Help us kick-off Arts Education Month on Monday, May 4, 5:30-8:30 p.m., at Seattle Center's Rainier Room.

• Meet and greet with fellow arts education advocates as you enjoy an elegant buffet dinner;
• Get inspired by our special guest, Eric Liu: State Board of Education director , former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton, and author of several books;
• Learn how ArtsEd Washington is advancing arts education in our state; then
• Work together at your table to create strategies you can use right away to advance arts learning in your school and community.

Tickets are $10/person. Purchase tickets online via Paypal at http://www.artsedwashington.org/artseducationmonth or call (206) 441-4501 to pay by cash or check.

The May 1st Art Walk gives Whatcom County the opportunity to celebrate the unique wonder of our children’s art. Over 3,500 pieces of art from 30 schools will be on display in more than 45 downtown venues. Much of the art will remain in place through May 12.

The opening receptions are from 6-9 p.m. and includes entertainment and refreshments at the Central Services office of Bellingham School District, The Leopold, and Quist Violins. Student choirs and instrumental groups will perform and theatre presentations include theatre improv and MOTley Crew of WWU. A jazz band performs on Cornwall Avenue. Teaching Artists will showcase their art during the event and be available at various locations to share their teaching experiences in our schools. At these sites, event-goers will also be able to play with art by contributing to a community projects or do a simple art project.

For more information, please visit http://www.alliedarts.org.

The Olympic Sculpture Park in Seattle is an ideal location for interdisciplinary education! Using the park’s displays of contemporary sculpture and native plant environments as a backdrop, this educator workshop from the Seattle Art Museum weaves together discussions on learning styles, critical thinking skills, visual analysis and habits of mind. Wear your walking shoes and put on your thinking cap for this full day of critical dialogue and interactive experiences, designed to help you develop activities and lessons that merge art, the environment and science.

Workshop participants receive teaching materials, four Washington State Clock Hours and lunch. Cost: $20 Click here to register or learn more information.

More Music @ The Moore features exceptional local teen musicians mixing up diverse music styles. The performance celebrates the rich musical talent of youth in our community and provides musicians, regardless of what style they play, the opportunity to make music together. Daniel Bernard Roumain returns for a fourth year as Music Director, directing an innovative and inspiring musical experience.

To purchase tickets for the Youth Group Matinee, please email studentprograms@stgpresents.org. Tickets for the public performance are $15 advance or $17 day of show, not including fees. To purchase tickets, please visit http://stgpresents.org/artists/?artist=796 or call 1-877-STG-4TIX.

For more information, please visit http://stgpresents.org/education/mm.asp.

Ballard High School will present a vocal jazz performance at the University District Farmer's Market on Saturday, May 9, from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. For more information, visit http://www.ballardbeavers.org/~music.

Americans for the Arts offers the following webinar on Wednesday, May 13, at 1 p.m. PT:

BUILDING PARENT INVOLVEMENT IN SCHOOLS THROUGH THE ARTS
If schools are to succeed in reaching every child academically, they need the support of a parent or primary caregiver to achieve this goal. This session will discuss the body of research that demonstrates how the arts can engage families in schools and discuss key strategies that are currently working in both public and charter schools. Our speakers include:

-Michael Sikes, Senior Associate for Research and Policy, the Arts Education Partnership, Washington D.C. and author of “Building Parent Involvement through the Arts” (2007)
-Sarah Ogeto , Program Coordinator, Illinois Parent Information Resource Center at Columbia College Chicago
-Joanne Vena, Director of School Partnerships, Center for Community Arts Partnerships, Columbia College Chicago
-Angela Fowler, PIRC Program Manager, Harris Center for Early Childhood Education, Columbia College Chicago

http://eo2.commpartners.com/users/afta/session.php?id=1999

Congressman Adam Smith will hold a free full day grants workshop on Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at UW Tacoma Campus James A. Milgard Family Assembly Room in William W. Philip Hall starting at 8:00 am.

Keynote Speaker: Michael Collins, REI Vice President of Public Affairs: “Building Grassroots Community”.

Featured Speaker: Ms. Kristin Johnsen of U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD): "The Art and Science of Grant Writing” an in-depth half day presentation.

Other scheduled presenters are agency representatives from U.S. Health and Human Services, Department of Commerce Economic Development Administration, Department of Education, USDA Rural Development and other federal agency representatives.This free conference is for individuals who work for organizations interested in applying for federal grant funds in the next year.

Lunch will be provided. Space is limited. To register for this free grants workshop, please send an email with contact info to: rsvpsmith@mail.house.gov with the words "May 20 Grant Workshop UW-Tacoma" on the subject line. For additional information about the conference, please email tina.johnson@mail.house.gov

Map to location of meeting: http://www.tacoma.washington.edu/chancellor/assembly_hall/

Art Goes to School: Building a Community of Thinkers

What does quality arts education look like? How do we know when we are doing our best work? Steve Seidel, director of the Arts in Education program at the Harvard Graduate School of Education and author of "The Qualities of Quality: Excellence in Arts Education and How to Achieve It," discusses the characteristics of quality arts education. Seidel is joined by Deb Brzoska, an art educator with decades of experience designing arts schools, curricula and professional development.

The seminar will be held at SAM Downtown. Free admission; online registration is required at https://www.seattleartmuseum.org/secure/events/eventRSVP.asp?eventID=16388. For more information, visit http://www.seattleartmuseum.org/calendar/eventDetail.asp?eventID=16388.

The Garfield High School spring musical, "The Mystery of Edwin Drood," is based on Charles Dickens’ unfinished novel. The show tells the story of the upstanding young Edwin Drood who mysteriously disappears and is presumably murdered. But who did it? In the end… the audience gets to decide! The Solve-It-Yourself Broadway Musical winner of 5 Tony Awards in 1986.

"The Mystery of Edwin Drood" runs May 20-22 and 27-30 at 7 p.m. in the Quincy Jones Performance Center in Seattle. For more information, please visit http://www.garfieldstage.org.