MAAE engages in arts advocacy by providing information and support for local level advocacy, maintaining communication with our colleagues engaged in national level work, and with a variety of arts advocacy work at the state level. From raising visibility, to gathering information and training, much of our work in arts advocacy is at the state level. This includes our signature advocacy programs: Fine Arts Education Day, Senate Student Arts Exhibit, and the Show-Me Arts Summit. Other activities include reporting to our allies about the activities of the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, the State Board of Education, pending legislation, and changes to administrative rules. We work with our allied organizations such as Missouri Citizens for the Arts, Missouri School Boards Association, and associations which support teachers, (MSTA, MNEA) school administrators, (MASA) principals (MAESP, MoASSP) and more to ensure arts education thrives in Missouri. 

Mark Kistler has presented his acclaimed K-12 Virtual Arts Assembly to thousands of schools around the world. He inspires your students to “Dream it! Draw it! Do it!!” in harnessing the power of their imagination to make their life dreams come true. Many of Mark’s alumni achieved their dreams while working on professional projects like Shrek, Madagascar, Toy Story, Alvin and the Chipmunks, The Incredibles, The Simpsons, and many more.

For three decades, Mark Kistler has been teaching kids at over thousands schools with this world-famous assembly program. This is an unforgettable hands-on assembly that encourages students, teachers, and parents to participate. Mark has taught millions of children around the world how to draw…he can teach your students, too!

• 44 years of School Assembly performances

• Thousands school assembly performances

• 42,000 downloads of his iPhone App “Learn To Draw With Mark Kistler”

• Millions visitors on markkistler.com/Mark Kistler Youtube/Amazon Prime

• Author/Illustrator of 14 popular “How-to-Draw” books

• Over a Million Mark Kistler books sold

• 2010 Emmy Award Winner

• Creator/host of Public Television’s “Mark Kistler’s Imagination Station”

• Co-created and star of the 1980's PBS children's series "The Secret City"
  
  

Mark deeply believes that learning how to draw in three dimensions builds a child’s critical thinking skills while nourishing self-esteem. His positive messages on goal setting, dream conquering, and the power of reading have sparked millions of children around the world to discover their awesome individual potentials.

To learn more or schedule email Amanda at mkscheduling@gmail.com

Opera on the Go! featuring Scott Joplin’s Treemonisha 
Bring live opera to your classroom! Introduce your students to the fantastic world of opera featuring a 30-minute semi-staged performance of Scott Joplin’s stylish opera Treemonisha including the iconic “A Real Slow Drag” accompanied by piano. Designed for grades 3-12, each program includes three mini workshops: Music & Drama, Character & Movement, and Stage Makeup. The program is recommended for groups of 100 students or fewer for the workshops and as many as desired for the opera performance. October 16 – 28 - Learn more here.

Arts Intensives
Opera Theatre St. Louis will pair your classroom with a dynamic teaching artist in an 8-10 week residency to guide your students in creating an original musical work: from story to music to stage! Students will take on the roles of lyricists, composers, set and costume designers, performers, and more! This program can be combined with core content areas such as science, communication arts, history, English, math, etc. to create a multidisciplinary experience heightening students’ depth of learning! Ideal for grades 3 –12. Learn more here.

Trailblazers in Opera
Opera Theatre St. Louis’s interactive lesson series spotlights groundbreaking past and present Black opera singers and composers who blazed the trail both in opera and in American history. Each curriculum highlights the life and contributions of an individual singer or composer with lessons and activities keyed to state and national standards, supplementary video content, and the opportunity to host a visit in your classroom with a contemporary opera professional. The program is designed for middle and high school age students but can also be adapted for younger audiences. Learn more here.

The Musical Theater Songwriting Challenge, an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in partnership with the National Alliance for Musical Theatre (NAMT), is now accepting submissions for the 2023-24 program, an opportunity for high school students to develop and showcase musical compositions that could be a part of a musical theater production. This year, even more resources and constructive critique opportunities will be available for participating students to cultivate their songwriting skills. 

Learn More Now

SLSO Education Concert: A Zoo Called Earth   

Tue, October 24, 9:30am & 11:00am

Wed, October 25, 9:30am & 11:00am

The Touhill Performing Arts Center at UMSL

Jason Seber, conductor 

Do your students love creepy creatures and cuddly critters? Your SLSO breathes life into all sorts of beguiling beasts with your new favorite classical tale: Peter Schickele’s A Zoo Called Earth. From dinosaurs to kangaroos, you’ll hear Earth’s animals with new ears. Concert includes other orchestral favorites like The Flight of the Bumblebee, selections from The Carnival of the Animals, and John Williams’s Flying Theme from E.T. All tickets $5*.

These performances are inclusive of students with sensory sensitivities. Accommodations will be provided so that all students may enjoy the experience of live orchestral music.  

*Limited subsidized tickets are available for qualifying schools on a first-come, first-served basis.

Created in partnership the Saint Louis Zoo. 

