RUNNING THE RACE OF TEACHING ART!

KEEP TRACK OF WHAT IS ON THE NATA CALENDAR
...See the NATA Website front page for all calendar items.

• NATA Award Nominations due Feb. 15th
  
• Y.A.M. Entries due the State Dept of Education Feb 15th
  
• Scholastic Ceremony, Omaha, Feb 28th
  
• Congressional Art Competition entries due Mar 2nd
  
• Spring NATA Board Meeting, March 21, 9:30am-12:30pm, Lincoln.  Location TBA.  
  
• Y.A.M. Celebration, March 21, 2:00pm, State Capitol.
  
• NAEA National Convention, March 26-28, New Orleans

NATA Members Are Invited to Participate in a Survey from the NAEA Professional Learning through Research Working Group 
In response to member requests, the NAEA Research Commission's Professional Learning through Research (PLR) working group is looking for ways to support members in developing skills and understandings as researchers and in using research to improve professional practice. You should have received an email to complete this 15 minute survey by this Friday, Feb 6. Your responses will assist the PLR in identifying ways to support the research interests and needs of NAEA members and the ways you can contribute to a vibrant research culture across the NAEA community.

HAVE YOU CONSIDERED WRITING ABOUT ADVOCACY?
What might you have to share about advocacy with members of NATA? Have you considered sharing through the NATA Newsletter The Perspective? Please consider this opportunity and submit your article to Julie Ryan by March 1, 2015.

CALL FOR AGENDA ITEMS FOR MARCH NATA BOARD MEETING
Please contact Lynette Fast or Allison Varah with your needs for the March 2015 NATA Board meeting.

LEADERSHIP OPPORTUNITY IN NATA
What makes membership in a professional association valuable - the members!
We are seeking a membership representative to monitor the monthly membership roster.  Your responsibilities include emailing reminders to members who's membership has expired and to advocate and seek new members.  There is potential of nearly 500 art educators in Nebraska and we range 190-200 members in our association.  If you are interested in this position, please contact Lynette Fast or Allison Varah.

REPRESENT YOUR ASSOCIATION BY SERVING AS A DELEGATE
The National Art Education Association is organizing a delegation to visit Cuba for the purpose of researching Arts Education. Due to the extensive planning and communication involved in coordinating a program of this nature, please respond with your intentions regarding this invitation as soon as possible. Please RSVP to Professionals Abroad at 1-877-298-9677 or via the web at www.professionalsabroad.org.  A $500 deposit is required to reserve your place on the team. 

CONGRESSIONAL ART COMPETITION ENTRIES DUE MARCH 2, 2015
NATA is proud to facilitate the Congressional Art Competition for Nebraska’s 2nd and 3rd Congressional Districts. This is a competition for High School Students. 
The winner in each district has the privilege of having their art work on display in the Nation’s Capitol and receives two round trip plane tickets to Washington D.C. to participate in recognition ceremonies there. Winning artwork must be framed at the artist expense. 
Winners will also be recognized at the Nebraska Recognition Ceremony. 
CAC Entry Forms must Accompany All Entries.  CAC criteria and forms can be found athttp://www.house.gov/content/educate/art_competition/ or see below.
Secondary students may enter the CAC by filling out the paper work, writing a paragraph about why you created this work of art or what the work means to you,  and sending digital images and forms to:  CAC c/o Deborah Kippley, 1004 N. Beadle St. Papillion, NE., 68046 or planartsnetwork@icloud.com (Please put CAC in the email memo.) Please do not send a JPG larger than 6 MB, and please do not send the original art work :) 

News from Other Sources...

UNL College of Architecture High School Workshops
The College offers two summer high school workshops: the Career Explorations in Architecture, Interior Design and Landscape Architecture camp AND the Discover Landscape Architecture camp. These camps offer a unique experience to investigate issues surrounding design, learn more about the design professions and what it's like to be a college student.
Career Explorations, June 7-13, 2015
Discover Landscape Architecture, June 14-19, 2015

Community Supported Art - Artist Proposals Due February 11
If you are feeling creative and would like to submit a proposal for this home-grown commission, Lincoln Arts Council would love to hear from you! Based on the same "buy fresh-buy local" model as Community Supported Agriculture, this grass-roots art commission is in its third season in Lincoln thanks to sponsorship from Union Bank and Trust.