UNESCO Designates International Week of Arts Education

The Korean Arts and Culture Education Service (KACES) announced today that the UNESCO Member States voted unanimously on November 4 at the 36th Session of the General Conference held in Paris, to adopt The Seoul Agenda: Goals for the Development of Arts Education. KACES also reported that the same body passed a Resolution designating the fourth week in May commemorating International Week of Arts Education beginning in 2012.

Professor Larry O’Farrell, Faculty of Education, Queen’s University and holder of the UNESCO Chair in Arts and Learning, congratulated KACES and the entire Korean delegation applauding “their diligence in pursuing this remarkably positive outcome for the field of arts and learning.”

About KACES:
KACES (Korea Arts and Culture Education Service), a statutory government agency supported by Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism. KACES was established to support the country’s commitment to the Seoul Agenda of “developing creativity-character education through arts education” created at the 2010 UNESCO World Conference on Arts Education held in Korea that was attended by 2,900 people from 107 countries. KACES trains and dispatches more than 4,000 arts educators to schools in Korea, and supports arts and culture education program in childcare centers, facilities for the elderly/the disabled, military camps and correctional facilities.

In May 2011, KACES appointed 50 overseas correspondents from 32 countries to report from the field and contribute to its on-line magazine called artEzine (www.artezine.kr) both in Korean and English, which covers stories on arts and culture education internationally. USA correspondent will report on KACES ambitious initiatives and objectives for arts education and professional development throughout Korea.

The full statement from KACES can be accessed via the following link. http://www.artezine.kr/english/view.jsp?articleIdx=1498

Global Forum on Business as an Agent of World Benefit Underscores Co-Creation as Key Solution | Axiom News

Global Forum on Business as an Agent of World Benefit Underscores Co-Creation as Key Solution | Axiom News.

September 11 and its Aftermath- A Personal Reflection

Like everyone else, I wanted to make a contribution after September 11 and I did so by assisting the Lower Manhattan Development Corporation (LMDC) at the Public Hearings Forum for the rebuilding of Lower Manhattan that took place in Manhattan and the five boroughs. I also was one of several hundred volunteer table facilitators—from all 50 states as well as Afghanistan, Australia, Columbia and South Africa—for the 4000+ attendees at the “Listening to the City Summit” that took place on July 20, 2002 at the Jacob Javits Convention Center. Below is my account about that experience.

After attending the Listening to the City orientation the night before, I arrived early the next morning at the Javits center to see that people were already queuing up for the day’s event. In my facilitator’s packet was an outline of the day’s agenda, instruction sheets, and a table layout diagram. My table was in the outer ring of the far quadrant from the main entrance. The main stage, where Carolyn Lukensmayer of AmericaSpeaks would facilitate the day’s proceedings, was in the hub of the four quadrants, and several large video screens were arranged throughout, so that at least one was in full view of each table. It was interesting to see the neighboring tables fill up—the table next to mine on one side was made up of Chinese-Americans, facilitated by a young Chinese-American woman who earlier that morning had shared with me her concern about her Mandarin proficiency. A couple of other neighboring tables consisted of Latinos, one overseen by a young man I had met the night before who had traveled from Columbia, South America. As the day progressed, I grew to appreciate our location on the “media aisle” and coffee station, where all the TV cameras were positioned so that reporters and journalists could interview individuals when they took a break. Despite the hubbub, my group sustained a lively dialogue for the entire conference.

My Table
Though careful efforts went into diversifying the make-up of the table participants, my small group was in fact made up of two architects, a sculptor, an interior designer and a retired teacher. All of them embodied the mission of AmericaSpeaks—“an informed citizenry is vital to
a properly functioning democracy”—they had done their homework and now wanted to engage with other citizens on planning Lower Manhattan’s rebuilding. The designers and architects brought along their design ideas, and even the teacher brought a well-thought-out schematic drawing of her idea for a final resting place for the damaged World Trade Center Sphere, Fritz Koenig’s enduring symbol of World Peace.

