Annual Report 2012 A

rti

sts Working in Education

photo by David Hofmann

A Letter from the Board President

Dear Friends & Supporters,

Thanks to your interest, support and belief in the power of art for children, we have had a year of growth and expanded opportunities for thousands of children in Milwaukee. We know that the arts assist in developing children, that art experiences level the ‘learning field’ across socio-economic boundaries and sparks creativity. These are just a few of the many reasons why Artists Working in Education (A.W.E.) is working to bring creative and imaginative experiences to children. Our donors, volunteers, board members, and community partners have provided invaluable time, talent, and financial support resulting in exciting new partnerships and programs and given us the chance to serve more children than ever before. A.W.E. has grown in 2012. Truck Studio expanded to year round through our partnership with the Milwaukee Public Library. This relationship explores the rich connections between the language and visual arts, and brings family friendly programming to all 13 branches of the Milwaukee Public Library. We piloted the summer artist-in-residence Satellite Studio program placing professional artists in 12 community park and playground sites. We were able to reach over 6,500 children with meaningful, engaging art projects that strengthened children’s creativity and confidence. Each year A.W.E. provides approximately 60 teaching artists with opportunities to earn a living doing their creative work by giving children an opportunity to work with these artists. A.W.E. facilitates trainings, professional development sessions, and multi-disciplinary projects that foster a community of artists who collaborate on projects, share best practices, and positively contribute to the lives of thousands of Milwaukee’s most underserved youth. We look forward to another year of bringing art programs that engage children in learning and contribute to Milwaukee’s creative community. Thank you for your continued support.

Sincerely,

Pamela WoodardBoard President

A Letter from the Executive Director

The past year Artists Working in Education (A.W.E.) has blossomed as an organization. We’ve grown to include two full time Program Directors and moved into our own office space in the Washington Park neighborhood. It’s been an exciting year, and I am proud to have completed my first year as Executive Director. Over the past year, I have been amazed at the outpouring of community support for this organization. Hundreds of volunteers, donors, and community members believe in what we are doing in the community and the power of arts education to transform children’s lives and brighten neighborhoods.

There is a lot of buzz around sustainable communities right now. Literally, this means the ability of a community to endure. I spend a lot of time learning about A.W.E.’s contribution to our community. Like the childhood magic of the ice cream truck I think about the excitement children must feel when they see our Truck Studio vans pull into their park. Parents and caregivers tell us about the relief they feel knowing that their children have access to an afternoon of fun, joyful activities to educate and inspire. I am inspired by the little ways we impact lives like the child who lives less than a mile from Lake Michigan and who sees the lake for the first time on a School Studio field trip to the Milwaukee Art Museum. I am proud that A.W.E.’s work allows dozens of artists are able to making a living as teaching artists. I look at a map and realize that A.W.E. brings programming to dozens of under served Milwaukee neighborhoods and thousands of children each year. Our programs bring joyful, creative experiences that are core to humanity and a reason to endure.

I am pleased to share with you programmatic highlights and details of our sound financial performance in 2012. Together we are making a difference in children’s lives and building community in Milwaukee neighborhoods. I look forward to working together in 2013.

Sincerely,

Beth HaskovecExecutive Director

Truck Studio Special EventsA.W.E. Special Events are one time visits for events throughout the Greater Milwaukee area. These events include festivals, block parties, fundraisers and other community events. Lead Artists and interns are hired to provide our same high quality, hands on Truck Studio programming as our other programs. These “Fee for Service” events often generate earned income for A.W.E.

Truck Studio SequentialA.W.E.Truck Studio programming that is offered year round through sequential (meaning multiple visits and lessons over a long period of time) programs at schools, libraries, and community centers throughout Milwaukee. Goals, scope and program projects for our sequential series are very similar to our summer program.

One of our cornerstone sequen-tial programs is the Truck Studio library program, which partners with Milwaukee Public Library, and has grown significantly in the past two years. In 2012 we were able to provide year-round Truck Studio for the first time ever! We had MPL programs in the Spring, Summer, and Fall and ran multiple programs at every Milwaukee Public Library location.

Summer Truck StudioA.W.E.’s summer Truck Studio program partners with Milwaukee County Parks and Milwaukee Recreation Playgrounds to offer three hours of free arts enrichment activities daily over a six week period in Milwaukee’s most underserved neighborhoods.

Our drop-in, child-centered programming is very hands on and A.W.E. artists collaborate closely with participants to engage them in a number of imaginative take home projects from sculpture to painting. There is a new theme of study each day and projects often utilize both fiction and nonfiction books. Neighborhood youth come together to learn about art history, famous styles of art, basic elements and principles of art, along with introductions to various cultures and historical movements.

