"Orange County is a beacon" in Arts Ed

--Randy Nelson

2012 Creative Edge Speaker Wows Audience

Randy Nelson, Director of Apple University, delivered ArtsOC's 2012  Creative Edge Lecture to an enthusiastic audience on March 19th at the Renée & Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall, presented by Arts Orange County, Fourth District PTA, Orange County Department of Education and Segerstrom Center for the Arts. The title sponsors of the event were The Boeing Company and Phil and Mary Lyons.  Nelson was introduced by Bob Nicoll, Dean of Blizzard Academy at Blizzard Entertainment, who has known him for many years and considers him his mentor.  The value of mentors was very much at the heart of Nelson's presentation as he spoke about cultivating the creative sparks that are at the heart of success in every human endeavor.  The morning also included remarks by Segerstrom Center for the Arts President Terrence W. Dwyer, Orange County Superintendent of Schools William M. Habermehl, and Arts Orange County Executive Director Rick Stein who also moderated a question and answer session following the lecture.

The 27th Annual Imagination Celebration will bring together more than 50 Orange County arts organizations in a month-long festival of free and low cost arts experiences for children and families throughout the county.  Event listings may be found here.  The 2012 Imagination Celebration juried poster contest winner was Brandon Ponce, 11th grade, Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana.

The 27th Annual Imagination Celebration will bring together more than 50 Orange County arts organizations in a month-long festival of free and low cost arts experiences for children and families throughout the county.  Event listings may be found here.  The 2012 Imagination Celebration juried poster contest winner was Brandon Ponce, 11th grade, Mater Dei High School, Santa Ana.

Recently, Arts Orange County Deputy Director Pat Wayne presented two students from Tustin Unified School District with cash awards at the District School Board Meeting. Both students won awards for the 2012 Imagination Celebration Poster Contest.  From Left to right: Pat Wayne; Chai Yeon Yim, 12th grade, Beckman High School and runner up for IC poster contest; Madison Krause, 12th grade, Beckman High School and People's Choice Award Winner for 2012 IC poster contest;  School Board President, Jonathan Abelove.

Claremont Graduate University is hosting the Association of Arts Administration Educators Conference May 31 - June 2, 2012.  This is a great opportunity to meet your colleagues who direct and teach in arts management programs from around the country. Plenary sessions will feature Janet Brown, the executive director of Grantmakers in the Arts; Doug McLennan, editor of ArtsJournal.com; and MacArthur recipient playwright Luis Alfaro.  There will also be a half-day pre-conference session in leadership development built around the work of the Drucker-based Kravis Leadership Institute that is part of Claremont McKenna College.  More details here.