I perceived quickly that this group was not going to tolerate waiting until the designated time to see the set of design drawings for Lower Manhattan, so I produced them immediately, and they set down to studying and discussing the drawings with each other. When not prompting them to submit their opinions on their individual electronic keypads, or tallying and submitting the group consensus on agenda items by laptop computer, I observed their discussion of the six designs, what they liked as well as the way the designs fell short, which items were successful, and how our table vote stacked with the those in the rest of the room. The preliminary results of the day reflected exactly the sentiment of our table: that is, that the overwhelming majority of those present wanted to see neighborhoods and communities reconnected by restoring the street grid and pedestrian walkways, and extending the promenade, with ample green spaces, for public venues such as performances and concerts, to connect the community.

http://www.listeningtothecity.org/

September 11, 2001- A Personal Reflection

If you are of my generation, you will never forget where you were when President Kennedy was shot–I was in my high school homeroom– nor where you were on September 11, 2001. I was in Spring Lake on a gorgeous fall morning at a conference of investors for small businesses at a hotel on the beach. Then the news came letting attendees know that there had been an accident in Lower Manhattan and that those attending from New York City may want to head back to the city right away. We all found a television and watched in shock as events unfolded that fateful morning. I walked to my car along with the others and one man was sharing his concern with another for his nanny’s new husband who worked in one of the twin towers. He told all of us in earshot that both these young people were like members of the family. Riding home, I realized my son has clients in the World Trade Center but I wasn’t sure what his schedule was on that day. My daughter reached me on my cell phone and said they were watching the events from her school and trying to keep the children, a lot of whose parents work in the city, calm. My son called me just as I reached my home telling me that he was stuck on the turnpike but was alright. He was on his way to the World Trade Center but had gotten off to a later start than his usual time that morning. The Giants had played the night before and the game had gone into overtime and didn’t end until after 1:00 a.m. From that point on, I have been a diehard Giants fan! The attorneys and finance experts I met that morning are out network, but we formed a special bond that day. I am especially grateful to have gotten to know Larry Chong who sadly passed away a few years ago. Larry was a former international banking executive and investor and, I believe an angel investor. He and I became good friends and he always showd an interest in the papers I was writing and in the conferences at which I would be presenting. So with this anniversary, I will be reflecting on the events, the people who lost their lives that day and their families and friends, as well as those special friendships formed that day and the gratitude that my son was stuck on the turnpike and not in Lower Manhattan early that unforgettable September morning.

Honoring the Past – Harvard Reflects

The future isn’t what it used to be.~ Yogi Berra

In her annual fall address this Wednesday, President Drew Faust focused on the theme of history, not just that of the university, but also the nature of history and what it means to be a learning community. “Morning Prayers,” as it is has been called since the university’s founding, has traditionally marked the beginning of the academic year with a brief reflection for the Harvard community. No doubt the approach of Harvard’s 375th anniversary next month makes it an auspicious occasion to give pause, for the nation’s oldest university to look back at its rich history—not to linger, but to reconnect, to acknowledge its long legacy and to acknowledge the best of what was and to play it forward, creating its best future yet.

Faust recounted that in the space of just a few years of the first settlers’ arrival in the New England wilderness, and because of the bequest only a few years later of colonist John Harvard’s books and wealth, the new nation’s first institution of higher learning was founded. Establishing Harvard College also served to underscore the early settlers’ commitment to learning and scholarship for the fledgling country as the firm foundation of a learning nation.

Today not only does the community consist of students, faculty, and staff, as well as alumni the globe over, Faust noted, but also all those who have gone before, who have left a legacy of outstanding human achievement. For a countless number of individuals provide a continuum of achievement stretching almost four centuries, in every sphere of human achievement: from the highest levels of public service and the arts, to intellectual and scientific discoveries—including 50 Harvard Nobel winners.

