Tuesday, June 29, 2010

50 Best Blogs for Art History Buffs

 
 

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via Online College Tips - Online Colleges by Site Administrator on 8/17/09

By Rose Jensen

Whether you're studying art history for class or for fun, you can find great resources online. These blogs can provide you with an ongoing look at some of the most interesting art throughout history. Read on, and you'll find 50 of the best blogs about art history for students, professors, or enthusiasts.

General

Take a general look at art history through these blogs.

  1. The Art History Blog: You can find fun anecdotes about art history on this blog.
  2. Art History Blog: This blog is written to discuss art history and historical facts in the art world.
  3. Artblog.net: Franklin Einspruch writes this blog to share conversation about art and how to experience it.
  4. The Earthly Paradise: This historian has a passion for art, aesthetics, and literature.
  5. History & Art History: This blog is written by George Mason University.
  6. Smarthistory: Find thoughts on teaching and technology in art from this blog.
  7. UCLA Arts Library Art and Art History Blog: This blog offers news about the library and archive at the UCLA Arts Library.
  8. Current Events of Research in Visual History: You can read about the latest in visual history research on this French blog.
  9. BibliOdyssey: Find books, illustrations, science, and visual material obscura throughout history on this blog.
  10. When Art History Goes Bad: This art history nerd likes to complain.
  11. Shelley's Art History Blog: This blog offers insightful looks into art history.
  12. History Blog: Get an insight into history through this blog.
  13. The Art History Newsletter: Find updates on art history through this newsletter.
  14. Painting History: Painting History discusses historic moments captured on canvas.
  15. Famous Paintings Reviewed: Read this blog to learn about famous paintings throughout history.
  16. Your Daily Art: Get the background behind art through this daily blog.
  17. Old Paint: This blog features an old painting a day.
  18. Art Blog by Bob: Bob offers a well researched and accessible art history blog.
  19. GetDaGoss: GetDaGoss is an online art history encyclopedia and luxury lifestyle magazine.
  20. The Punching Bag: The Punching Bag offers a look into cultural heritage, economics, and politics.
  21. Cultural Heritage in Danger: Read this blog to learn about saving antiquities.

Niche

Check out these blogs that focus on a specific period or subject.

  1. Notes on Early Modern Art: You'll find a thoughtful discussion on early modern art on this blog.
  2. ASIFA-Hollywood Animation Archive: ASIFA-Hollywood's blog discusses the digital archive of Hollywood animation.
  3. The Textile Blog: In this blog, you'll see the interiors and interior furnishings from 1840 to 1980.
  4. Women in the Bible: Read Women in the Bible to see the interpretation of the famous women of the Bible in art.
  5. Gin Slings and Whimsy: Find a discussion of vintage illustration on this blog.
  6. Mythical Women: Mythical Women offers a look into legends in art and history.
  7. Art Deco: The Art Deco blog celebrates the Jazz Age in the 1920s and 1930s.
  8. Bearded Roman: Bearded Roman is a blog about art in the classical tradition.
  9. Romantic Ruins: See the romanticism in decay and destruction on this blog.
  10. Dali House: This blog celebrates the art of Dali.
  11. The Warhol Influence: Read this blog to learn about Andy Warhol's influence.
  12. Draped to the Ankles: This blog highlights 19th century fashion, photographs, and Victorian art.
  13. Pre Raphaelite Art: Read this blog to learn about the art and artists labeled as Pre Raphaelite, as well as William Morris and the Arts and Crafts Movement.
  14. Mustaches of the Nineteenth Century: Study historic mustaches on this blog.
  15. Found in Mom's Basement: Get a look into vintage advertising in this blog.
  16. Modern Art Obsession: This blog approaches collection as an obsession.
  17. The Heroic Age: This journal is dedicated to the art of the European Northwest from 400-1100 AD.
  18. Art and Architecture, Mainly: On this blog, you'll learn about the fine arts, decorative arts, and architecture of Europe, North America, and Australia from 1650 to 1933.
  19. Black Cat Bone: Reverend James W. Bailey burns the flesh off modern art.
  20. Van Gogh's Chair: Van Gogh's Chair discusses art history, travel, Van Gogh, and more.
  21. Medieval News: Find articles about medieval art history on this blog.
  22. Baroque in Hackney: Find information and resources about Baroque works on this blog.
  23. Magnum Photos: See the works of photography masters on the Magnum Photos blog.
  24. Vintage Poster: On this blog, you'll find a celebration of vintage posters.
  25. Parrish Relics: This jewelry maker offers inspirations from the past.
  26. Illicit Cultural Property: This blog is about art, antiquities, and the law.
  27. japonisme: Learn about the history of the japonisme period from this blog.
  28. New York History: This blog offers a look into the historic art of New York and beyond.
  29. Looting matters: This blog discusses the ethics of collecting antiques.

