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The How to Create a School Sculpture Garden Manual
8. FORMING SCHOOL PARTNERSHIPS: A COLLABORATIVE APPROACH
The collaborative approach to program development outlined here is an alternative to the way organizations utilize traditional problem solving methods to advance the missions of their organizations. We decided on an interest-based approach to capitalize on the themes common to each of the participating organizations. This is the second project in which this model has been used successfully.
Preliminary discussions on the part of the collaborative partners (Grounds For Sculpture, the International Sculpture Center, and Nottingham High School) expedited the application process to the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation for a grant to fund the School Sculpture Garden Project. The funds received from the grant were used to offset program development costs.
In order to form a successful collaborative partnership, the initiating organization must identify a contact person(s) at each of the proposed partner organizations to begin the effort. Once the participating parties have been determined, the following areas should be addressed:
- Mission Statement
- Development of Objectives
- Level of Commitment
- Projected Outcomes
- Measurement of Effectiveness
An analysis of the mission statement of each participating organization illustrates shared goals. Our mission statements appear in italics.
- Grounds For Sculpture is a not-for-profit institution dedicated to the exhibition, interpretation, and promotion of sculpture. Grounds For Sculpture shall use its resources to inform and inspire the general public through exhibitions of important examples of sculpture produced by well-known and emerging artists from both the United States and abroad. It shall interpret these exhibitions through publications, symposia, and similar venues.
- The Fine Arts Department of Nottingham High School provides two-and three-dimensional art experiences in the areas of production, history, aesthetics, and criticism at introductory, intermediate, and advanced levels. These courses are aligned with the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards, New Jersey Cross-Content Workplace Readiness Standards, and the National Standards.
- The International Sculpture Center enhances the creation and understanding of sculpture and its unique, vital contribution to society. The ISC promotes knowledge and understanding of sculpture through a variety of programs including: publication of Sculpture magazine, Insider Newsletter, conferences, web site (www.sculpture.org), education projects for students and teachers at all levels and special events.
The organizations will
- utilize the New Jersey Core Curriculum Content Standards.
- utilize the National Art Standards.
- improve the quality of formal and informal educational services provided to clients.
- create an environment that fosters creativity and joint problem solving opportunities.
- coordinate efforts to provide services to each of their respective clients.
Grounds For Sculpture will
- promote education about sculpture through presentation of accessible exhibitions at GFS.
- publish educational materials related to sculpture and public art.
- offer assistance to those interested in improving accessibility and understanding of sculpture.
- offer guidance to Nottingham High School students as they create their designs and implement a final design for the School Sculpture Garden Project.
Nottingham High School will
- become familiar with and utilize the resources of a community-based museum and sculpture park.
- create original sculptural works suitable for display in a sculpture garden.
- use multiple aesthetics theories to examine the nature, meaning, and value of a sculpture garden.
- study landscape design, as it relates to aesthetic and functional purpose.
- respond to and make judgments about the properties of specific designs created by students and established sculpture parks and gardens.
- learn about landscape design within the context of production, aesthetics, art criticism, and art history.
- create original designs for a school sculpture garden for an interior, unused, school courtyard.
- learn how the creation of a school sculpture garden aligns with state and national standards, thinking skills, and other curriculum areas.
- learn how the Internet can be a vital resource for art education.
International Sculpture Center will
- provide opportunities to increase the awareness and importance of sculpture beyond its current constituency of sculptors and sculptor patrons to high school art educators and their students.
- seek opportunities to expand public awareness of the contributions of sculptors through print and electronic media.
- demonstrate the power of sculpture to effect positive social change.
- seek opportunities to engage artists and arts professionals in forums with teachers and art students to advance the art form.
- provide access to the Sculpture Parks and Gardens section of their website.
- publish a web manual entitled How To Create A School Sculpture Garden.
Determine the level of commitment of each participating organization for the project in terms of
- Staff time and accessibility
- Finances (Grants)
- Equipment
- Other (Advisory Committees)
You also need to research necessary approvals from the administration of participating organizations.
All of the organizations will attain
- increased appreciation for the challenges inherent in sculpture garden design.
- documentation about replicating/accomplishing this type of collaboration.
- enhanced presence in the local community and throughout the state via the dissemination of the final product.
- documentation of how to create a school sculpture garden developed through collaboration that can be used, adapted, and/or replicated by art teachers, students, museum educators, community groups, small businesses, and interested individuals.
- documentation about
the project in art education and museum education print publications, on the
Internet, and at professional conferences.
Grounds For Sculpture will attain - strengthened relationships with local schools.
- increased attendance by local school communities.
- increased utilization and enjoyment of GFS by students, staff, and the entire Nottingham High School community.
- opportunity for internships.
- documentation about the project in art education and museum education print publications, on the Internet, and at professional conferences.
Nottingham High School will achieve
- access to primary resource
materials:
- Artists
- Works of art
- Catalogues and reference materials
- Issues of Sculpture Magazine
- a completed sculpture garden.
- increased exposure throughout the community.
- new and creative lesson plans.
- cooperative classroom experiences with Math, Science, and Language Arts.
International Sculpture Center will attain
- further involvement with a community based partnership, especially public education.
- posting of sculpture garden manual on the ISC website with hyperlinks to other art education web sites.
- coverage of the project for Sculpture Magazine.
- photographic documentation.
- expanded public relations.
All organizations will attain
- increased understanding of their respective missions.
- improved communication and positive relationships among partners.
- successful use of organizational strengths in creative and problem solving situations.
- significant advancement of agendas without duplication of effort.
- independent assessment of program goals by an outside evaluator.
Nottingham High School will measure effectiveness through
- student attitudinal pre- and post-design survey.
- teacher observation of student production, discussion, and critique.
International Sculpture Center will measure effectiveness through
- teacher and student increased knowledge of contemporary sculpture within the context of art production, aesthetics, art history, and art criticism.
- enhanced teacher and student appreciation of the uniqueness of the rich cultural resources of the community in which they live.
- dissemination of the project on the ISC web site for utilization by teachers and other community members and hyper linked to other art education web sites.
This collaborative approach has served our organizations well over the course of two successful grant cycles. It is an approach that can work effectively for other organizations wishing to form partnerships. For too long, many educational institutions have viewed partnerships, especially corporate partnerships solely as a fundraising vehicle only. Meaningful partnerships can be created when organizations look beyond funding as the only resource to be gained.
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