Cultural Intersections and New Directions, the theme of the 46th annual ICFAD Conference, brought together over 151 members and guests from 34 states and 5 countries.  Special thanks is extended to host deans, Raymond Tymas-Jones, University of Utah, Brent Schneider, University of Utah, Bill Byrnes, Southern Utah University, and Stephen Jones, Brigham Young University.

 

Set in the city center of Salt Lake City, Utah, this year’s conference addressed the many aspects and challenges of arts leadership within the academy, the greater community and at the national level.  Opening speaker, Dean Chris Waterman, UCLA, addressed how to maintain and intensify our institutions’ momentum and creative edge under challenging economic circumstances.  Randy Cohen, Vice President of Local Arts Advancement for the Americans for the Arts, provided an energetic overview of how to better advocate for the arts locally, regionally and nationally.  To access his powerpoint presentation, please click here.  On the creative side, through his gift for story, Sterling Van Wagenen, co-founder of the Sundance Film Festival and Sundance Film Institute, shared the philosophical and conceptual development of these historical undertakings.

 

President Ron Jones, University of South Florida, introduced several new session formats to the program.  Concurrent sessions allowed for expanded offerings, including special sessions that focused on assistant and associate deans and three faculty members who are involved in cutting edge work.  A full morning of roundtables gave attendees an opportunity to gather ideas and solutions on a broad array of topics.  With 18 different roundtables, led by members, there was the possibility of attending 5 different mini-sessions.  This new format was so successful it will be featured again in ICFAD’s 2010 conference program.  A third program change centered on engaging all attendees in exploring, debating and forming action plans as an extension of the organization’s recently published Delphi Study.  All comments from this session were professionally recorded and transcribed for a future online publication.

 

Each year ICFAD honors an individual for exceptional contribution to accomplishments in the arts.  This year’s recipient, Beverly Taylor Sorenson, was named the 2009 Arts Achievement and Excellence awardee.  Beverley was selected for her unwavering support of arts education in Utah and across the nation. She has dedicated her life to enriching the lives and minds of children through her vision for integrating the arts within and across the core curriculum in schools.

 

At this year’s annual business meeting, the following were elected:   Sharon Vasquez, Wayne State University, President Elect; Raymond Tymas-Jones, University of Utah, Secretary; Jacqueline Chanda, Institute for American Universities – Aix-en-Provence and Michael Stepniak, Shenandoah Conservatory, Board Members-at-Large (2009 – 2012).  Members voted to hold the 2011 Triennial International Summer Symposium in Florence, Italy, hosted by Studio Arts Center International.  Members also voted to hold the 2012 annual conference in Doha, Qatar, October 28 – 31. Through the generous underwriting of Virginia Commonwealth Qatar, as it does for all of its international conferences, will cover all costs for ICFAD attendees’ visas, hotel rooms at a notable hotel, all lunches and dinners with the conference, and local transportation.  ICFAD members will be responsible for their airfare and a nominal registration fee.

 

 

Sarasota Florida, October 28 – 30, 2010

 

Washington, DC, October 26 – 29, 2011