SLSO education programs are presented by Steward Family Foundation and Worldwide Technologies. 

Reserve your seats today. https://www.slso.org/en/edu/schools-and-teachers/field-trips/education-concerts/

Telling Your Story to the Beat of Jazz
Featuring Imani Gonzalez

• Wednesday, October 25, 2023

• 4:30 PM 7:30 PM

• Liberty High School (map)

For teachers of grades 3-8

Experience what happens when two cultures, African and American blues, collide to create an exciting new experience built on the musical elements of “repetition” and “call & response.” Explore strategies that are aligned with Writer’s Workshop to engage students in writing their own blues songs that express their thoughts, feelings, and experiences. Giving voice to children’s thoughts and feelings is an integral part of their social-emotional development. Writing personal narratives with an understanding of the stories told in musical forms that led to the development of jazz will encourage students to connect their emotions to the content of writing and create their own authentic blues story. Because blues music comes from a long tradition of storytelling defiance in the face of adversity, it is natural to connect the process to personal narrative writing. Teachers learn to immerse their students in the rich history of jazz, as they trace its roots and influences through African traditional chants, work songs, spirituals, ragtime, and the blues, all to create their own story.

Learn More and Register Here

Meet up with TABstl teachers Kari Schepker-Mueller, Elizabeth Williams, Tiffany Marquart, Dawn Lynn, and Abby Birhanu for an informal Q and A about the pedagogical approach known as TAB: Teaching for Artistic Behavior. Oct. 12, 2023, 4pm in-person at Chevy's - FREE.

Email stltabchoice@gmail.com to let them know you plan to attend.

Dear Educators,

We have space available in a few upcoming teacher workshops inspired by the Museum’s exhibition The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century. These workshops help area teachers learn about the 5-pillars of Hip Hop (MCing, Graffiti, DJing, Breakdancing, and Knowledge), connect with local artists and organizations, and explore cross-curricular connections to the exhibition, artwork in the Museum, and Hip Hop based pedagogy. Saint Louis Art Museum Teacher Workshops are free and lunch and materials are provided.  Information on October workshops, which will be held in person at the Saint Louis Art Museum. is included below as well as links to register. Please feel free to pass on to any educators in your area who may be interested.

Teacher Workshop: Experimental Photography with Jen Everett

Saturday, October 7, 2023 | 10 am–2 pm CDT

Participants in this teacher workshop will have opportunities to view the exhibition The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century with artist Jen Everett, who’s artwork included in the exhibition. Participants will then be guided through an interactive workshop that will explore experimental photography methods including collage, cyanotype and solvent transfer. Attendees will leave with a completed work, as well as strategies to continue exploring the methods demonstrated. Learn more and request to enroll with the link: Enroll

Teacher Workshop: Hip Hop Dance Evolution

Saturday, October 21, 2023 | 10:30 am–2 pm CDT

Following a visit to the exhibition The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century, teachers will learn about historical influences and evolutions in hip hop dance and strategies for teaching Hip Hop dance to students. Participants will then engage in a movement workshop led by MJ Imani, a professional dancer, educator, and Hip Hop Crew Artistic Director at COCA, aimed both at rejuvenating teachers midsemester through movement and play while also facilitating connections to the exhibition, movement, and student interests. During the workshop, teachers will receive takeaway resources and have opportunities to share ideas with one another. This workshop is designed for beginners. All levels are welcome. Learn more and request to enroll with the link: Enroll

Teacher Workshop: DJing and Turntabling

Tuesday, October 24, 2023 | 4:30–7:30 pm CDT

Have you ever wanted to try out turntables or mixing? Join us for this unique opportunity for area teachers to engage hands on with contemporary mixing and DJing techniques and equipment!

In this teacher workshop inspired by the exhibition The Culture: Hip Hop and Contemporary Art in the 21st Century,  DJ Chris Brown, founder of Spin Society DJs, will introduce workshop participants to elements of DJing, mixing, and turntabling, and facilitate a hands-on workshop to help participants gain familiarity with the art form and make connections to the exhibition, St. Louis hip hop, and other relevant curricula that they can share with students. Click on the link below to learn more and request to enroll. Enroll 

Image Credits: 

Image courtesy of Jen Everett

Monica Ikegwu; Open, 2021; oil on canvas; 48 x 36 inches; Courtesy the artist and Galerie Myrtis; © Monica Ikegwu

Image courtesy of DJ Chris Brown

Joan Didion said we tell ourselves stories in order to live. Screenwriters and scholars gathered at Stephens College Sept. 20-24 for Gender and the Female Gaze. The welcome gathering was tapas, wine, and meeting new colleagues locally and from around the world. Stephens College President Dianne Lynch welcomed attendees and toasted the organizer Rosanne Welch who also runs the Stephens College MFA in Screenwriting. Meg LeFauve & Lorien McKenna kicked off the conference educating the audience about the male gaze and female gaze on screen. The female gaze: What can she do? Both speakers shared their struggles and triumphs and called for more gender equity, all with wit and wisdom. Young women in the audience appeared sparked and encouraged. McKenna closed with an exercise to identify personal wants and identify action steps toward those goals. Throughout the week when thanked, McKenna would confirm the grateful young woman had a plan for Monday to take a step toward her goal identified. 