A.W.E. currently operates a fleet of 4 donated vans comprised of a team of lead artists, interns, and MPS artist interns; our staff of community-minded artists provide opportunities for youth to gain confidence in their creativity and provide positive adult attention to the youth we serve. Truck Studio accommodates all families, but is best for children ages 4-14.

Truck Studio Program Descriptions

photo by Troy Freund

School StudioA.W.E. sponsors professional artists to collaborate with students on permanent and/or significant projects in the school environment that brings together the school, the artists and the community. Projects focus on the creative process, giving the children a safe and engaging space to explore their imaginations.

While our primary focus is the visual arts, A.W.E. sponsors two-discipline projects combining visual art mediums such as sculpture, painting, animation, photography, felt making, video and collage with creative writing, poetry, music and natural science.

Artists also design an art related field trip to the Milwaukee Art Museum, Lynden Sculpture Garden or The Milwaukee Institute of Art and Design as inspiration. When the project is complete the students celebrate their accomplishments with the artists, the school and the greater community.

Statistic: During its first 15 years A.W.E. diectly impacted 16,929 children through 199 School Studio art residencies employing 129 artists!

After School StudioAn extension of School Studio, the After School Studio program is designed to increase the impact A.W.E. artists have on a particular school and community. After School Studio programs run simultaneously with School Studio residency programs. The projects are permanent and/or significant but maybe smaller in scale than the School Studio projects to accommodate for the high energy and drop in nature of after school programs.

Satellite Studio A pilot program developed in 2012, Satellite Studio is a hybrid of School Studio and Truck Studio programming. Professional artists work with children and older youth on collaborative large scale or significant works of art in parks, playgrounds and community gardens.

Many projects combine visualart mediums such as sculpture, painting and collage with other disciplines such as dance, digital music, writing, storytelling and natural science. Many parents and community members engage with their children in making the works of art alongside the artists creating a true community artistic collaboration.

Artistic Professional DevelopmentProfessional artists/independent contractors, artist/employees, interns and volunteers are invited to participate in Artist Professional Development Sessions. Some past session topics are: race, class and culture; student motivation; managing student energy levels utilizing indoor and outdoor physical activity; utilizing social media as a teaching artist, and creating effective project transitions.

The focus of the Truck Studio artist training program highlights the A.W.E teaching philosophy which revolves around community development and the strengthening of children’s creativity and confidence. In 2012, this training was restructured to include a one-week intensive team-building and onboarding program.

photo by Troy Freund

Artist-In-Residence Program Descriptions

photo by Jennifer Romero

A.W.E. operates with a unique outreach model. Our programs are held in the neighborhoods where Milwaukee children live, learn, and play. Each year we partner with schools, community centers, libraries, and neighborhood parks to activate these spaces with creative and engaging arts education programs.

Truck Studio PartnersMeaningful collaborations are important to us. In 2012, A.W.E.’s Truck Studio program collaborated with a number of community partners including: Children’s Service Society of Wisconsin, Malaika Early Learning Center, the Marcus Center, Milwaukee C.O.A., Milwaukee County Parks, Milwaukee Public Library, the Milwaukee Christian Center, MPS Recreation, Washington Heights Neighborhood Association, Walnut Way, and several others.

2012 School Studio SitesAcademy of Accelerated Learning, The Alliance School of Milwaukee, Carver Academy, Fratney Elementary School, Gwen T. Jackson Elementary, Hawley Environmental School, Holmes Elementary School, LaCausa Charter School, LaFollette Elementary School, Lloyd Barbee Montessori, Professional Learning Institute (PLI), Shalom High School, and Thoreau Elementary

2012 After School Studio SitesCarver Academy, Holmes Elementary School, La Follette Elementary and Milwaukee Career & Tech Ed.

Where We Work

“This made me feel great. I am proud of my art because I got to use supplies I never got to use before and feel like a real artist, I had never made art before.” Deja, 5th grader visiting the Truck Studio

2012 Summer Truck Studio SitesBurnham Park, Carmen Playground, Clark Square, Columbia Playground, Dineen, Franklin Square, Gordon Park, Lindsay Park, Merrill Park, Mitchell Park, Modrzejewski Park, Rose Park, Smith Park, Stark Playground, Tiefenthaler Park, Wahl Park, and Walker’s Square.

2012 Satellite Studio SitesBryant Park, Burnham Park, Carmen Playground, Clovernook, Columbia Playground, Enderis Park, Holt Playground, Mitchell Park, Ohio Playground, 29th & Burnham Pocket Park, Wahl Park and Woodlands.

