Ingenuity

Happy Monday, arts community! Tomorrow we're hosting our second info session on the 2024-2025 Creative Schools Fund fall application cycle and how to get funding for your school's creative projects. Make sure to register at the link! ⤵

Creative Schools Fund Info Session 2 Join us for a virtual info session on the Creative Schools Fund - learn how to get funding for your school's creative projects!

From poetry and dance student to President of Raw Talent Performing Arts and CPS Arts Partner, Omouzuwa Seymour-El is a shining example of how high quality arts education experiences impact students for the rest of their lives.

"As a young girl starting out at the age of 4, I always wanted to perform on big stages. The lights, camera, action always made me feel seen and heard in the loudest rooms. I always wanted to be the voice for others and show up for them in the most organic way by singing, dancing and acting. From dancing on big stages, to dancing and singing at church, this is where my heart and passion lies. As an Arts Educator and Chicago Public School vendor, it is my goal to impact the masses through Arts Education. While providing a safe space through community, impact and resilience through the arts."

These stories are a beacon of hope and a vision for the future. When we advocate for arts education equity for every student, in every grade, in every CPS school, we are investing in the potential of our future leaders.

From captivating art exhibitions that showcase diverse cultural perspectives to musical performances that celebrate global traditions and riveting theater productions that bring powerful stories to life, students are not only discovering their passions but also gaining a deeper appreciation for different cultures.

Donate today to the I Am a Work of Art campaign to ensure that every Chicago Public School student has the opportunity to excel through the arts. Despite our progress, 83,000 out of 322,000 CPS students still lack access to high-quality arts programs.

Your generous contribution will profoundly impact our students and community. As a result, schools are evolving into vibrant centers of creativity and expression, where students develop valuable skills and confidence. https://ingenuity.givecloud.co/give

From captivating art exhibitions that showcase diverse cultural perspectives to musical performances that celebrate global traditions and riveting theater productions that bring powerful stories to life, students are not only discovering their passions but also gaining a deeper appreciation for different cultures.

Donate today to the campaign to ensure that every Chicago Public Schools student has the opportunity to excel through the arts. Despite our progress, 83,000 out of 322,000 CPS students still lack access to high-quality arts programs.

Your generous contribution will profoundly impact our students and community. As a result, schools are evolving into vibrant centers of creativity and expression, where students develop valuable skills and confidence.

From art student to President of the , Kimberly Dowdell is a shining example of how high quality arts education experiences impact students for the rest of their lives.

“I was very fortunate that arts education was a core aspect of my experience in public school from a very young age. My foundation in the arts set me on a path to not only become an architect, but to represent architects around the globe as the 100th President of the The American Institute of Architects (AIA).

Architecture is a unique blend of art and science that provides society with shelter in the form of public art. I’m very grateful that my early art classes gave me the exposure and confidence needed to enter into a field that plays such a significant role in shaping the way that people live, work, play, worship, study, travel and heal. It all starts with art! This is why I’m so passionate about advancing Ingenuity Chicago’s mission.”

These stories are a beacon of hope and a vision for the future. When we advocate for arts education equity for every student, in every grade, in every CPS school, we are investing in the potential of our future leaders.

From art student to President of the American Institute of Architects, Kim Dowdell is a shining example of how high quality arts education experiences impact students for the rest of their lives.

"I was very fortunate that arts education was a core aspect of my experience in public school from a very young age. My foundation in the arts set me on a path to not only become an architect, but to represent architects around the globe as the 100th President of the American Institute of Architects (AIA). Architecture is a unique blend of art and science that provides society with shelter in the form of public art. I’m very grateful that my early art classes gave me the exposure and confidence needed to enter into a field that plays such a significant role in shaping the way that people live, work, play, worship, study, travel and heal. It all starts with art! This is why I’m so passionate about advancing Ingenuity Chicago’s mission."

These stories are a beacon of hope and a vision for the future. When we advocate for arts education equity for every student, in every grade, in every CPS school, we are investing in the potential of our future leaders.