Finally, Faust emphasized the contribution of those individuals, who through their courage and sacrifice gave their lives in the highest service to their nation. “This is a history,” Faust explained, “that nurtures aspiration, that inspires us with what is possible and reminds us what is necessary – the responsibility that accompanies education and opportunity, the privilege to contribute to purposes larger than ourselves.”

It is the nature of history, Faust explained, to release the stronghold of the present and to establish a connection with the past, a way to give a new perspective while feeling connected and having confidence in that continuity. It reminds us that not only have we survived past challenges, but also that we can go forward with the same commitment to the “unwavering importance of learning and knowledge, to values that endure in their dedication to human potential – in the 21st century as in the 17th.”

Yet, rather than a tether to the past, continuity also means change. Each generation is charged with seizing opportunity by co-creating and re-creating a world that far surpasses the one we have known. History marks the beginning of the future, Faust explains, because “it offers us the foundation for imagining a different world and understanding what it takes to build it. To have a history is to have a context – for both insight and action.”

However, as Harvard professor Tu Weiming noted in his 2010 book, America went from being a learning nation to a teaching nation. To imagine a better world will require an entirely revamped education system that will create a culture of dynamic lifelong learning—a nation that is inclusive, open to many new ideas and multiple entry points for creativity. Only then will America reclaim its moral footing and its position of first in the world in innovation.
Read President Faust’s full address:

http://www.harvard.edu/president/morning-prayers-2011

Book Preview: Innovation in Education

Tony Wagner, Ed. D., Innovation Education Fellow at the Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard delivered his keynote at the recent conference on “Creativity, Play, and the Imagination across Disciplines” at Teachers College, Columbia University. The article that follows is a preview of his forthcoming book.

A recent advertisement for an American airline reads “Who is emerging is not as important as what is emerging.” The same could be said for innovation. In the global knowledge economy, what will innovation look like in the year 2025 and more importantly, how can the education system support innovation for all its citizens? In his forthcoming book, Learning to Innovate, Innovating to Learn, Tony Wagner, Ed.D., who is Innovation Education Fellow at the Technology & Entrepreneurship Center at Harvard, sets out to do just that with the goal of informing the American education system about a whole new approach to teaching core 21st century skills. In his The Global Achievement Gap, published in 2008, Wagner identified 21st century skills such as curiosity and imagination that will be needed not just for jobs, but also continuous lifelong learning. Dr. Wagner recognizes that these skills cannot be grafted to an existing education culture as an add-on but must be embedded deeply in the education culture in order to develop the capacities of creativity and innovation. Therefore, he approaches his current project by looking at outliers—young, entrepreneurial individuals—who cut short their education paths to initiate successful startup enterprises. In his case studies of young adults, Wagner wants to uncover what factors contributed to their creative ventures and sustained their passion and motivation throughout the process. By talking with these young entrepreneurs and their parents and teachers, he has identified several common factors. Parents who encouraged free play and open exploration were very important. So were teachers who were adept at getting students to work collaboratively and supported hands-on projects with real world applications. Wagner also found that, in addition to parents, there was often a teacher or another supportive adult whose role Visit website: http://www.spinweaveandcut.blogspot.com/
Tony Wagner’s website: http://www.tonywagner.com/

Professionalizing America’s Museums

Note: I recently became an overseas correspondent for Korea’s online artEzine which is both in Korean and English. I will be posting abstracts of the articles published online along with a link to the English version.

ABSTRACT
In adopting the UNESCO Seoul Agenda (May 2010), the South Korean government initiated a commitment to develop creativity and character in all its citizens through arts education. In addition to formal arts education in schools for all students, a system of creative experiential activities in informal learning settings, such as museums, will be looked to for supporting arts training of middle and high school students. Subsequently, an authentication system program will be designed for South Korea’s 562 museums and other cultural institution to create a distinctive brand. A potential model South Korea can look to for its authentication system is the museum accreditation program for America’s 17,500 museums created 40 years ago. The model also can offer insight into the challenges American museums face at the beginning of the 21st century. For example, despite their important educational role, American museums have yet to be recognized by policy makers as core educational institutions. The article is a report from the field on the current reinvention of the American museum accreditation program and what it hopes to accomplish in the process.
Published June 3, 2011

