Young Audiences of Houston: Narrative / Growth Strategy / Goals 2007-2008

Report to YAH Board/Committees/Supporters

YAH has a history of strong business fundamentals. In its most recently completed season alone, YAH’s roster of 65 professional artists, representing all fine arts disciplines, brought the arts and culture to more than 330,000 children through over 2,600 high quality performances, workshops, and residences in school and community venues throughout the greater Houston area. The strengths of YAH are in its high quality, effective product, proactive leadership approach to arts in education, extraordinary roster of artists and educators representing all fine arts disciplines, 50 year history of quality and trust in the community, and earned income that correlates to over 50% of the organization’s annual income – an astounding proportion in comparison with other like organizations.

In order to most effectively meet the challenges presented by continuing and increasing demand for YAH’s quality programs from a widening diversity of venues, paired with growing financial challenges facing many venues serving children, the YAH staff and board have developed and implemented strategies to more effectively serve a greater diversity of venues, diversify sources of income, lower operating costs, and improve the accessibility of its programs to the most deserving schools and community venues. This “rebalancing” of organizational priorities is strengthening the value of the YAH/Artist, YAH/Client, and YAH/Supporter relationships so that the greatest potential for the organization may be realized, and its mission most effectively served. The following are specific examples of new YAH 2007-2008 “rebalancing” initiatives:

The following are specific examples of new YAH 2007-2008 “rebalancing” initiatives:

1. Although exemplary in-school, elementary based arts-integration programming will continue to be a primary activity of YAH, expansion into new school communities, departments and grade levels, as well as greater diversification into non-school venues serving children will receive a strong focus in 2007-2008. These efforts include:

a. Children’s Hospital Programming: With the support of the largest medical center in the world, the Texas Medical Center, and as the focus of a new multi-year initiative of YAH, selected venues (Texas Children’s Cancer Center and Shriners Hospitals for Children, Houston in 2007-2008) in the Texas Medical Center serving children and their families, will receive a significant new partner in YAH, giving these hospitals access to specially designed and subsidized YAH programming for children with special needs. YAH will soon offer its hospital programming to all hospitals serving children in the Texas Medical Center, as well as hospital systems throughout the region. It is also expected that YAH will promote these specialized hospital collaborations as a model, throughout its 31 Young Audiences chapters across the nation, bringing national attention to the leadership of Houston. The goal of YAH children’s hospital programming is to use the tremendous power of the arts to spread joy, give hope, manage pain and leave positive memories for hospitalized children. In addition, as many hospitalized children are required to be out of school for extended periods of time, YAH programs also serve to enrich children’s social, cultural and academic education.

b. At-Risk and Special Needs Programming: Customizing existing, and developing new programs to serve the specific needs of at-risk and special needs children in a wide variety of community sites is a priority for YAH in 2007-2008. Pilot programs in collaboration with strategic partner ArtReach, a local at-risk/special needs facilitating organization, are underway at the Fort Bend Juvenile Detention Center and DePelchin Children’s Center. These programs focus on the creation of meaningful and personal works of art that each child may keep, focusing on self-reflection and/or goals. Additionally, for older children, vocational skills are incorporated when possible, such as screen printing, ceramics and graphic skills through visual arts and public speaking, problem solving and strategic thinking through dramatic arts, all with the goal of helping participants develop skills that may translate into greater job opportunities and motivation when integrating back into society.

c. Houston Public Library Branches: Renewed YAH programming at the Houston Public Library System will allow YAH artists both an increase in summer employment opportunities and an even greater opportunity to connect with and inspire young audiences and their families throughout the greater Houston area. In consultation with library officials, specialized YAH programs are being created to more effectively serve the specific artistic, logistic and financial goals of library branches. These goals include a focus on literacy, a specific program price range, and the need for logistically flexible programs that serve a wide variety of ages and audience numbers.

d. Southeast Texas: YAH Artists may select to be cross marketed with YA of SETX in order to expand YAH service to schools and community venues in the 5 counties east of Houston commonly known as South East Texas – Jefferson, Hardon, Liberty, Chambers, and Orange.