 
 

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100 Awesome Lectures for Art Enthusiasts

 
 

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via Online College Tips - Online Colleges by Site Administrator on 9/7/09

Whether you're studying art, or are just interested in learning more about it, there's plenty of information to be found online. Some of the best resources for learning about art online are lectures, many of them offered by top universities like MIT, Princeton, and Harvard. Here, we'll take a look at 100 incredible lectures for your art education.

General

Learn about the art industry, creativity, neuroscience, and more in these lectures.

  1. The Nature of Creativity: This lecture offers a discussion on creativity and spirituality. [MIT]
  2. Beauty in Art, Music, Literature and Philosophy: A variety of speakers explore beauty in art and beyond. [Princeton]
  3. For the Love of It: Collecting Drawings in the Nineteenth Century: In this presentation, you'll learn about connoisseurship of art. [Minneapolis Institute of Arts]
  4. Place, Art, and Self: This lecture discusses the intersection between place, art, and self. [Princeton]
  5. Talking Art: Swiss artist Pipilotti Rist offers a discussion on her video art. [Tate]
  6. Inventing Concepts for a New Museum: Yves Abrioux presents on the future of museums. [WGBH]
  7. Aesthetic Universals and the Neurology of Hindu Art: Vilayanur S. Ramachandran shares insight into visual perception. [UCSD]
  8. WB Yeats: Among School Children: Professor Helen Vendler discusses a poem by WB Yeats. [Harvard@Home]
  9. Maybe It's Not Just About the Money: Ben Cameron's lecture explores the opportunities and challenges facing the arts industry. [WGBH]
  10. Gallery of the Louvre: You'll get a look into masterpieces in this lecture. [WGBH]
  11. Voice and Vision in Southern Self-Taught Art: This panel discussion covers self-taught art in a cultural context. [WGBH]
  12. Jane Prophet: An Artist's View of the Future of the Museum: Find out what the future of museums is from this British artist. [WGBH]
  13. Good Artists Tend to Be Bad Students: This video explains why good artists are often bad students. [Boston University]
  14. Selective Attention: Barbara Stafford's lecture offers a view of the relationship between art museums and neuroscience. [WGBH]
  15. The Difficult Task of Erasing Oneself: Yve-Alain Bois shares this lecture on the artist erasing all traces of him or herself. [IAS]
  16. Neurology and the Passion for Art: You can see how the brain perceives works of art in this lecture. [UCSD]
  17. Create Dangerously-The Immigrant Artist at Work: In this lecture, you'll learn about the life and works of immigrant artists. [Princeton]

Theories

Watch these lectures to get into some of the theories of art.

  1. Introduction to Theories of Modernism and Modernity: Get a look into Modernism with this lecture. [MIT]
  2. Introduction to Theories of Mass Culture: Follow this lecture to learn about mass culture theories. [MIT]
  3. Theory of the Avant-garde: In this lecture, you'll be able to learn about Avant-garde theory. [MIT]

History & Impact

These lectures will show you how art and history are often intertwined.