91% of students in the School Studio program expanded their knowledge of what art is and what art can be.

A.W.E.’s School Studio program has developed a twelve year partnership and has coordinated seventeen artist in residence programs at Robert M. LaFollette K-8 School. For the last five residencies, artist Valaria Tatera and poet Dan Vaughn have been collaborating to offer students multi-media programming that is centered around building positive self-awareness and identity. Dan Vaughn, a nationally acclaimed spoken word artist and author, works with the students to “tell the story inside of them” with short creative writing workshops that weave in and out of Valaria Tatera’s visual art projects. The visual, written and spoken word mediums give students multiple ways of understanding and exploring their own identity. Vaughn and Tatera are constantly challenging and inspiring each other to come up with new ways to connect with the students.

“I refer to what I do as sculpture/drawing/contemporary art history 101 boot camp. My students learn principles of design and sculpture through various exercises (ex. marshmallow building, dominos, blind drawing, documentation, creating site specific art etc…) Experiencing art and the process of making contemporary art bridges the gap between the limitations my students have of art knowledge and life experiences. It makes art more attainable. They feel excited—a part of something larger than themselves. I believe my students understand contemporary art—installation, documentation, problem solving, how things work in sculpture and that their perspective is valid” says Tatera.

Speaking is also an important part of the program. Vaughn attempts to model good speaking practices, which many students pick up quickly. One of Vaughn and Tatera’s 5th grade students was illiterate and had an issue with stuttering. The students sitting around him helped him with what he wanted to say. He stood up, and read his work, which he had memorized, just like any other student, concentrating

hard not to stutter. When the speech therapist heard this was happening, she started sitting in on the class because the student refused to speak in front of her. Because he felt confident reading his poetry within the A.W.E. program, she was able to finally do an assessment and figure out how to help him with his speech.

When asked why they think this was happening in the A.W.E. program and not is his other classes, Vaughn and Tatera replied that it had to do with the strong community of respect that they build within their program and the “studio rules” that students have to abide by to stay in the program. Some of those rules include sharing, mutual respect, communication and support for peers. “It also shows the value that the arts can bring to everyday education”, says Vaughn. “The students are free to use their imaginations with very few rules. They are allowed to just get their feelings out. Once they get out what they want to say, a couple class periods later, we bring out the dictionaries and the students are excited to look up the spelling of the words.”

Vaughn and Tatera have become positive role models and strong mentors to many of the students at LaFollette. Five of their students received awards for artwork that was done outside of their program in the Boys and Girls Club city-wide art competition. Now in their fourth year working together at the school, many of the students recognize them outside of class and are always excited to see them. Students and school staff embrace them as a strong part of the LaFollette community. In 2013, Tatera and Vaughn plan to design a Satellite Studio program in the community garden near the school to engage students as well as their families. Tatera and Vaughn are just two of twenty talented, thoughtful and dedicated teaching artists that work with A.W.E. as part of the School Studio and After School Studio programs.

Success Stories: School Studio

A.W.E.’s summer Truck Studio is so much more than a mobile, pop-up art studio; we are a vital community service that enriches lives. Reflected below are three key impacts the truck studio addresses during the summer: youth development, inspiring hope and confidence, and inviting a community to come together.

Truck Studio projects engage youth in fun, educational activities connecting children to vocabulary, and concepts covered during the school year. Artists create a supportive and affirming environment for children to engage in open-ended art projects that provide children with a challenge, and the opportunity to work on essential problem-solving skills.

During the first week at Mitchell Park, I was able to see the kid’s potential. Many were grasping the concept of art very quickly; following instructions with ease. Every kid that participated gave in to art. Many were astounded at the idea that you could take household items and transform them into pieces of art. Of course, every park was left with different impacts. For instance, at Mitchell Park, the kids understood that art was more than an activity or a task. They realized that art took time and dedication. At Modrzejewski, because of art, they were able to engage with each other, and ask suggestions about their artwork. Many who never met were becoming great friends. For Clarke Square, the kids showed such great talent; many hadn’t even taken any art classes. What impressed me was how a mother mentioned, “It surprises me what he does. Every time we leave the park, he goes to his room and starts creating art. He tries to re-do the activities that you guys do.” - Juan, Artist Intern

The Truck Studio program is built around projects that inspire hope and confidence. Each day’s activities are tied to a theme focusing on an artist or central concept. The projects allow children to express their individualism and share their own story.

