SPARK! Arts Ignite Learning and Creative Generation are pleased to announce their new collaboration to present provocative conversations during National Arts in Education Week and beyond. Through this work, the two organizations will facilitate several conversations to expand the discourse about arts education throughout Missoula, Montana’s cultural and education community.
This presentation is part of a Speaker Series curated in partnership with Arts Missoula. Arts Missoula Speaker Series was created in January 2021 as a continued effort to make local and international connections and involve the Missoula community in a dialogue on thought-provoking topics of the current times.
Topics have ranged from the science of happiness and importance of well-being not only during the pandemic but always, to the virtual tour of the newly built Missoula Public Library, to the connection between the Western and Indigenous medicine and an effort to reach to Missoula’s Indigenous population. This year will end with a talk from a doctor representing Doctors Without Borders, who will discuss his COVID-19 work in Brazil and all over the world.
“Advancing the discourse about the impacts of arts education is a necessary component of the advancement of our field” said Jeff M. Poulin, managing director of Creative Generation. “We, at Creative Generation, are honored to be welcomed into the Missoula community to be a part of this necessary work.”
Creative Generation was founded in April 2019 as a research initiative and has grown its work throughout the United States and around the world. Through pioneering research in the arts and cultural education field – and the relentless support of arts and cultural educators in their work to cultivate the creative capabilities of young people – the organization regularly presents provocative ideas to the cultural and education communities in municipalities around the world.
“We are honored to be collaborating with Jeff, and the Creative Generation team,” said Sienna Solberg, , Director of SPARK! Arts Ignite Learning. “Creative Generation is revolutionizing the arts education community and empowering young people. It’s exciting that through our collaboration, Missoula will gain knowledge and learn from Creative Generation to challenge the way we implement arts education in our community.”
About Creative Generation
Contributing to the development of thriving communities and a more just world, Creative Generation works to inspire, connect, and amplify the work of young creatives who catalyze social transformation and those who are committed to cultivating their creative capabilities. Founded in 2019, Creative Generation operates four signature programs: The Campaign for a Creative Generation, the Institute for Creative Social Transformation, The Academy for Creative Leadership, and an Incubator for Creative Impact.
About SPARK! Arts Ignite Learning
SPARK! Arts Ignite Learning is Missoula’s chapter of the Kennedy Center’s Any Given Child initiative, and is administered through Arts Missoula, 501c3. SPARK! Arts is a collective-impact and works as a collaboration with local artists, arts organizations, business and community leaders, the City of Missoula, Missoula County Public Schools (MCPS), parents, philanthropists, and the University of Montana to ensure equity and access to a comprehensive arts education ecosystem for all K-8 MCPS students.