2. The creation of a YAH Assistance Fund: Based on its past successes and proactive changes moving forward, it is projected that the overall demand for YAH programs in 07-08 will be high. There will continue to be a subsidized fee charged to schools and venues for YAH programs. However, stressed and fluctuating school/client budgets will continue to limit YAH activities in some of the most deserving and underserved Houston communities. Consequently, the greatest challenge YAH will face this year is the ability to adequately further subsidize its programs for underprivileged, at risk schools and community groups. To meet this need, YAH has established the YAH Assistance Fund. This fund will become a major fundraising vehicle for YAH and be used for the following purposes:

a. to directly sponsor, either in part or in full, requested YAH programs in schools or community venues most deserving of support, thereby opening the door to the arts for the first time to many students. Schools/venues will apply for the YAH programs of their choice and financial assistance/awards will be made based on financial need after proper documentation is obtained and reviewed by YAH. YAH will share the exciting program experiences made possible through this fund with its donors through reports, tours and updates, so that a compelling, tangible, and long lasting relationship may be forged between YAH, YAH artists, the supported schools/venues and the donor(s). In order to further support the Assistance Fund and its donors, YAH and many of its artists have agreed to reduce program fees for selected venues.

b. for the development, promotion, and implementation of programs specifically designed to serve the needs of underprivileged schools and communities who will rely on the YAH Assistance Fund for programming.

3. Outside of the catalogue, the development of pilot programs in response to the changing needs and future trends in the community. These programs are intended to generate new opportunities and inspire new programs for YAH Artists and clients and include:

a. an “Arts and the Environment” three chapter YAH collaboration along the gulf coast (Texas-Louisiana) that uses visual art to teach students about environmental challenges and resources in their communities.

b. a “Composer in Residency” program designed to bring a greater understanding of the creative process, as well as cultural understanding and unity, to an entire student body of a school. This multidisciplinary collaboration will culminate in the creation and performance of a new work for the school, which, for some schools, will also include a school song.

c. an effective Charter School relationship in response to charter school growth in Houston.

d. initiatives in the arts, especially dance, to address the challenge of childhood obesity.

e. serving as the primary arts/education outreach agent for small to mid sized performing ensembles.

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Narrative for Young Audiences of Houston (YAH)

Mission: The mission of Young Audiences of Houston (YAH) is to educate and inspire children through the arts, to make the arts an integral part of the school curriculum, and to advance the field of arts in education though professional development and community partnerships.

Brief History: YAH was founded by violinist Fredel Lack, and received non-profit status, in 1956, with support from Ima Hogg and Mrs. William P. Hobby. From the 1950’s to the 1990s YAH focused on presenting interactive in-school performances by professional classical, jazz, folk, multi-cultural, dance, theater, opera, storytelling and visual artists. Supporting the educational trends and legislation from the 1990s to the present, YAH further expanded into presenting workshops (1-3 sessions) and residencies (3 or more sessions), which use the arts to support core-curriculum skills and allow individual artists to work more effectively with small groups through “hands-on” projects. Now celebrating its 51st year, YAH works with a roster of 78 teaching artists to provide 2,200 presentations a year, reaching 330,000 children at 363 sites in 2006, including schools, libraries, community centers, and hospitals within the Greater Houston area.

Needs Addressed (overall): In school environments, studies have shown, and school leaders have recognized, that children exposed to the arts experience great benefits, including: better overall performance in all subjects, higher scores on standardized tests, and a greater understanding and appreciation of diverse cultures. However, because the arts are not included in the regular testing procedures that rank schools effectiveness, many schools leave little or no funding for arts programs, therefore limiting the potential of students. Through its accessible programs and services as well as leadership role in education, promotion, and collaboration, YAH works with communities and schools, to ensure every child has the opportunity to be exposed to the arts as part of a well-rounded education.

Current Programs (overall): YAH offers dynamic arts programming by a roster of nationally recognized artists tailored for pre-K through 12th grade students in both school and public venues. YAH programs include performances, workshops, and residencies in the fine arts, as well as teacher professional development training. These highly participatory programs are uniquely designed to reinforce core curriculum classroom instruction, provide positive role models, enhance student’s self-esteem, foster creative and critical thinking skills, awaken interest in learning, and broaden the understanding of the world’s arts and cultures. The National Arts Education Research Center at New York University has found that test scores in academic subjects improve when the arts are used to illuminate learning.  All of the current YAH programs are aligned to the mandated Texas State curricula and testing (TEKS and TAKS) and YAH is an approved Texas State Board for Continuing Professional Educator Certification provider. Consequently, our professional development workshops offer teacher Gifted and Talented credit. 