I think one of my favorite parts is getting a child who thinks they can’t draw at all, to draw a picture that they can be really proud of. Their faces go from ‘I don’t feel confident enough to make a single mark’ to ‘you don’t need to tell me how to draw a fish, I can do it just fine!’ I just love watching that flip of confidence happen! - Gretchen, Artist Intern

The Truck Studio valuesaccessibility – we bring art to the community. We work with community partners to activate public, urban spaces. The projects create opportunities to talk about important community issues with children in a positive way.

I love how thisprogram feels like the missing link that I was looking for as an art educator in the traditional school setting. I feel connected to the community and I get to interact with whole families in a really positive and productive way. I like how public the program is and how people can see what we are doing each day. In the school setting, I feel as though it is much more secluded. I can see communities coming together over art which is really beautiful and touching. - Laura, Lead Artist

Success Stories: Summer Truck Studio

RevenueFoundation Grants $155,000Government Grants $128,333Corporate Donations $1,639Individual Contributions $77,974Program Revenue $19,330Fundraising Events $7,232Other $2,043Total: $391,550

These financials are unaudited at this time.

ExpensesArtist-in-Residence Programs $169,773 Truck Studio Programs $128,492 Fundraising $34,929 Management/General Admin $49,200 Total: $383,574

Change in Net Assets $7,976

AssetsCash & Cash Equivalents $345,924Other Assets $28,669Receivables $6,223Fixed Assets $20,326Total: $401,142

Liabilities Accounts Payable $720 Accrued Payroll $10,818 Other Liabilities $16,427 Total $27,965

2012 Financial ReportSummarized Statement of Activities for the year ended December 31, 2012

Summarized Statement of Financial Position as of December 31, 2012

Net Assets Unrestricted $343,326 Temporarily Restricted $29,851 Total $373,177

Total Liabilities & Assets $401,142

$25,000+AnonymousFour-Four FoundationMPS Partnership for the ArtsHerzfeld FoundationWindhover FoundationThe Greater Milwaukee Foundation General Arts Fund Mary Nohl Fund Anonymous

$10,000-$24,999AnonymousGretchen & Andrew Dawes Charitable TrustNorthwestern Mutual Foundation $5,000-$9,999Helen Bader FoundationJane Bradley Pettit FoundationMilwaukee Arts BoardWisconsin Arts Board

$1,000-$4,999A.O. Smith FoundationAstor Street Foundation Ralph Bronner Diane BuckCharles D. Ortgiesen Foundation Find Your Light Foundation Mary KampsKelben Foundation, Inc John M. Kohler FoundationRuth DeYoung KohlerLubar Family FoundationBill Lynch & Barbara MangerElaine MarshallSally ManegoldLynn & Paul RixShapiro Family Foundation Karen & Bob Shapiro Lee ShapiroBruce & Janine SmithSteer Charitable TrustWisconsin Designer Crafts Council

$500-$999AnonymousKathe & Bill Biersach Ann T. BoweKaren & Bill BoydSaehee ChangCrysdahl Foundation Hellermann Tyton Brian Mani & Marie Kohler Delos & Janice LuttonJanet & Vince MartinJanet MatthewsBebe & Bob O’Toole FoundationJulia Romanski Soaps & ScentsDick & Barbara Weiss $250-$499AnonymousAnonymous Barbara BodeSusan FreemanCarole & Adam GlassBrigid GlobenskyPeter & Sue HitlerSusan KastenJoAnn & Laurence KauthRaymond & Susan KehmSusan & Brian KetterhagenLola & Bob LoepfeSandra RobinsonLucille RosenbergAnne & Mark SchoenenbergerRobert Wenner

$100-$249Nicolette Anastas-CarboAnonymous Jill BarganzSusan BauerDonna & Donald BaumgartnerBlanche BerenzweigNatanya BlanckKathy & Mark BonadyBetty BostromJohn C. & Gisela BroganBarbara Brown LeeSharon & Richard CanterSharon Kayne ChaplockLynne & James ConnollySally Duback

A.W.E. gratefully acknowledges the following individuals and organizations for their supportLynn Rix, PresidentPam Woodard, TreasurerNatanya Blanck, SecretaryAnn BoweJane BriteDiane BuckKanika BurksJohn FitzgeraldLiza FrolkisJanice LuttonBarbara MangerBetty QuadracciSandra RobinsonXavier RuffinAnne SchoenenbergerKaren ShapiroJanine SmithRobert Wenner

2012 Honorary Board MembersBarbara Brown LeePolly DaegerSally DubackNancy GazzanaMary KampsJulilly KohlerJanet MatthewsJoan Michaels PaqueCarolyn White Travanti