  1. How to Imagine Liberty: This lecture examines Eugene Delacroix in post-revolutionary France. [MIT]
  2. Art is Action: Culture, Violence, Civil Society: These panelists discuss art as action in culture, violence, and civil society. [Princeton]
  3. Sensation Scandals on the Eve of the French Revolution: In this lecture, you'll learn about the scandals linking French politics to the arts. [WGBH]
  4. Art History Introduction: Learn about the history of a piece of art through this lecture. [YouTube]
  5. Caricature and the Safehouse of "High Art": Follow this lecture to learn about high art and design in post-revolutionary France. [MIT]
  6. The President and the Arts: Dana Gioia shares his view that the arts should be a more prominent topic in presidential politics. [WGBH]
  7. Religious Art History: Sculptor Hamilton Reed Armstrong lectures on the sacred in art. [International Catholic University]
  8. Lives and Landscapes of the French Monarchy: Explore the lives of the monarchs in the pinnacle of art and refinement through this lecture. [WGBH]
  9. The Soviet Avant-Garde: In this lecture, you'll get a look into the Soviet avant-garde. [MIT]

Movements

These lectures focus on specific movements throughout art history.

  1. Courbet, Realism, and Popular Images: This lecture explores Realism and painting modern life. [MIT]
  2. Futurism's and Dadaism's Popular Mechanics: In this lecture you can follow the popular mechanics of Futurism and Dadaism. [MIT]
  3. Postmodernism and Institutional Critique: This lecture offers a look into Postmodernism. [MIT]
  4. Clarice Smith Distinguished Lectures on American Art: David Driskell: David Driskell's lecture explores the subject of African American Art. [Smithsonian]
  5. Manet and Cezanne: The 'Heroics' of Modernism: Carol Armstrong offers this lecture on modern art history. [Princeton]
  6. 20th Century Modern Art: This lecture offers insight into modern art in the 20th century. [YouTube]
  7. Anti-culture?: This lecture explores Dubuffet, graffiti and the art of the insane. [MIT]
  8. International Pop and Anti-Pop: Check out this lecture to learn about international pop and Anti-Pop. [MIT]
  9. The Impressionist Eye as Camera: In this lecture, you'll learn how Impressionists functioned as a camera. [MIT]
  10. Italian Neorealism: View this lecture to learn about the masters in Italian neorealism. [MIT]
  11. Avant-garde: This lecture offers a view of the Avant-garde in Literature and Cinema. [MIT]
  12. Rosen Art Lecture: Dr. Aaron Rosen lectures on Jewish art with influence from Jewish, Christian, and Islamic arts. [YouTube]
  13. Postmodernism, Feminism: Follow this lecture to get an understanding of Postmodernism and Feminism. [MIT]
  14. Autonomous Art Movements & the Historical Avant-garde: In this lecture, you'll learn about autonomous art movements. [MIT]
  15. Serial Impressions (Print and Eye): Understand Modernist anxiety from this lecture. [MIT]
  16. Harlem Renaissance and Paris: This lecture offers a view into the Harlem Renaissance of the 1920s and its connection to Paris, France. [WGBH]
  17. Futurism: This lecture will give you an understanding of Futurism. [MIT]
  18. European Orientalism and Gaugin's Skirt: Get a look into Gaugin's Skirt and European Orientalism in this lecture. [MIT]
  19. African Art in the World: See the adventures of an African sculpture in this lecture. [WGBH]
  20. American Pop and the "Business Art Business": In this lecture, you'll be able to learn about American Pop art. [MIT]

Artists

Get an in-depth look into specific artists through these lectures.

