announce the application process to become an arts service provider in these schools.
- Wednesday, October 1, 2008
4:30-5:30pm, Central Library, US Bank Room, 801 SW 10th Ave. Portland
September 19, 2008
“Arts Partners” is now “The Right Brain Initiative”
Nearly 200 arts advocates joined us on Thursday, September 18 to celebrate the launch of The Right Brain Initiative, formerly known as Arts Partners. This community-wide collaboration is working to integrate the arts into the standard curriculum for every K-8 student in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington Counties.
> Read the Press Release
> Download The Right Brain Initiative Fact Sheet (PDF)
> Visit TheRightBrainInitiative.org
September 15, 2008
Arts Integration Facilitators sought by Arts Partners. Arts Integration Facilitators will coordinate services in four to six schools during the project’s pilot year. Working directly with School-Based Arts Teams AIFs will help identify school arts needs and interests and facilitate co-planning between community artists/arts organizations and schools. See the AIF position announcement (pdf) for a details and information about applying. Deadline: 9/24/08, 5pm.
September 8, 2008
Three New Grants
The Regional Arts & Culture Council has received $310,000 in new grants to support Arts Partners. RACC is the managing partner of this effort and is pleased to announce this new round of funding, which includes:
$150,000 from the Collins Foundation -- $50,000 each year for the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years.
$150,000 from the James F. & Marion L. Miller Foundation -- $50,000 each year for the 2008-09, 2009-10 and 2010-11 school years.
$10,000 from the Bank of America Foundation for the 2008-09 school year.
Read the press release
August 29, 2008
U.S. Bank Lends Major Support to Arts Partners
U.S. Bank and the U. S. Bancorp Foundation have awarded $25,000 to the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) to support Arts Partners, a collaboration among artists, arts organizations, school districts, governments, and donors to develop a comprehensive solution for providing arts education opportunities for every student in the Portland metropolitan area. RACC is the managing partner of this collaborative effort. U.S. Bancorp is the parent company of U.S. Bank, the 6th largest commercial bank in the United States. Read the press release.
Arts Partners’ Governance Structure Streamlined
As we move out of planning and into implementing the Arts Partners’ Year One program model in the schools, the initial Governance Structure cried out for “dynamic re-design” to reflect the output of the working committees to date and the nature of the work ahead.
As shown in the revised Arts Partners Governance Structure, the two original program-based committees (Design & Implementation) were transformed into three—Service Delivery, Professional Development, and Assessment & Evaluation—reflecting Arts Partners’ primary program model components.
The other key change is that the Operating Partners [originally known as “Implementation Partner(s)”] have been divided into three distinct yet interrelated roles: Implementation Partner (service delivery in the schools); Professional Development Partner (training of arts service providers and school staff); Evaluation Partner (assessment and evaluation of overall program). These operating roles mirror the functions of the revamped program model committees. Arts Partners’ emphasis on collaboration will continue to flourish as Operating Partners and their corresponding program model committees work together to develop the best program for our region’s students.
First Arts Partners Schools Named
A total of 20 schools from four districts (Gresham-Barlow, Hillsboro, North Clackamas and Portland) will participate as Arts Partners development sites in 2008-2009. An inquisitive and enthusiastic group of principals from these initial partnering schools gathered at the Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center on August 18th to hear firsthand how Arts Partners’ Year One program will enhance arts education for their students. Upcoming September visits to the schools will mark the first step of on-site planning with school faculty to implement Arts Partners’ program in their buildings.
June 13, 2008
Implementation Partner Sought For Portland Metro Arts Partners. The Regional Arts & Culture Council and Portland Metro Arts Partners seek applications from organizations or consortia of organizations/individuals to be a contracted Implementation Partner for Arts Partners. Responsibilities include the daily execution of this arts education initiative in the tri-county Portland metropolitan region. Responses to this Request for Qualifications (pdf) are due at the RACC offices by 12pm on Friday, July 18, 2008.
June 11, 2008
The PGE Foundation has become the first private sector supporter of Arts Partners by awarding $25,000 to help bring arts education to every K-8 student in the Portland metropolitan area. The Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) is the managing partner of this collaborative effort, now entering its second year of planning. PGE Foundation is the corporate foundation of Portland General Electric. Public funding has come from City of Portland, Clackamas & Multnomah County, Oregon Arts Commission, City of Hillsboro, and Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council. Public funding has come from City of Portland, Clackamas & Multnomah County, Oregon Arts Commission, City of Hillsboro, and Hillsboro Arts & Culture Council. Read the press release.
June 9, 2008
Carol R. Smith has been named the chair of the Arts Partners Governing Committee, a group of community leaders appointed by the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) to oversee the design and implementation of Arts Partners. Carol has been a principal at both the elementary and middle school levels and served as Fine Arts Specialist coordinating art, music, drama and dance curriculum for the Beaverton School District. She holds a Master of Arts degree in music performance and received her Doctorate in Educational Leadership with a focus on curriculum and instruction. She was a member of the Arts Partners Visioning Committee and currently serves as Vice-Chair of the RACC Board. Read the press release.
May 29, 2008
At its May 28th meeting, the RACC Board of Directors confirmed the appointment of the Arts Partners Governing Committee(pdf). This group of educators, government officials, business leaders, and philanthropists is responsible for overseeing the project’s design and implementation. The first committee meeting is scheduled for June 9th.
In addition to the Governing Committee, three working committees, comprised of teachers, arts specialists, principals, artists, parents, business owners and civic leaders, have been meeting regularly since March and are addressing program design, policies and procedures, and advocacy. An Advisory Council, representing a broad range of stakeholders across the community, will meet quarterly to respond to the work of these three committees.
In total, over 100 volunteers are involved in the development of Arts Partners! What a statement of support and commitment!
April 25, 2008
Thank you for helping restore arts education in our schools!
Due to overwhelming response from the community, Mayor Potter has put $150,000 into the FY09 budget to help fund Arts Partners. This is an extraordinary accomplishment for our community and we thank everyone who took the time to send an email in support of arts education.
You can thank Mayor Potter by emailing him at mayorPotter@ci.portland.or.us.
RACC Staff to Contact
Marna Stalcup
The Right Brain Initiative Program Manager
503.823.4698
mstalcup@racc.org
Barbara Dibs
The Right Brain Initiative Program Assistant
503.823.5454
bdibs@racc.org
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