2012 StaffBeth Haskovec, Executive DirectorBill Nimke, Interim Executive DirectorMary Osmundsen, Program DirectorReanna Ottoson, Program DirectorRebecca Nole, Office CoordinatorJeanne Fehr, Bookkeeper

“Just being in the parks has changed the lives of the children. I would rate the Truck Studio 100%!”- MPS Play Leader, Wahl Park

2012 Board of Directors

Under $100Dianne AndersonAnonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Anonymous Tom BartzAmy BaumgartJamie Bilgo BruchmanJeanette BraunJane BriteKathy & Robo BrumderTony & Pat BusalacchiOdin & Anne Marie CabalAlice CarrothersCaitlin CiaccioNancy & Gary DawkinsRichard EdelmanAudrienne EderPatrick FarrellDavid FloresChristine H. FooteCatherine Friel-DombeckLiza FrolkisAnthony & Catherine GazzanaDon & Barb GilmoreKatie GingrassAdriana GonzalezCarolyn GorisLeslie GrinkerAnne GrunauJohn & Adrienne GrunauMark GuirlingerApril HedingMartin Hintz Steve & Cathy HoelterMary KasunCarolyn Kenney-CarterHarold & Sandra KlabundeBarbara Kohl SpiroSandra LabrackeRobert & Mary LernerKim LoperLucia LozanoMary Ellen LukaszewiczVictoria McCandles

David & Catherine DubackLois EhlertCharles & Susan EngbergJean & Michael FleetSandy FolaronSue & Tim FrautschiKathy & Stewart FriendNancy & Tom GazzanaShel & Danni GendelmanBill & Idy Goodman Family FoundationBrent & Mary Sharon GregarySue & Dan HaislmaierLibby & Bill HansenMary & Stan HarrisonBeth HaskovecGeorge & Angela JacobiRuss JankowskiJewish Community Foundation Polly & Giles Daeger Donor Advised FundGail F. KurselMarina MallerJane Barclay Mandel & Paul MandelCarol O. & Robert H. ManegoldJulieanne MevisMichael & Laura MuchowskiSherri MusaJoel OttosonLarry PachefskyKate ParentDeborah & Jamshed PatelJulie & Mark PetriClaire PflegerJoAnna PoehlmannRichard & Elizabeth RixMary Jo SchauerJim & Marie SederScott ShulickJean E. & Richard SkoggJanet SlaterSplash StudioMary StearnsDonna TanzerEddie & Cristina TysoeMary Beth & Harry Van GrollMichael WolfPamela & Blane WoodardMichael Zahn

Ciera McKissickJulie & David MeierClaudia Maturana MeloDonna & Tony MeyerJane MooreChris & Colleen MortonsonPatricia MuellerTrent MullerFred & Annette NiedermeyerMarilyn NowakMarilyn OrnstSandra PapePamela PercyKathy ReedJeanne ReichertBetty SalamunNatalia SanchezPam ShyMaida SilvermanMinna & Mark SmithChristina SommerfeltRandy Grebel & Paula Swaydan-GrebelNicole & L. William TewelesPeggy Thurston FarrellAK WeaverScott & Arlene WhiteBrian WilsonPatricia WoodMartha YoselevitzBev Solbrig & Howard Zabler

Donations Were Made In Honor ofAnn Bowe Diane Buck Sally Duback Glenna HolsteinReanna OttosonLynn Rix

Donations Were Made In Memory of Lydia AndersonJacob GambleJane Wood

In Kind DonationsNatanya BlanckAnn BoweBarbara Brown LeeDiane BuckKathy & Stewart FriendLiza FrolkisKatie HedrichDavid HofmannRosalee MacKinnonBarbara MangerJoan Michaels PaqueMilwaukee Art MuseumMilwaukee County ParksMilwaukee Public MarketBill Nimke Elaine PaqueSusan PetersonPieper ElectricQuad GraphicsBetty QuadracciLynn RixKatie SchultzJanine SmithWilliam StearnsCheri TalajkowskiTroy Freund Photography, LLCUnited Community CenterPam WoodardJoanne Young

A.W.E. gratefully acknowledges the following individuals and organizations for their support

Thank you donors. If your name has been omitted, misspelled or listed incorrectly, please accept our sincere apologies and contact A.W.E. at 414-933-3877.

Our Mission is to provide youth in the Milwaukee area with arts enrichment programs to enhance human potential, advance learn-ing and cultivate community.

Artists Working in Education4315 W. Vliet Street

Milwaukee, WI 53215(p) 414-933-3877(f) 414-342-1251www.awe-inc.org

photo by Troy Freund