Upstream Arts News | March 2014

In This Issue

art i. facts: Transition Plus

A Conversation Between Jeanne and Julie: Part 2

Gratitude & The Work Ahead

Save the Date!

The All Star Archives

There's always more

Dear Friend,

Happy spring! Can you believe it's here? The sky may be grey in Minneapolis today, but the temperatures definitely are rising.

In this issue of The Current, we're excited to share with you a new art i. fact from our work at Transition Plus, more conversation with Jeanne Calvit of Interact, some big thanks to supporters, an update on our funding gap, plus a special reminder to save the date for May 17.

As ever, though, there's so much more we want to share that won't fit in the small space of this monthly newsletter. Thought-provoking articles on the arts, disability, and learning. Shows, exhibits, and other projects by our teaching artists and staff. Calls for artist submissions and job openings, locally and nationally. To make sure you don't miss anything, be sure to follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and the Upstream Arts blog.

We are so grateful for the enthusiasm, energy, and generosity of our community. Thanks for reading!

Julie, Matt, Bree, and everyone at Upstream Arts

art i. facts are stories, poems, artwork, and other behind-the-scenes highlights from Upstream Arts programs, connecting you directly to the work that we do.

See a glimpse of our work at Transition Plus in the March episode of "School Matters"

Did you know that students receiving Special Education services in public school districts can continue receiving services through age 21? These services take the form of "transition programs," which are exactly what they sound like - programs that help students with disabilities make the transition from high school to the next step of college, career, and/or community involvement.

This spring, Upstream Arts has been working with Transition Plus, the Minneapolis Public Schools transition program. In our 12-week residency there, we are teaching the fundamentals of multiple art forms while simultaneously working with participants on social and communication skills essential to success in school, work, and life. This month, we were honored to have our residency at Transition Plus featured on the MPS District's Cable Channel 15 program "School Matters," produced by iDream.tv. The segment offers a fantastic glimpse into the work that we do! Click here to watch it on our YouTube channel, or visit the district's channel to watch the full episode.

A Conversation Between Jeanne and Julie: Part 2

Jeanne Calvit and Julie Guidry

In December, we launched a new series of long-form features unpacking an exciting dialogue between Jeanne Calvit, Founder and Artistic/Executive Director of Interact Center for the Visual and Performing Arts, and Julie Guidry, Co-founder and Executive Director of Upstream Arts. This conversation was born out of our recognition that many other pioneering organizations have paved the way for the work that Upstream Arts is able to do now. Interact, founded by Jeanne in 1996, is one of those organizations. In fact, Interact and Upstream Arts are frequently mistaken for each another, given we're among a very small handful of arts organizations in the Twin Cities primarily serving individuals with disabilities!

The dialogue continues this month, as Jeanne and Julie dig deeper into the similarities, synergies, and differences between Interact and Upstream Arts, toward potential future collaborations. Click here to read the second installment on our blog.

Gratitude & The Work Ahead

Image via Panfilocastaldi

Great big thanks to Allan and Susan Carneol, Susan Haas and Michael Sommers, Karen Johnson, Marilyn Mounger, Rebecca Orman, and Marie Yu Stipkovits for helping us meet our February fundraising goal!

To keep you apprised of our needs and your impact, we're offering a monthly update on our "funding gap" - the amount we need to raise before the end of the fiscal year to meet our financial goals. At this moment, we need to raise
$26,126
before June 30, 2014.

Moving into April, we have a goal of securing 2 more contributions of $150. Will you be 1 of 2 people to help us get from here to there this month? Visit GiveMN.org to make your secure online contribution today. We're so grateful for your partnership.

Save the Date!

Upstream Arts is thrilled to be hosting our first ever Annual Meeting and Fundraiser on Saturday, May 17, 2014, open to the entire Upstream Arts community. That means YOU! Invitations with more information to follow, but save the date - it's going to be super fun. We hope you'll join us!

The All Star Archives

Wow - Upstream Arts was named a Constant Contact 2013 All Star for this monthly e-newsletter! Huge thanks to our regular readers and a great big "Welcome!" to all receiving The Current for the first time. To read past issues, check out the growing archive on our website. Please rest assured we will never share your information and that you can always opt out, or invite new friends to opt in, using the links below.

Upstream Arts, Inc.
3501 Chicago Ave S
Minneapolis, MN 55407
UpstreamArts.org