The Urban Gateways Blog
Archives for July 2009
July 29, 2009 :: Media Mentions
Non-profits Counter the Economy with Creative Events that Really Count
PRLog Free Press Release
7/29/2009
Through ENHANS, Urban Gateways was able to provide a new fundraising experience that embodied Urban Gateways. The event nearly raised $140,000 in donations, and it was clear that ENHANS made an impact through high quality event planning.
July 24, 2009 :: Urban Gateways News
Chicago to Tanzania and Back: Teaching artist exchange offers cultural, artistic insights
This summer, Urban Gateways has embarked on its first international artist exchange.
UG Artist-in-Residence, Amanda Lichtenstein, traveled to a rural village in Tanzania to teach theater and creative writing. Meanwhile, Urban Gateways was thrilled to welcome Tanzanian theater artist Grace Gachocha (seen in picture on right) to Chicago, where she is instructing UG’s Art Options program alongside literary artist Maia Morgan and Digital Sound artist Shawn Wallace. Art Options engages at-risk middle and high school students in an arts apprenticeship that culminates in a community-based arts project.
Read more »July 23, 2009 :: Urban Gateways News
Urban Gateways Holds Court in Target Tent
Urban Gateways staff members and teaching artists entertained throngs of children (and parents) July 13-19 as part of the Millennium Park Family Fest.
Stationed in the Target Tent, teaching artists set up free craft tables and workshops for passersby, all focusing on the theme of Chicago neighborhoods.
Read more »July 23, 2009 :: Urban Gateways News
UG Artist Shares Her Experience in Tanzania
Urban Gateways Artist-in-Residence Amanda Lichtenstein is teaching creative writing and theater to children in a rural village in Tanzania, as part of UG's first international exchange with the International Theater and Literacy Project (ITLP), a New York City-based organization founded in 2005 to provide rural African communities with youth education through theater.
Below is an excerpt of a letter Amanda sent to the UG staff, sharing her experiences:
Read more »July 23, 2009 :: Urban Gateways News
Despite Funding Cuts, Devoted Arts Leaders Persevere
In these tough economic times, the traditional sources of funding for arts education are ebbing, but dedicated supporters are still finding ways to keep their fine arts programs afloat.
In April, Chicago Public Schools (CPS) announced that it was cutting Title I funding for fine arts, which impacted many programs including an Urban Gateways project with its non-profit partner The Fran Center. UG had spent months organizing arts programming for the nonpublic schools that the Center serves, and we were relying on the Title I funding (annually allocated for schools serving low-income areas) to support those programs.
Read more »July 7, 2009 :: Media Mentions
Chicago Winners In the Recovery Grant Game
Chicago winners in the Recovery grant game
7/7/2009
The National Endowment for the Arts released a list of 631 direct Recovery Act grants to arts organizations nationwide. Urban Gateways was amongst the Chicago winners.