Community Arts Schools and Conservatories
ACHF Arts Education
Develop an early childhood music curriculum for our youngest learners including a book and CD. Develop a music curriculum for area schools and other community partners. Provide continuing professional education for our artist/instructors. The Center for Irish Music is proud its community music school has become an unprecedented new revenue stream for the area’s most accomplished Irish musicians and artists. The growth of the Center for Irish Music over the past six years has provided artistic and financial opportunities for professional, traditional musicians in the community. We have gone from two paid instructors in 2004 to 18 currently. Paying our fine musicians not only the respect they deserve, but the living wage they require to practice and perfect their art is one of the values at the very heart of the Center for Irish Music, and is an outcome we share with the Community Arts Schools and Conservatories program. Ongoing programming is evaluated during instructor meetings held three times per year with feedback presented at monthly board meetings. Programming is also evaluated by examining statistics such as repeat enrollment, attendance at family sessions and larger events, and the number of new students enrolled. General interest in the center is measured by the number of sustaining members, the number of requests to our e-mail distribution and mailing lists, the number and type of media promoting the center, the number of Facebook/My Space friends, and the number of hits on our web site. Finally, the success of programming is measured by its impact on our financial balance sheet. Evaluations with instructors have shown an ongoing interest in participatory decision-making. Instructors play a critical role running CIM and have taken the lead on suggesting changes to the instructor compensation system and class fees. Evaluations from students have indicated a continued strong interest in Irish song classes and CIM has expanded this area of programming both in regular classes and with master workshops. Progress towards meeting our outcomes will be measured by the number of students enrolled in classes, the number of outreach events conducted in the coming years, and in community attendance at our events.
Curriculum for an early childhood class for 2-4 year olds was developed and a new class was offered. This included hiring an additional teacher. Additional funding is needed to finish the component of a professionally recorded and produced CD and book. Additional funding is being sought. Success was measured by the development of a new class and by the enrollment of young students. A music curriculum for area schools and community partners has been developed and has allowed expanded outreach into the community. One new performance was at a community festival in Rochester; another at a Saint Paul Library; and a beginning ensemble performed at a festival in Brainerd. Success is being measured by the number of students engaging in the performance opportunities; the number of new events utilizing performances; and audience reached. Artist/instructors received continuing education training from a master Irish artist at the Minnesota Irish Music weekend.
Other, local or private