Nominate a Teacher for The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teachers Awards

Do you know a teacher that greatly inspired you to be the person you are today? Nominating them for The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Teachers Awards is a great way to show your appreciation. The awards were created in 2010 from the support of Freddie and Myrna Gershon in honor of Stephen Sondheim's 80th birthday; they are looking for teachers or professors that have made significant influences in the lives of others. On Stephen Sondheim's birthday, March 22nd, the selected teachers and their nominators will be showcased on The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teachers Awards website. Along with this, selected teachers will also be granted $10,000 in appreciation of their contributions to teaching. Eligibility requirements are listed as follows: 

• Nominators must be 18 years or older 
• Nominators must have been the Nominees student 
• Nominees must be legal United States residents 
• Nominees must teach or have taught at a K-12 school, college, or university in the U.S

The application deadline is Sunday, December 16th, 2012. For more information about the awards and how to nominate a teacher of your choice, click the link below:

The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teachers Awards 

Annual Education Awards Now Taking Submissions

2011 Community Commitment award winner,

Thomas Gale at the 2011 Liaison

Appreciation Event.

Established in 2006, Ordway Center for the Performing Arts’ Education Awards were created to honor the contributions of individuals and institutions that have furthered the mission of Education and Community Engagement Programs at the Ordway.
Individuals and organizations from any artistic, educational, or cultural field are eligible, including individual artists, professional administrators and teachers, volunteers, philanthropists, and partnerships or leadership teams.
The submission deadline for the 2013 Education Awards is March 8, 2013. Winners will be announced at the Annual Liaison Event Friday, May 10, 2013.
Click here for the Nomination Form.

Awards Categories
One person or organization is awarded in each of the four following areas:
Philanthropy: for outstanding financial or in-kind contributions to the betterment of Arts Education and Community Engagement programs at the Ordway.
Vision: for the creation of new programs or innovation and enhancement to existing Arts Education or Community Engagement programs at the Ordway.
Community Commitment: for dedication, over a period of time, to the support and/or advancement of Community Engagement programs at the Ordway.
Education Service: for leadership and participation that has led to inventive learning for students in or through the Ordway's programs.

Selection Process 
A selection committee comprised of seven members will read and evaluate nominations. Members are drawn from professionals working in the fields of the arts, education and civic engagement, the Ordway's Education Advisors, the Ordway's Cultural Advisors and from parents or guardians of students who are active participants in the arts. Following the selection, the results are kept secret and the award recipients are announced at the Annual Liaison Event.
The committee may consider nominees in an award category other than the one indicated on the submission form. However, all nominees will remain in consideration in the area nominated.
Eligibility
Nominators may nominate an individual, team or organization, including those in which they may be involved as an employee, board member or volunteer.
Nominators may not nominate themselves. Full-time staff members of the Ordway are not eligible for the awards.
Selection Criteria
The nominees work must be related in some way to the Ordway's Arts Education and/or Community Engagement programs or efforts. Nominations should speak to the nominee's efforts to support learning or building community engagement.
Nominations should give one or more specific examples of the nominee's support of new programs, expansion or enhancement of existing programs, or increasing access to programs. The Ordway's programs often act as a catalyst resulting in new avenues of development, participation and engagement. Consideration will also be given to excellent work, which is an outgrowth of an Ordway program or initiative.

Nomination Submission
Find the Nomination Form or Information Sheet by clicking HERE.
Nominations must be word processed or typed and received by March 8, 2013. Please submit your nomination by U.S. mail, fax or e-mail to:
Mail: Erin Matteson
Ordway Center for the Performing Arts
345 Washington Street
Saint Paul, MN 55102
Email: ematteson@ordway.org
Fax: 651.215.2135
* Please note on your electronic application if you will be
sending additional material through the mail.

Please contact Erin Matteson with any questions at 651.282.3135 or ematteson@ordway.org

Help Support the Ordway through Give to the Max Day!