  1. Manet and Modernization: Find out how Manet impacted Modernization in this lecture. [MIT]
  2. Samuel Beckett (1906-1989): You'll learn about Samuel Beckett's Avant-garde literature in this lecture. [MIT]
  3. Staging Life: Andres Serrano: Through this lecture, you can learn more about the controversial and celebrated artist Andres Serrano. [Tate]
  4. Clarice Smith Distinguished Lectures in American Art: James Rosenquist: This lecture shares information about James Rosenquist's large scale paintings. [Smithsonian]
  5. An Artist Against His Time: Peter Paret discusses the works of Ernst Barlach of German modernism. [IAS]
  6. Raphael, Castiglione, and Court Portraiture: You'll learn about Raphael's Portrait of Baldassare Castiglione in this lecture. [WGBH]
  7. The Jackson Pollock Case: This lecture explores Jackson Pollock. [MIT]
  8. Kandinsky (1886-1944): This lecture discusses Kandinsky's role in the Avant-garde. [MIT]
  9. Picasso's Cubism: You can learn about politics and semiosis in Picasso's Cubism from this lecture. [MIT]
  10. Robert Rauschenberg's Coca-Cola Plan: See how Robert Rauschenberg marketed Coca-Cola in this lecture. [MIT]
  11. Marie Antoinette: Patron of the Arts: Virginia Shearer's lecture portrays Marie Antoinette as a fervent arts patron. [WGBH]
  12. Georges Bataille (1897-1962): Check out this lecture to learn about Georges Bataille in the Avant-garde. [MIT]

Women

In these lectures, you can examine women in art.

  1. Mass Culture and Woman: Check out this lecture to see how mass culture and woman work together in art. [MIT]
  2. Women as Patrons of the Decorative Arts: Peter Brown's lecture explores women and their decorative arts collections. [WGBH]
  3. Women in Art: View this lecture from Philip Scott Johnson to learn about 500 years of female portraits in Western art. [YouTube]

Fashion

These lectures take a look at fashion as art.

  1. Report on the Present: Fashion Culture, Culture Fashion: Follow this lecture to understand today's fashion culture. [MIT]
  2. Marie Antoinette: Queen of Fashion: See how Marie-Antoinette's clothing choices altered the course of French history from this lecture. [WGBH]

Visual Arts

Get a study in visual arts through these lectures.

  1. Woman and The Modern City: This lecture explores women in mass culture. [MIT]
  2. Through a Looking Glass: The Art of the Science of Renaissance Painting: This lecture explains the science of Renaissance paintings. [Princeton]
  3. Contemporary Sculpture and the Social Turn: This panel discusses the issue of art in the public space. [Tate]
  4. Weaving Science into Sculpture: Nathalie Miebach's lecture explains how she weaves scientific data into three-dimensional sculptures. [WGBH]
  5. Recreating the Conversations of Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese: Frederick Ilchman's lecture offers a discussion on the art and creative rivalries of the great Venetian painters. [WGBH]
  6. Let's Put On a Puppet Show: Learn about puppet theater in contemporary art and society from this lecture. [MIT]

Photography

These lectures offer a focus on the art of photography.

  1. Al Sol: Images of Mexico, Cameroon, and Nicaragua: Stella Johnson offers a discussion of her Al Sol collection in this lecture. [WGBH]
  2. New Media Art: Sam Taylor Wood presents on modern photography and film. [WGBH]
  3. Vanderwarker's Pantheon: View this lecture to see a discussion on Peter Vanderwarker's photographs of Boston's buildings and people. [WGBH]
  4. Greta Pratt: Nineteen Lincolns: You can learn about a photographic work that portrays the life of Abraham Lincoln in this lecture. [WGBH]
  5. Introduction: Camera/Light: Learn some of the most important concepts in photography from this lecture. [MIT]
  6. Photography in the Street and Studio: This study takes a look at different histories of the photographic portrait. [Tate]
  7. (Sur)realism and Photography: Check out this lecture to explore surrealism in photography. [MIT]
  8. Lost in Learning: In this lecture, Eva Timothy discusses the idea of a modern educational Renaissance through a visual investigation of the previous one. [WGBH]
  9. Historical Photographs of Children and Families from the Boston Athenaeum: Sally Pierce shares information about daguerreotypes, tintypes, and other vintage portraiture. [WGBH]

Film

Study the art of film in these lectures.