Every student in Chicago Public Schools is a unique masterpiece with talents waiting to be discovered and nurtured. Ingenuity's has been instrumental in advancing arts education, investing over $20 million in the past 11 years. 🎭 🎨 🩰 📽️

Our grants reach every CPS network, every Chicago neighborhood, and schools of every type, with a focus on those with the least systemic arts access. Despite our progress, 83,000 out of 322,000 CPS students still lack access to high-quality arts programs. 🏫 📚

Donate today to the campaign to ensure that every Chicago Public Schools student has the opportunity to excel through the arts. Together, we can cultivate a vibrant arts culture that enriches the entire community! https://lnkd.in/eEChXuuS

Every student in Chicago Public Schools is a unique masterpiece with talents waiting to be discovered and nurtured. Ingenuity’s has been instrumental in advancing arts education, investing over $20 million in the past 11 years. 🎭 🎨 🩰 📽️

Our grants reach every CPS network, every Chicago neighborhood, and schools of every type, with a focus on those with the least systemic arts access. Despite our progress, 83,000 out of 322,000 CPS students still lack access to high-quality arts programs. 🏫 📚

Donate today to the campaign to ensure that every Chicago Public Schools student has the opportunity to excel through the arts. Together, we can cultivate a vibrant arts culture that enriches the entire community!

artlook® is populated with school and arts partner data to provide the most comprehensive picture of arts education in a community's schools. The public-facing platform tracks and shares data on CPS schools’ arts programming and offerings from local arts organizations, giving you insight into the full landscape of arts education.

Learn what schools need to support their students, from field trips and professional development to concert bands and folkloric dance, and everything in between. artlook® offers detailed information about the needs identified by every participating school.

Click the link to explore site features. ⤵️
https://lnkd.in/g-SurYJC

artlook® is populated with school and arts partner data to provide the most comprehensive picture of arts education in a community’s schools. The public-facing platform tracks and shares data on CPS schools’ arts programming and offerings from local arts organizations, giving you insight into the full landscape of arts education.
 
Learn what schools need to support their students, from field trips and professional development to concert bands and folkloric dance, and everything in between. artlook® offers detailed information about the needs identified by every participating school.

Visit our website to explore site features.

From band student to Director of Festivals and Strategic Initiatives at , Tim 'Tuba' Smith is a shining example of how high quality arts education experiences impact students for the rest of their lives.

"Participating in band and choir was a big part of my youth and led me to participate in the arts in college to play in various ensembles at the University of Kansas. I was also very fortunate to march one year for the Crossmen who are a DCI Division 1 Drum and Bugle Corp. All of these experiences drove me to live by a motto that you can always do better. The work is never done and things can always be improved. I use these skills and mottos to this day as the Festival Director of , one of the most prolific music festivals on the planet. I’m so very fortunate to have a career that involves music and extends the joy I’ve had in my journey to hundreds of thousands worldwide."

These stories are a beacon of hope and a vision for the future. When we advocate for arts education equity for every student, in every grade, in every CPS school, we are investing in the potential of our future leaders.

From band student to Director of Festivals and Strategic Initiatives at , Tim ‘Tuba’ Smith is a shining example of how high quality arts education experiences impact students for the rest of their lives.

“Participating in band and choir was a big part of my youth and led me to participate in the arts in college to play in various ensembles at the University of Kansas. I was also very fortunate to march one year for the Crossmen who are a DCI Division 1 Drum and Bugle Corp. All of these experiences drove me to live by a motto that you can always do better. The work is never done and things can always be improved. I use these skills and mottos to this day as the Festival Director of , one of the most prolific music festivals on the planet. I’m so very fortunate to have a career that involves music and extends the joy I’ve had in my journey to hundreds of thousands worldwide.”

These stories are a beacon of hope and a vision for the future. When we advocate for arts education equity for every student, in every grade, in every CPS school, we are investing in the potential of our future leaders.

We are delighted to unveil our latest Data Snapshot: Residency Program Costs and Teaching Artist Compensation.

This report presents an initial analysis based on the 2023-24 Creative Schools Fund Partnerships grant applications, offering a preliminary overview of current sector trends.

What's next?

Visit our website to explore the current landscape and dive into the data through interactive visualizations: https://ow.ly/w7Qo50ThTYJ

Register to join us virtually for the Residency Program Costs & TA Compensation Learning Session & Discussion on 9/24, 1-2 pm!
https://ow.ly/mmri50ThTYM

From music and choir student to Executive Director at , César Torruella is a shining example of how high quality arts education experiences impact students for the rest of their lives.

“Music education has been instrumental in shaping who I am today. Born and raised in Puerto Rico, I was the first in my family to pursue both the arts and higher education. Through choir and beyond, I found my voice and a sense of belonging. Now, as the Executive Director of Arts Education for Chicago Public Schools, I’m deeply committed to ensuring that every student, regardless of background, has the same opportunities to discover themselves, build resilience, and embrace their full potential through the arts.”

These stories are a beacon of hope and a vision for the future. When we advocate for arts education equity for every student, in every grade, in every CPS school, we are investing in the potential of our future leaders.

We are delighted to unveil our latest Data Snapshot: Residency Program Costs and Teaching Artist Compensation.