Multiple panels with a variety of speakers and fascinating subjects filled the days. I overheard local attendees admire the scholarship and theory presented and consider how it will influence their practice. The exchange of ideas, analysis, and methods was a true embarrassment of riches. There was excitement, admiration, and new connections. The ongoing fashion exhibit “A Star is Born” demonstrated how fashion supported screenwriters to create iconic female characters – costumes telling their own story. 

Keynote speaker Phil LaZebnick shared stories of growing up in Columbia including the invention of the humanities by Louise Dudley of the very hall in which we were learning and teaching. Vital indeed, as higher education faces real threats to these studies. LaZebnick shared insightful tales of his work beginning with Disney secrets for success application to story, musical theatre collaboration, and final reference to stories in caves. Now we have the medium of moving pictures, all of which require screenwriters. Jeff Melvoin ended his keynote speech about the evolution of radio to television showrunning by encouraging writers to keep the fire going in the face of the writers' strike and shifting paradigms - to persevere with their stories and bring light to the future. In his inaugural screenwriting research lecture historian Tom Stempel told researchers “Academia hates original research unless it confirms what they already know”, as he urged researchers to stay the course. Stempel was speechless to be awarded the SRN inaugural lifetime achievement award.  

Seasoned empathetic role models, LeFauve and McKenna continued to inspire by recording their iconic podcast The Screenwriting Life live from the Macklanburg Playhouse allowing emerging writers to explore/pitch their own work. Writers learned the importance of personal connection/ identifying the “lava” of their stories. Closing night was a screening of LeFauve’s Inside Out at Ragtag Cinema and an accompanying Q&A.  

Screenwriting is a relatively new course of study that deserves merit. Screen stories are now in the palm of our hands accessible and binge-worthy. If the diversity and goals described at the conference continue, the possibilities for inclusive and equitable narratives will be a reality going forward. The SRN is in its seventeenth year. Conferences such as these are a shot in the arms of educators, creators, and students. Missouri is in an exciting position with new tax incentives for film production. https://mofilm.org/ Thanks to Missouri Film Office and Stephens College for hosting this important network of 700+ members from 50+ countries.

InTRANSIT

A Community Performance of

Site-Specific Dance and Live music

FRIDAY - OCTOBER 6, 2023
5:30 - 6:30pm

IN THE GRAND CENTER ARTS DISTRICT

Karlovsky & Company Dance opens their 11th season with InTRANSIT, a walk, bike, drive-by traveling performance of site-specific dance and live music in the Grand Center Arts District.  Karlovsky & Company Dance collaborates with 20+ community dancers and 6 musicians to offer roaming spectators an opportunity to experience these collaborative performances taking place at unique outdoor locations. InTRANSIT is a free public performance and will coordinate with First Fridays in the Grand Center Arts District.  

5:30pm - Start at any of these locations:

·    Tree Grove/The Pulitzer: (along Spring St.) 3687 Olive St, St. Louis, MO 63108

·    Park-Like/The Pulitzer Arts Foundation: 3713 Washington Blvd. 63108

·    Spring Church: (old stone church) 620 N Spring Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108

·    The Sheldon:  (plaza) 3648 Washington Ave, St. Louis, MO 63108

6:00 - 6:20pm - Full ensemble performance at Grand Center Arts Plaza (corner of Grand and Grandel Sq.)

Audiences are guided in groups as a tour to the performance sites taking place at multiple outdoor locations. There will be 4-rounds of 4-minute performances at each location with a break in between for audiences to travel to the different locations.  All artists arrive together at the Grand Center Arts Plaza for a culminating full ensemble performance.

InTRANSIT is a free public performance and family friendly!

Director: Dawn Karlovsky, Founder and Director, Karlovsky & Company Dance

Performers: Dancers of Karlovsky & Company Dance and community dancers

Musicians: Lance Garger, Kalo Hoyle, Rick Kramer, Harvey Lockhart, Tory Starbuck, Sky Kingsland

Support for these events is made possible by the Missouri Arts Council – a state agency, Grand Center, Inc., The Regional Arts Commission, Employees Community Fund of Boeing- St. Louis, and by private donors.

ABOUT KARLOVSKY & COMPANY DANCE

KARLOVSKY & COMPANY DANCE (St. Louis, Missouri) is a contemporary modern dance company dedicated to nurturing and extending the art of dance with innovative choreography that illuminates the human experience. The company engages audiences through dance-theater concert performances, dance for the camera, site-specific dance, and somatic/educational programs for older adults and children. Karlovsky & Company Dance is in residence at the Grandel Theatre with support by the Kranzberg Art Foundation.  www.karlovskydance.org

For more information, contact: Dawn Karlovsky, info@karlovskydance.org

Website:  www.karlovskydance.org