  1. Film as Visual and Literary Mythmaking: This lecture will help you understand how film works as visual and literary philosophy. [MIT]
  2. Julie & Julia: Judith Jones, Julia Child's longtime publisher and editor, shares a discussion of the film Julie & Julia in this lecture. [WGBH]
  3. American Masters: Hollywood Chinese: This lecture will give you a look at Chinese Americans in American cinema. [WGBH]
  4. Women in Film: In this video, you'll learn about the various women who have starred in films throughout the years. [YouTube]
  5. Chaplin: Learn about Chaplin in films from this lecture. [MIT]
  6. Film as a Global and Cultural Form: This lecture discusses German film as a global and cultural form. [MIT]
  7. A Conversation with Mira Nair: In this discussion with Mira Nair, you'll learn about the creative journey of film. [Harvard@Home]
  8. Do Movies Have a Future?: This lecture discusses the future of the film industry. [Princeton]
  9. Queer Filmmaking Evolution: View this panel to get a discussion of queer filmmaking and its history. [WGBH]
  10. Joss Whedon, Cultural Humanist: Joss Whedon discusses Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog and more. [WGBH]

Music

These lectures are great for studying music.

  1. Beethoven's Ninth Symphony: Then and Now: Check out this lecture to find out why the Ninth Symphony of Beethoven is so important. [Harvard@Home]
  2. Classical Music and the Subject of Modernity: Hear this lecture to learn about modern classical music. [British Academy]
  3. What Happens When Art Collides with its Society?: James Conlon discusses compositions and performances affected by events in society. [USC]
  4. ARTS: Being a Successful Musician: This lecture will teach you about the skills you need to make it in the music business. [USC]
  5. Blue Notes and Butterflies: Black Women's Vocality: Farah Jasmine Griffin of Columbia University discusses black women vocalists in this lecture. [Harvard@Home]
  6. Hip Hop: Art & Life: This lecture features Princeton University's Cornel West, rapper Talib Kweli and U.S. Rep. Maxine Waters of California. [Princeton]
  7. ARTS: Going Forward as an Artist: This video will help you learn how to grow as a musical artist. [USC]
  8. Bach Manuscripts: Recovery of the Hidden Archive: You can learn about the discovery of half a million Bach records in this lecture. [Harvard@Home]
  9. ARTS: Finding Your Voice as a Musician: Find out how you can find your own voice as a musician from this lecture. [USC]

 
 

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Thursday, June 24, 2010

Judd Library

 
 

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via The 99 Percent on 5/28/10

Need some reading recommendations? Here's an interactive site to explore the 13,000 books in artist Donald Judd's library.

 
 

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Massive Online Collection of Vintage Ephemera

 
 

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via CRAFT by Rachel Hobson on 4/25/10

vintage_Ephemera_2.jpg

If vintage ephemera makes you as giddy as it makes me, you might want to carve out the next few hours to search through the massive collection from Agence Eureka. Don't say I didn't warn you ... [via W5RAN]

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How-To: Make a Silicone Mold

 
 

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via CRAFT by Brookelynn on 5/8/10

instructablesiliconemold.jpg

Instructables user Jenn Nelson is blowing my mind with this amazing mold making tutorial. I am swimming in the possibilities! She writes:

A hard shelled mold with a squishy interior that captures and works well with undercuts. Capture the finest details from any object you wish to replicate with this sturdy mold process. Silicone is USUALLY self-releasing from almost any casting material, from stone to resin to low-temp metal (350 degrees max.)