CLICK HERE TO DONATE

November 15th is “Give to the Max Day,” a 24 hour event that helps grow Minnesota nonprofits by encouraging the giving of charitable e-donations. GiveMN is an organization that is moving philanthropy online – creating an easier, faster, and more convenient way to give. Not only does GiveMN make it easier to give, but it provides some big incentives to donate on Give to the Max Day: $12,500, $5,000 and $2,500 prizes will be awarded to the three nonprofits to receive the most donations on November 15th. 
 

How can you help? Gifts start at just $10, and there are a plethora of opportunities for your gift to be amplified. Every hour, Give to the Max will select one donation at random and give $1000 to the recipient nonprofit.  At the end of the 24 hours, one nonprofit will receive a Golden Ticket – a prize grant of $10,000 for one randomly selected donation given on Give to the Max Day.

 

Click on the link to start donating now!:

  Donate to the Ordway

 

Every donation counts. Thank you for supporting the Ordway! Give to the Max Day starts at midnight on November 15th and ends at midnight on November 16th.

 

Sam Butler’s Cantata – A FREE One-Night-Only Event!

Ordway Center for the Performing Arts presents to you A New Work in Progress: Sam Butler’s Cantata Open Rehearsal with Full R&B Band at the Ordway McKnight Theatre. This event is Thursday, November 29^th and FREE to the public. A conversation with Minnesota State Arts Board Grant Recipient, Sam Butler, will begin after the performance. RSVP is required and space is limited.  

Reservations are required to attend. Call 651.224.4222 to reserve your seats. 

 

Arts Education with Delfos Danza Contemporánea

This past October the Ordway celebrated Mexican arts history with various Máscaras y Milagros events throughout the month.  It was a great opportunity to educate children in about Mexican arts here in Minnesota.  Below are some photos from the events.

Delfos Company Member dancing with SPCPA student

 Delfos Danza Contemporánea held a master class with students from the Saint Paul Conservatory for Performing Artists. The students learned several dance combinations from Delfos’s artistic directors, Victor Manuel Ruiz and Claudia Lavista, and got the chance to work with company members. 

 Delfos Danza Contemporánea took a moment after one of their school performances to speak about their dance piece, Cuando los Disfraces se Cuelgan, with Northfield School of Art & Technology. The students then had the opportunity to examine Mexican artifacts provided by the Multicultural Resource Center that is affiliated with Saint Paul Public Schools.

Delfos Danza Contemporánea speaking to students from Northfield School of Art & Technology

Sheryl Kempf from the Multicultural Resource Center discussing an artifact with students

 Delfos Danza Contemporánea also visited the 6^th Grade class at Mississippi Creative Arts Magnet school. They performed pieces of the performance the students would be experiencing the next day, and then worked with the students to help them create their own versions of the pieces they were just shown. 

Delfos showing a portion of their dance piece

Artistic Director Claudia Lavista working with students at Mississippi Creative Arts Magnet 

Artistic Director Victor Manuel Ruiz working with students at Mississippi Creative Arts Magnet

Photo Credits: Kristie Gaalswyk and Traci Shannon 

Partake in Submitting Student Work for the 2013 ARTwalk Festival!

Artwork by Camille M.

We would like to invite your students to participate in this year’s ARTwalk. The ARTwalk is a unique opportunity for individuals, schools and community organizations to highlight the visual arts achievements of young people. As part of the Flint Hills International Children’s Festival, the ARTwalk celebrates young artists’ creativity from across the region. Over 600 submissions from around the region were featured last year. All young artists are invited to participate in this visual arts experience. 

Because the ARTwalk is a non-juried exhibition, participants are encouraged to be selective in their entries. Entries can be submitted on a group or individual basis. All artwork must be delivered by February 25, 2013 to the Ordway. The ARTwalk will be on display May 4 through June 2, 2013 in windows and storefronts of Downtown Saint Paul businesses and in an online virtual gallery.

Artwork by Chalida K.

For more information about the Artwalk and how to submit your students' artwork click here!