http://artezine.arte.or.kr/english/english.jsp?articleIdx=1234

Retooling Cultural Identity with Art

Title: Venere Alpina by Kay Walking Stick

Two events held earlier this month offer a lens into the complex issues underlying any process of re-conceptualizing cultural identity through the contemporary arts, both East and West: one account addresses the former, that of the Chinese government’s efforts to elevate formerly marginalized underground art villages to international cultural tourism destinations; and in the latter, an international conference in New York City that brings together indigenous artists and scholars for three days to examine the cultural dynamics, instead of the government’s role, in the persistent marginalization of indigenous art. Yue Zhang’s talk on May 4, was based on her current research titled “Governing Art Districts: State Control and Cultural Production in Contemporary China,” which was sponsored by The Princeton University Center for Arts, touched on several ironies.

For example, although the entire Western world read of the contemporary artist and Human Rights Activist, Ai Weiwei’s detention by the Chinese government last month, the majority of Chinese never heard of him until they read of his arrest. Zhang, an Assistant Professor Political Science at University of Chicago, noted as well the changed attitude from that of suppression to the government’s new degree of limited tolerance toward the same contemporary artists who up until recently were seen as “flood and beast” tools of social instability. Perhaps because of its rising status in the world economy, Zhang reported that China’s direction has shifted to showcasing a vibrant creative cultural district to visitors. And through its tight control of the public relations, the government can tout the new contemporary art scene as the beacon of China’s elevated role as a world leader in innovation taking place at the Asian-version “Silicon Valley.”

One challenge for the Chinese government remains: how to rein in it’s most prominent, yet outspoken artists short of arresting them? The solution was to establish the first National Contemporary Art Institute and appoint artists as academicians, even those artists—more accurately those artists, in particular, most cynical about the Cultural Revolution and whose art explored this very theme. Now the cynicism belongs to the art community at large which feels that these artists will be constrained in their art because of this symbiotic relationship with the government. Closer to home, The National Museum of the American Indian at the Smithsonian Institution’s symposium sought to move the discussion from focusing on artist identity to that of focusing on the art itself. In the past, the focus on an indigenous artist has tended to pigeon hole indigenous art into its own category but with the result of isolating it from mainstream contemporary art all together. As a result, women artists seen as feminist artists were marginalized by being featured in Women’s History exhibits, just as African-American artists were tapped to flesh out Black History month. These categories, though well-intended, resulted in a double-edge sword by marginalizing minorities the rest of the year.

Indigenous artists deal with increasingly complex identities that can be either bi-racial, or bi-cultural or both. Therefore, the symposium organizers of “Essentially Indigenous?” challenged participants to take the lens off of the artist and focus it on the art instead. Once allowed to stand on its own, one may ask does it maintain its “Native-ness” in adhering to a particular iconography, or indigenous subject matter or reflect that in its aesthetic sensibility? Does it indicate a relationship to either land or ties to traditional art forms or both? If the artist is seen an individual—a conduit of the culture—what then is she expressing for herself, for her culture, for humanity? I am reminded of New York Times’ David Brooks recent column revisiting Sam Huntington’s sensational essay “The Clash of Civilizations?” in which he concludes that Huntington’s premise does not stand the test of time after all. Although acknowledging that culture is indeed important, Brooks sees underneath the differences where there are “universal aspirations for dignity and for political systems that listen to, respond to and respect the will of the people.”
David Brooks column: http://nyti.ms/kqsRCN
NMAI Essentially Indigenous Program http://bit.ly/jSbfGm