This report presents an initial analysis based on the 2023-24 Creative Schools Fund Partnerships grant applications, offering a preliminary overview of current sector trends.

Explore the current landscape and dive into the data through interactive visualizations and join us virtually for the Residency Program Costs & TA Compensation Learning Session & Discussion on September 24, 1pm-2pm!

Links in bio.

We are delighted to unveil our latest Data Snapshot: Residency Program Costs and Teaching Artist Compensation.

This report presents an initial analysis based on the 2023-24 Creative Schools Fund Partnerships grant applications, offering a preliminary overview of current sector trends.

Explore the current landscape and dive into the data through interactive visualizations here: https://ow.ly/CiU050TkbkY

Join us virtually for the Residency Program Costs & TA Compensation Learning Session & Discussion on September 24, 1pm-2pm!



https://ow.ly/FRN450TkbkZ

Data Snapshot: Residency Program Costs & TA Compensation Learning Session & Discussion Join us for a virtual session to learn and discuss the current landscape of residency program costs and TA compensation!

From Stage Star at south side CPS to Executive Director at Ingenuity, Nicole Losurdo Upton is a shining example of how high quality arts education experiences impact students for the rest of their lives.

“As a very young girl, my parents took me to a local community theatre to see a production of Annie. I instantly fell in love with theatre and vowed to one day play the part of Annie myself. From then on, I spent almost every weekend taking theatre, voice and tap classes, and nearly every weeknight at rehearsal for some show or another. The best part of the experience was that my family did it together. My father, mother, and brother all became involved in the theatre in some way. We developed our own family language. We engaged in conversation and critique after performances over steaming bowls of soup. We ran lines in the car. We went to see professional plays. We found other families just like ours and embraced our time together.”

These stories are a beacon of hope and a vision for the future. When we advocate for arts education equity for every student, in every grade, in every CPS school, we are investing in the potential of our future leaders.

From Stage Star at south side CPS to Executive Director at Ingenuity, Nicole Upton is a shining example of how high quality arts education experiences impact students for the rest of their lives.

"As a very young girl, my parents took me to a local community theatre to see a production of Annie. I instantly fell in love with theatre and vowed to one day play the part of Annie myself. From then on, I spent almost every weekend taking theatre, voice and tap classes, and nearly every weeknight at rehearsal for some show or another. The best part of the experience was that my family did it together. My father, mother, and brother all became involved in the theatre in some way. We developed our own family language. We engaged in conversation and critique after performances over steaming bowls of soup. We ran lines in the car. We went to see professional plays. We found other families just like ours and embraced our time together."

These stories are a beacon of hope and a vision for the future. When we advocate for arts education equity for every student, in every grade, in every CPS school, we are investing in the potential of our future leaders.

We are excited to announce that applications for the SY 24-25 Creative Schools Fund (CSF) open TODAY! 💫 🗒 Arts partners and arts liaisons, apply at the link in our bio.

Have questions about the application process? Join one of our upcoming virtual Creative Schools Fund Info Sessions!

We are excited to announce that applications for the SY 24-25 Creative Schools Fund (CSF) open TODAY! 🗒 Arts partners and arts liaisons, apply here: https://www.ingenuity-inc.org/creative-schools-fund/how-to-apply/

Have questions about the application process? Join one of our upcoming virtual Creative Schools Fund Info Sessions listed at the link below. ⤵

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https://www.ingenuity-inc.org/about/news-updates/events/

Events – Ingenuity Data Snapshot: Arts Partnerships - Before and After the Pandemic explores the challenges that were faced by arts partners during the COVID-19 pandemic school years. It details what the common characteristics were among arts organizations that had school partners in 2018-19 but no longer in 2020-21,....

We are excited to announce that applications for the SY 24-25 Creative Schools Fund (CSF) open TODAY! This is a fantastic opportunity for those passionate about arts education to make a meaningful impact in our schools.

Visit our website to learn more about the Fund and how to apply.

Happy from Ingenuity! ✨ 👨‍🎨

Founded in 2011, Ingenuity is the backbone for a city-wide vision to increase arts education access, quality, & equity in Chicago Public Schools.

We believe that an arts education is crucial for a well-rounded academic experience, fostering creativity, growth, and the profound impact of artistic expression. We work with community members, organizations, and institutions to advance arts education equity by learning, aligning, and integrating our actions to drive change.

To learn more about how our mission is fulfilled at the intersection of sector leadership, watch the video below featuring sector voices:

Krystal Grover-Webb, Arts Educator at Amelia Earhart Options for Knowledge STEAM School
César Torruella, Executive Director of Arts Education at Chicago Public Schools
Nicole Losurdo Upton, Executive Director at Ingenuity
Jorge Lopez, Ingenuity Board Member



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=36O7Z_Nqz3Y

🎉 🖼 ✨ We’re getting ready to celebrate National Arts in Education Week!

