““Art Aid”: Management Art Aid”: Management and Marketing in Visual and Marketing in Visual

Arts EducationArts Education

Or…how to avoid the “F” Or…how to avoid the “F” word (Fundraising)word (Fundraising)

Liz Ashworth, Nipissing UniversityLiz Ashworth, Nipissing University

Congratulations! You’re an art Congratulations! You’re an art teacher…now what do you do?teacher…now what do you do? Dust off your course planDust off your course plan Determine what art supplies you will need for Determine what art supplies you will need for

each lesson in each uniteach lesson in each unit Determine Determine amountamount of art supplies you will of art supplies you will

need, based on number of students you will need, based on number of students you will teachteach

Check supplies available in the schoolCheck supplies available in the school Find local suppliers first, especially those who Find local suppliers first, especially those who

have children in your school (keep it in the have children in your school (keep it in the family) and to avoid shipping costsfamily) and to avoid shipping costs

Go through catalogues to determine best Go through catalogues to determine best prices and/or use the board’s bulk order (if prices and/or use the board’s bulk order (if available)available)

But before you order, what’s But before you order, what’s your budget and how do you your budget and how do you access it?access it? See your principal (or secretary)See your principal (or secretary) Find out deadlines for purchase orders Find out deadlines for purchase orders

(usually end of June for September)(usually end of June for September) Find out petty cash maximums (usually Find out petty cash maximums (usually

$100 per trip to the store, including taxes)$100 per trip to the store, including taxes) Look at past budgets (usually on record in Look at past budgets (usually on record in

the office)the office) Items over $1000 usually need three quotes Items over $1000 usually need three quotes

and rationale (written proposal)and rationale (written proposal) Go back to your list of supplies and Go back to your list of supplies and

prioritize (“need” vs. “want”)prioritize (“need” vs. “want”) Fill out purchase orders for supplies to be Fill out purchase orders for supplies to be

ordered and go shopping for those you ordered and go shopping for those you need immediatelyneed immediately

Taking Care of Business:Taking Care of Business: Have a copy of all Have a copy of all

order forms to check order forms to check when supplies arrivewhen supplies arrive

Delegate one person Delegate one person to handle supplies to handle supplies (unpacking, storing) (unpacking, storing) to avoid confusionto avoid confusion

Organize supplies to Organize supplies to find easily and quicklyfind easily and quickly

Hide half of supplies Hide half of supplies until second half of until second half of year (for rationing)year (for rationing)

Storage Ideas:Storage Ideas:

What to do if you have a very low What to do if you have a very low budget (less than $20 per budget (less than $20 per student):student): Get on the budget committeeGet on the budget committee Establish set amounts of supplies for each Establish set amounts of supplies for each

student to use and monitor usestudent to use and monitor use Lock the storage areas to prevent theft (by Lock the storage areas to prevent theft (by

students and staff)students and staff) Do not give away “freebies” (supplies for Do not give away “freebies” (supplies for

Science Fair, bulletin boards, etc.)Science Fair, bulletin boards, etc.) Have students/staff bring in consumables Have students/staff bring in consumables

(newspapers, containers, scrap fabric, old (newspapers, containers, scrap fabric, old calendars, magazines, etc.)calendars, magazines, etc.)

Count items at both the beginning and the Count items at both the beginning and the end of the lessonend of the lesson

Have students trade a shoe (or other item of Have students trade a shoe (or other item of value) for equipmentvalue) for equipment

Have a sign out sheet for borrowed Have a sign out sheet for borrowed equipmentequipment

Keep track of all supplies by doing an Keep track of all supplies by doing an inventory each Juneinventory each June

Order 1 ½ times what you really needOrder 1 ½ times what you really need Do not fundraise for “needs”Do not fundraise for “needs”

What to do if you have a very What to do if you have a very low budget (cont’d.):low budget (cont’d.):

How to get more money for art How to get more money for art education:education: Display student work everywhere (halls, Display student work everywhere (halls,

showcases, administrators’ offices, board showcases, administrators’ offices, board office, parent-teacher nights, graduation, office, parent-teacher nights, graduation, local galleries, etc.)local galleries, etc.)

Have students create promotional art Have students create promotional art (school calendar, web site, t-shirts, etc.)(school calendar, web site, t-shirts, etc.)

Show off individual student work to your Show off individual student work to your principal (often)principal (often)

Create an art club (extra-curricular funds)Create an art club (extra-curricular funds) Have an Arts Night in the springHave an Arts Night in the spring

How to get more money, How to get more money, cont’d.cont’d.

Collect exemplary work for a school art Collect exemplary work for a school art collection (frame with donated frames)collection (frame with donated frames)

Keep track of how many students take art Keep track of how many students take art in relation to other subject areas/total in relation to other subject areas/total number of students (high school only)…number of students (high school only)…percentages speak volumespercentages speak volumes

Prepare an information flyer for parents for Prepare an information flyer for parents for orientation nightsorientation nights

Invite admin into your classroomInvite admin into your classroom Celebrate your art students’ successes Celebrate your art students’ successes

(both in and out of school)(both in and out of school)

Promotion Ideas:Promotion Ideas:

More promotion ideas:More promotion ideas:

How not to get more money for How not to get more money for art education:art education: Avoid committee workAvoid committee work Under-spend your budgetUnder-spend your budget Leave display areas emptyLeave display areas empty Threaten to paint a mural on the principal’s carThreaten to paint a mural on the principal’s car Using PhotoShop, turn a photo of your principal Using PhotoShop, turn a photo of your principal

into the Grinch, and post it in the staffroominto the Grinch, and post it in the staffroom Call the head of finance ‘stupid’ in front of the Call the head of finance ‘stupid’ in front of the

entire board office (I was thrown out of the entire board office (I was thrown out of the building for that one)building for that one)

How to become more “art How to become more “art savvy”:savvy”: Take summer coursesTake summer courses Take an evening courseTake an evening course Watch “Art Attack”Watch “Art Attack” Read art magazinesRead art magazines Attend (and participate in) local art Attend (and participate in) local art

showsshows Try a few ideas from the course packTry a few ideas from the course pack Keep experimenting!Keep experimenting!

Professional development Professional development programs:programs: Artsperience Artsperience ((

www.artsperience.com))

Haliburton School of Haliburton School of Fine Arts (Fine Arts (www.flemingc.on.ca/programs/Haliburton/HSTA))

OSEA (Ontario Society OSEA (Ontario Society for Education Through for Education Through Art) (Art) (www.osea.on.cawww.osea.on.ca))