Today’s MBA Lesson: Financial Crisis Recap

bail•out
noun \ˈbā-ˌlaut\
Definition of BAILOUT
: a rescue from financial distress
Examples of BAILOUT
1. government bailouts of large corporations levied on taxpayers
2. devolve unions and collective bargaining
3. devolve Medicare, Medicaid
4. preserve tax cuts for the wealthy
First Known Use of BAILOUT
1951
Extreme BAILOUT
2008, 2009, 2011
Other Business Terms
AMORTIZE, BUDGET REFORM, CAVEAT EMPTOR,GREED, DIVEST, DUE DILIGENCE, EMOLUMENT, GREEN-COLLAR, MARQUE, OVERHEAD, PERQUISITE
Rhymes with BAILOUT
ABLAUT, ABOUT, ACT OUT, ALL-OUT, BACK OUT, BAIL OUT, BAT OUT, BAWL OUT, BEAR OUT, BEAT OUT, BLACKOUT, BLACK OUT, BLISSED-OUT, BLOT OUT, BL…
[+]MORE

Book Review addition to Design Series

Predictable Magic: unleash the power of design strategy to transform your business, was highly recommended to me as an addition to a new and fast-growing list of books that address “design thinking strategies” in business. Co-author Deepa Prahalad, a former commodities trader with Cargill, who holds a MBA from Tuck School of Business, Dartmouth collaborated with Ravi Sawhney, industrial designer and CEO of the global firm RKS Design, which he founded in 1980. The book covers in great detail Sawhney’s many-layered Psycho-Aesthetics framework, the subject of a Harvard Business School case study, that is both a process and toolkit for assessing emotional connections between customers and industry designs.

I found myself of two minds reading this book. As a longtime arts educator and a former museum administrator, I was curious to learn about this approach to strategy that is catching fire these days and its applicability of design principles to business strategy. However, I kept encountering the same language used in museum literature particularly visitor studies, such as assigning value for meaningful, transforming experiences. One reason is the crossover of disciplines and the use of similar methods such as behavioral psychology, which also is used to assess museum visitor experiences (not unlike market research methods). Where the lines really begin to blur is the deployment of anthropological field methods and cognitive anthropology theory to the consumer in way of meaning-making, transformation and self-actualization. If it sounds like Maslow’s Hierarchy, it is—literally. A pyramid charts consumer desire of increasing self-expression and empowerment. The intrinsic needs of the consumer are met by providing an experience driven by entertainment and resulting in self-actualization (well being). The higher the consumer’s level of purchase involves a matching level of empowerment and well-being. The Psycho-Aesthetics framework is all about the evolved consumer-critic, who is no longer satisfied with just good design—design now has to align with the consumer experience, which encompasses not only affect, but also anticipates the consumer’s aspirations and ultimately, transformation. Not all consumers are alike: the framework divides consumers into four categories (quadrants) paired with tools for mapping persona analyses that combine with traditional data sources such as demographics, market research and ethnography. The quadrant levels range from basic to enriched, with versatile and the artistic falling in-between. Basic level in design is considered functional, while the enriched level represents the ultimate design (marked by the symbol of the Ferrari) as a design that engages the consumer at much more deeper sensual and emotional levels. At the enriched, or pinnacle level, consumers become mythological Journey Heroes who will then become eager to share experiences with others. Consider two examples with their corresponding emotional content: when women selected the newly-designed Amana washing machine, it was an indicator that women were made to feel “like better nurturers and caretakers for their families.” (p. 94) When DJs selected newly designed speakers, however, it was because of its superior design. Could improved washing machine design make the husband a more nurturing caretaker when doing the family laundry? Or could women appreciate design simply for design’s sake? Either way, the determining criteria was unclear. I think Predictable Magic goes in an interesting direction. While museums are reluctant to consider affect in visitor studies, it is interesting how it is quickly becoming seen as integral to consumer behavior and the way in which it affects the bottom line and ultimately sustainability over the long haul. Perhaps a whole new market is foreshadowed here: that consumers are hungry for art that it not just relegated to special occasions and faraway exotic places that one visits once or twice a year, but as a part of everyday life.