According to Americans for the Arts research, low-income students who are highly engaged in the arts are twice as likely to graduate college as their peers with no arts education. 🎓

Follow along as we share stories about how a quality arts education has played an essential role in the lives of some of Chicago’s most influential Arts & Culture leaders of today.

These stories are a beacon of hope and a vision for the future – when we advocate for arts education equity for every student, in every grade, at every Chicago Public Schools – they are our future leaders.

Learn more fast facts about arts education below!
https://lnkd.in/gZ8aCS9s

📊 Join us next week on 9/10 from 3:30 - 5 p.m. CST for an in-depth exploration of artlook®, the State of the Arts Dashboard, Data Snapshots, and the State of the Arts Report!

Together we will explore how these tools facilitate strategic connections with Chicago Public Schools (CPS), utilizing shared data to strengthen collaborations and tailor initiatives that amplify arts education across the city.

Whether you’re new to data-driven approaches or seeking to deepen your understanding, this session offers practical strategies and real-world examples to maximize the effectiveness of your arts education initiatives!

Tap the link in our bio to register now!

Ingenuity Named a 2024 Invest For Kids Grantee

We are excited to announce that Ingenuity has been selected as one of the 2024 Invest for Kids Grant Recipients! This honor follows a rigorous selection process, and we are proud to be among the eight nonprofit organizations chosen from over 100 applicants.

With the support of Invest for Kids, Ingenuity is committed to furthering our mission to improve arts education and access for Chicago’s youth, particularly those with little to no arts education in their school. This grant will empower us to make an even bigger impact through our Creative Schools Fund, allowing us to expand our reach and deepen our support for arts programs in Chicago Public Schools across the city.

We also want to congratulate the other selected grantees: ATLAS Fellows, Camp for All Kids, Chicago Eco House, College Possible Chicago, Great Lakes Academy, Legal Prep Charter Academies and MetroSquash. We are inspired by the incredible work being done by these organizations and look forward to the positive impact we can all make together.

A sincere thank you to Invest For Kids for their dedication to supporting impactful organizations in our community. Together, we will continue to build a brighter future for all of Chicago’s youth.

BTS producing Ingenuity content for coming up on 9/9. We’re exploring big questions about and what’s ahead for the arts, culture, & education in Chicago. Thanks, Nicole Losurdo Upton, ED at Ingenuity, César Torruella, ED at , and our media partners, .collective !

Coming up on Tuesday, August 20, 2024, 2:00-3:00pm CST via Zoom, Ingenuity’s data team, Angela Lin and Christine Ng, will present on Ingenuity’s continuum of data products tailored for different stakeholders, informing strategy and driving change within arts education in CPS. Their focus will be on the latest annual State of the Arts Report and new interactive dashboard.

Registration link in our stories!

Ingenuity x CPS Department of Arts Education's are co-hosting the SY 24-25 Back-to-School event at MAS (Muticultural Arts School) on Friday, August 23 where we’ll highlight:

✨ key initiatives planned for the year ahead

👩‍🎨 foster collaboration between educators and arts partners

🤸‍♀️ align on shared learning goals

Register now to network with colleagues, celebrate new beginnings, and lay the groundwork for a year filled with creativity and achievement!



https://www.ingenuity-inc.org/professional-learning/engage-learn/back2school

Registration is open for Ingenuity and the CPS Department of Arts Education's BACK 2 SCHOOL event!

We're offering:

✔️A new Learning & Events Catalog
✔️Opportunities to align on shared learning goals for arts education among fellow educators and arts partner
✔️Vendor and procurement process support
✔️Resource Fair with various tools, services, and giveaways from key organizations and CPS departments

Get your tickets! 🎫 : https://ow.ly/GlPw50SIEig

Arts Partners!

Are you working on your summer learning and looking for resources?

Ingenuity offers an entire online library of Learning Institutes, free and accessible, to increase quality arts education. Recent content additions include:

💡Empowering Perspectives: Centering Black Voices in ArtsEd with Tyra Bullock, Associate Director at the Goodman Theatre. Empowering Perspectives: Centering Black Voices in ArtsEd

💡From Band to Board Member: Sustaining a Culture of Student Leadership in Arts Programs with Andrew DeMuro, Director of Program Quality, Guitars Over Guns

Check out our entire library of Learning Institutes 💻

Constellation Learning Institutes Constellation is a series of learning sessions developed and designed by Ingenuity’s Learning & Development Provider Program Residents. The program is called...