Project – YAH Assistance Fund: There is a reasonable and subsidized fee charged to schools and venues for YAH programs. However, stressed and fluctuating school budgets are limiting YAH activities in some of the most deserving and underserved Houston communities. Consequently, the greatest challenge we face this year is the ability to adequately subsidize our programs for critically underprivileged, at risk schools and community groups.  To meet this need, we have created the YAH Assistance Fund. Gifts received for the YAH Assistance Fund will be used for two purposes.  First, to directly sponsor requested YAH programs in schools or communities most deserving of support, thereby opening the door to the arts for the first time to many students. Schools will apply to the fund for assistance and awards will be made based on financial need after proper documentation is obtained and reviewed by a qualified YAH committee. YAH will also share the exciting in-school experiences made possible by this fund with its donors, through reports and updates, so that a compelling relationship is formed between the donor, YAH, and the supported schools. Secondly, gifts received for this fund will also be used for the development, promotion, and implementation of programs specifically designed to serve the needs of underprivileged schools and communities who will rely on the YAH Arts in Education Assistance Fund for programming. 

Clients Served (overall): The in-school student population served by YAH is culturally and economically diverse and in need of broader opportunities for cultural experiences and growth.  The percentage of students who are economically disadvantaged is 70% and the student diversity represents the cultural makeup of the greater Houston area. YAH serves children from pre-K through the 12th grades with limited programming for college and adult continuing education programs. Young Audiences programming is available in hundreds of sites located in schools, libraries, community centers, and hospitals within the boundaries of the 30 school districts in the Greater Houston Area, including the surrounding counties of Montgomery, Liberty, Waller, Walker, Brazoria, Fort Bend and Galveston. YA Student Breakdown 2006: African American 30%, Asian-Pacific Islander 3%, Hispanic 38%, Caucasian 8%, Native American 3%, Other 1%

Outcomes (overall): In the short term, by working to serve a greater diversity of venues, developing a wider variety of programs to better meet the needs of changing educational goals including children with special needs and non school venues such as libraries and hospitals, increasing the impact of YAH programs judged by YAH evaluation procedure, and improving the accessibility of all programs to schools/venues through the YA Assistance Fund, YAH will increase YAH programming to schools or communities most deserving of support, thereby opening the door to the arts for the first time to many students. Long term changes for YAH that will be supported though this request, include establishing a greater organizational capacity aligned to the YAH mission and include: a strengthening of the value of the YAH/Artist, YAH/Client and YAH/Supporter relationship, so that the greatest potential for the organization may continually be realized, and its mission most effectively served.

Evaluation (overall): In the short term, the success of YAH is expressed by a greater appreciation, support and understanding of the value of the arts in education by teachers, students and educational leaders. In the long term, YAH success is expressed by data that proves the arts in education has significant positive impact on students lives, is tied to creativity and innovation, and is an important way to guarantee the realization of a students full potential.

Evaluation and assessment of the effectiveness of YAH programs is critical and significant time is allocated to ensure quality evaluation in order to guide program development. YAH conducts evaluations and assess results by using confidential surveys, planning sessions with educators to gain feedback from classroom collaboration, and a study of arts impact on student’s test scores balanced with control groups. Young Audiences provides a rubric for its teaching artists that evaluates the knowledge and skills in residency design and implementation, and with high demand for YAH educationally-based arts residencies, evaluation is crucial to ensure school/YAH compliance with Texas Assessment Standards of the Texas State Board of Education. This effort requires an additional time investment by YAH’s employees and committees, but leads to a more effective and demonstrable result for the state, local educators and YAH Artists.

Mary Mettinbrink, Education Director, administers the evaluation process with assistance from the Education Committee.  The group focuses on the following elements as a means of evaluation: 1. analysis of surveys completed by teachers and artists comprised of detailed topics relating before, during, and after the training 2. implementation of planning sessions to specifically tailor programs to each teacher’s and school’s particular goals and needs 3. review of classroom evaluations during teaching artist visits to gain the children’s/audience’s perspective 4. review of evaluations from focus groups, made of educators and artists to gain information about the impact of teaching methods in the classroom 5. assessment of the impact of arts training and programs through student’s test scores.

Community Resources/Partners: Organizations YAH actively partners with and serves through its full service, targeted arts programming: HISD, Houston Public Library, Houston Zoo, Miller Theatre, ISD’s throughout the greater Houston area, Texas Medical Center – Texas Children’s Hospital and Shriner’s Hospital for Children, YA of Southeast Texas, area Museums and parks, and area Charter and Private Schools amongst others.

Accomplishments: Now celebrating its 51st year, YAH works with a roster of 78 qualified teaching artists to provide nearly 2,200 program engagements a year. There are 150 program choices that reached more than 330,000 children at 363 sites in 2006, including schools, libraries, community centers, and hospitals within the boundaries of 30 school districts in the Greater Houston area. YAH has been recognized as an exemplary chapter by the YA National chapter, and the YA National chapter is the first arts in education organization to receive the National Medal of Arts by the US Government.