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How-To: Sand Art Lightbox

 
 

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via CRAFT by Rachel Hobson on 6/11/10

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This Sand Art Lightbox from Filth Wizardry is an awesome project to try this weekend. Sure, it's made with kids in mind, but I'm guessing the adults won't be able to resist playing with it, too.

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Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Artists Without Borders

 
 

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via ArtBistro by By Rebecca Torr, Gulf Daily News, Manama, Bahrain on 6/21/10

Artists Without Borders

A NEW non-governmental organization (NGO) that aims to use art to promote human rights, tolerance, co-existence and cultural understanding has been launched in Bahrain.

Artists Without Borders was opened under the umbrella of the Bahrain Human Rights Watch Society (BHRWS) to coincide with the UN's International Day in Support of Torture Victims on June 26.

It aims to provide direct psychological relief to victims through art and entertainment.

Dialogue

The group intends to promote the work of volunteer and contributing artists, as well as raise consciousness about victims worldwide through artistic expression.

Other goals are to raise awareness about the problems of intolerance and cultural clash that are occurring worldwide and are likely to intensify with the processes of internationalisation and immigration.

The group supports finding solutions to conflicts and favours political dialogue and non-violence, harmonious coexistence, tolerance and reconciliation.

It wants to alleviate the "clash of civilisations" by celebrating the cultural and ethnic diversity of the world through artistic expression.

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Artists Without Borders will promote and encourage inter-cultural study, tolerant understanding and aesthetic enjoyment of the enormously diverse races, ethnicities, religions, languages and cultures of the world through artistic expression.

The group also strives to preserve the world's cultural diversity by raising consciousness about the minorities that are facing cultural extinction.

"The whole idea is to present human rights issues in an innovative way and spread culture," Artists Without Borders co-ordinator Abdulla Abdulaziz told the GDN.

[page]

"Artists have their own way of spreading a particular statement about issues.

"The media has its own pressure points but art remains forever.

"If you bring a piece of art it stays with you and it continues to carry a meaning."

Other members of Artists Without Borders include, spokeswoman Nagma Mohseni, David Cohen, Warqaa Roohani, Maria Cecilia, Khalid Fairooz, Shahram Soltani and Elizabeth J.

Artists Without Borders plans to promote the work of well-known or yet unrecognised talented artists and help them gain experience by donating their work to a humanitarian cause.

Famous artists will gain reputation and popularity by linking their names to the group's humanitarian mission.

Both unrecognised and celebrated artists that volunteer or are contributing members will share the quality of being outstanding.

Artists Without Borders was started by a group of artists who represent various religions in Bahrain, including Islam, Christianity, Judaism, Baha'i and Hinduism.

It is a non-profit, international humanitarian organisation and operates independently of any institutional, corporate, political, economic, religious or ethnic influence.


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Diversity

The group comprises volunteer members who will carry out the humanitarian mission of bringing art to the victims, ethno-artists who promote peace and mutual understanding by celebrating the cultural and ethnic diversity of the world and talented artists of all disciplines who donate their work and talent to the humanitarian duty of helping people in distress.

"The aim is to serve the community through art and improve morality and love between communities," said Ms Mohseni, who is a Bahraini artist.

"Our aim is to do community service through art and promote good in the world."

For more information about the group visit the website http"//sites.google.com/artistswithoutborders20 or email artistswithoutborders20@gmail.com. becky@gdn.com.bh

-----

To see more of the Gulf Daily News or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.gulf-daily-news.com.

Copyright (c) 2010, Gulf Daily News, Manama, Bahrain

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

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Eliminating Arts Could Cost More Than What's Gained

 
 

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via ArtBistro by By Linda Conner Lambeck, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport on 6/21/10

Eliminating Arts Could Cost More Than What's Gained

A plan to eliminate the directors of art and music may end up costing the school district more than the $250,000 the budget-cutting measure would save.

Several arts groups that supply the district thousands in free services, equipment and expertise say they have no desire to support a district that thinks so little of the arts.

