Milwaukee Bucks’s Larry Sanders showed his artistic side when he stopped by the Arts @ Large gallery to teach students how to design skateboards, in March.

Sanders, an avid skateboarder when his not on the basketball court, worked with students from multiple A@L schools to create various skateboard designs, while also speaking to the students about the importance of the arts and individual creativity. 

“Your art, what you create, is something that you own, its something that no one can take from you… its inspiring, its enlightening, there are so many good things that come from arts, so you should take pride in what you create,” said Sanders to the students.

The visit was set up through Northwestern mutual, an A@L funding partner, and The Milwaukee Bucks as an extension of A@L’s “I Wanna B” initiative, designed to expose MPS students to career possibilities through art and design.

During the visit, Sanders took the time to work around the gallery and help the students one on one, while offering his take on the design process. Before leaving, he signed and all the students signed basketball, which is now on display, along with the skateboards, at Gallery @ Large.

“I Wanna B” has also given MPS students a look behind the scenes of other local organizations with design-focused careers, most recently Harley-Davidson Inc., and these pieces culminated as the current “I Wanna B” gallery exhibition, up now through July.

All skateboards were donated to the project by local company Beer City Skateboards and Records.

CLICK HERE to read the FOX 6 article on his visit and his passion for the arts.

Arts @ Large's Professional Development Specialist Linda D'Acquisto was published in this month's Educational Leadership Issue, Creativity Now! CLICK HERE to read her article on student created, in-school museums.

Students from Arts @ Large schools have been working closely with Harley-Davidson Museum to design gas tanks for Harley-Davidson Motorcycles. This hands-on project shows the connection between the arts and creative careers, opening up students to choices they may have never considered. Check out just a few of the articles published about the exciting project:

Associated Press

JSOnline.com

OnMilwaukee.com

With Arts @ Large's recent win of the 2012 Arts Education Award from Americans for the Arts, we thought it was important to share that success with the local community we serve and people that made it possible. Last month we held an Appreciation Reception to thank those who help make our program what it is today. Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett came to speak to a crowd including Wisconsin State Assembly Representative Christine Sinicki and 12th District Alderman José Pérez. Check out a few highlights below!

(PRESS RELEASE): Milwaukee, WI — Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, presented the 2012 Arts Education Award to Arts @ Large.

Given annually by the Arts Education Council of AFTA since 2007, the award honors the best in arts education program design, execution, and organizational leadership. A@L received its award on Saturday, June 9 at the AFTA Annual Convention in San Antonio, making A@L the 6th organization nationwide since the award's creation to receive the honor. Past recipients include Arts for All of Los Angeles, CA and Big Thought of Dallas, TX.

AFTA recognized A@L's unique model of using arts education to build sustainable arts experiences tailored to each individual school community.

"Particularly at a time when school districts face increasingly dire fiscal circumstances, Arts @ Large's steady commitment and support has kept arts education at the forefront of school and community leaders' consciousness in Milwaukee," said Robert L. Lynch, President and CEO of Americans for the Arts.

Dr. Heidi Ramirez, Chief Academic Officer of Milwaukee Public Schools, nominated A@L for the award. A@L, which served nearly 12,000 MPS students, 3,000 teachers and provided contracted residency projects for more than 100 local artist educators this school year, sees this as an opportunity to advocate for arts education equity for all students nationwide.

"It's humbling to receive AFTA's Arts Education Award. But, more importantly, we are honored that Arts @ Large has been given the opportunity to use this recognition to bring to the forefront the critical need for quality arts programs and developing collaborative arts partnerships between school districts and arts communities across America. Together we can provide sustainable arts programming that partners staffed licensed arts specialists in each school with community arts educators. By doing so, we will ensure equity in arts education and build the creativity and innovation skills that all of our nation's students deserve," said Kim Abler and Teri Sullivan, Co-Founders and Directors of Arts @ Large.

This recognition comes on the heels of A@L being one of 21 arts organizations across the nation highlighted in the 2011 report from the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, "Reinvesting in Arts Education," for its work in helping to ensure sustainable, high quality arts education for all students and for fostering a community that is increasingly committed to that goal.

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancin the arts in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

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Recently, A@L has received numerous awards, honors and acknowledgments for our 11 years of service to Milwaukee Public Schools students, teachers and the artist community. From magazine articles, to President Obama’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities report on arts education, we have seen an increase in recognition of the importance of integrating multi-arts into academic learning, and our work to build a comprehensive
education for all students.

Arts @ Large thanks all who have nominated or supported us, not to mention those who have allowed us to do this work in their schools and communities.

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

• One of 21 organizations (the only one in Wisconsin) featured in President Obama's Committee on the Arts and Humanities report Reinvesting in Arts Education (click to download)   
• Finalist for the 2012 MANDI Award (Milwaukee Awards for Neighborhood Development Innovation)
• Milwaukee Public School's January 2012 Excellence in Education Award    
• A featured article in the National Magazine Positive Impact(click to visit their website)  
• Featured article in the Aldo Leopold Foundation Newsletter (click to read)  
• Recipient of the 2011 State Farm Go to Bat Award at the Milwaukee Brewers Game
• A featured podcast in Third Coast Digest's "We don't go past the bridge": A Discussion on Race in Milwaukee series (click to listen)