"We're really just getting started, and if they get rid of (those) positions, my board is probably going to say, 'Let's go someplace else,' " said Bennie Wallace, artistic director of Backcountry Jazz, a Greenwich-based organization that two weeks ago helped pull off a citywide youth concert and was in the process of securing free instruments and music lessons for city students.

The Board of Education meets Monday at 6 p.m. in Room 305 of City Hall to vote on a 2010-11 operating budget that is $19 million leaner than the one it approved back in March. Until last week, the board's finance committee was prepared to recommend a budget that closed two schools, Dunbar and Roosevelt. It has since backed off that unpopular plan, and last week acted on a new set of recommendations from Superintendent John Ramos that would not only cut the art and music directors' jobs -- which together cost $250,000 between salaries and benefits -- but more than 50 teaching positions, five assistant principals and their secretaries, 25 math and library aides and three family literacy coordinators.

Ramos told the board no one is happy about reducing art, music, physical education and libraries and that he valued them as much as so-called core subjects. Consideration had been given to reverting both positions to part time, with both teaching the rest of the time. When that was done in the past it didn't work out so well, Ramos said.


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Having no point persons within the district would be worse, countered Brett Raphael, artistic director for the Connecticut Ballet, which has worked in Bridgeport since 1981. "This action will cripple our efforts and cripple the delivery of arts in the city to the kids. To take the top people out is to completely handicap the whole thing," said Raphael. He estimates the arts community has leveraged several hundred thousand dollars in services into the district in recent years.

Members of the new Bridgeport Arts Initiative Task force, meeting last week at Housatonic Community College, spent a good part of the session talking about the proposed cuts. The group drafted a letter to Ramos and members of the school board calling on them to reverse the decision to eliminate the visual and performing arts directors. The letter called the situation "potentially catastrophic" for Bridgeport's youth.

[page]

Performing Arts Director Tania Kelley and Visual Arts Director Ralph Buzzard both sit on the task force, which includes representation from two dozen arts and social service agencies including the Greater Bridgeport Symphony, Yale School of Music, New England Ballet and Bridgeport Public Education Fund.

Marge Hiller, director of the BPEF, said the plan to cut the positions doesn't even begin to make sense. "I am appalled," she said. "All the art and music organizations that are working in the schools with thousands of children will be shut out of the system. Without internal, experienced people to facilitate the organizing, school selection and vetting, these programs will end."

Yale's Music in Schools initiative has taken off at several city schools, said John Miller, a manager of community programs at Yale. "Where it's going is even more exciting ... We need Tania and Ralph in place to make sure these programs survive," said Miller.

One of the programs, Choice Books, connects music, art and dance to literacy skills. Students write a book, illustrate it, then a Yale grad student will write a piece of music to go along with the illustration, which is then performed by the Bridgeport symphony.

"It's really a great program," said Buzzard, who also works with groups like the Aldridge Museum of Contemporary Art to have artists help teachers develop creative lesson plans and City Lights, a downtown art gallery, who displays and critiques artwork of city students.

Internally, Buzzard said he and Kelley help with supplies, scheduling and instruction.

"We try and help art teachers infuse literacy, history and other subjects into their lessons," Buzzard said.

"I know they aren't doing it because they don't care but have to realize they are cutting a lifeline to a lot of outside help," said Wallace.

Chief of Staff Robert Henry said despite the cuts, all students will still get art and general music instruction, just less of it. If any additional funds become available, he said the art and music director jobs would be the first thing restored.

-----

To see more of the Connecticut Post, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.connpost.com/.

Copyright (c) 2010, Connecticut Post, Bridgeport

Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.

For reprints, email tmsreprints@permissionsgroup.com, call 800-374-7985 or 847-635-6550, send a fax to 847-635-6968, or write to The Permissions Group Inc., 1247 Milwaukee Ave., Suite 303, Glenview, IL 60025, USA.

A service of YellowBrix, Inc.

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