Crescendo Cultural

tAb A L rts e oF t ContentsH erAPYhigh school and college students can learn andpractice their computer skills and creative thinkingat an arts organization through web and graphicdesign, social media, filmmaking, e-blasts andmore can be an exciting way to cultivate a freshaudience art lovers while providing studentsmeaningful experience in the arts. 105Professional Development of ArtEducatorsthe campaign for arts education must includeefforts to increase professional development ofarts educators, especially in the Latino community.Presently, there is a shortage of Latino artseducators in public schools and mainstreaminstitutions with expertise in Latino and LatinAmerican arts. the thematic interests of manyarts educators remain culturally homogenousfocused on european or White American cultures;these educators often seem unaware of the ethicaldimensions of teaching about other cultures in theU.s. Multicultural arts education frequently suffersfrom its formulaic approach to teaching aboutthe Ancient egyptians or Aztec Civilization andoften omits any mention of their contemporarydescendents, their arts, and their relationshipwith the U.s. it is no wonder that few Latinos/asconcern themselves with issues of representationat arts institutions, in publications, and withinpopular culture.Many teaching artists face a negative stigma -those who teach cannot “do” (in the real world).A career in the arts may be rewarding on manylevels but it is not always rewarding financially.indeed many artists decide to teach as a way tosupplement their income, pursue their passionfor teaching, or reap the professional benefitsof engaging with their students. nonetheless,teaching artists like all educators can benefit fromresources, which allow them to develop theirtalents and teaching strategies.increased professional development and assistanceare crucial, and can strengthen the caliber of artseducators and help quiet any misconceptions abouttheir skills and capacity. Arts educators, includingteaching artists, should be empowered to discussthe value of their work, their art, and the positiveimpact of their efforts on children and youth. Like allteachers, they need to have adequate preparationand ongoing professional development so theycan maintain standards for education and growthincreasingly expected in schools. they must have21 st century skills, dedication to their professionand their students, persistence to compete foravailable positions, and then withstand the job’severyday challenges.Part of the struggle is ensuring that teaching artistsare aware of available resources. reaching outto local arts councils, co-ops, galleries, collegesand universities about resources, programs, andteaching opportunities is an excellent way to start.these “target” organizations also can be potentialpartners to provide professional developmentcourses and resources.Latinos and arts organizations should activelysupport the implementation of the nationalAccepted teacher Artists Hourly rate, in order toprovide arts educators a fair, livable wage standard.it benefits teaching artists who rely on teaching fortheir livelihood; it further validates their value aseducators and contributors to their communities;and it will assist them to acquire other benefitssuch as medical and retirement saving plans.other suggestions to enrich the arts educationfield within organizations, universities, andschools include: 106n Develop transnational partnerships centeredin art education projects, symposia,and conferences.n Arts education projects that engageLatino/a epistemologies and livedexperience, to foster empowering,de-colonial pedagogy and healing. 107n engage ecological curricular content andapproaches to arts education to educate anew generation of critical consumers andmakers of material culture that respect theenvironment and our roles as caretakers ofthe planet.n Launch accredited teaching ArtistCertification programs.Latino arts educators also should take up causesthat support Latino youth and their parents such asincreased waivers from deportation and bills likethe DreAM Act. As part of the Latino community,arts educators along with teachers and professors,should align with the best interests of youth whowish to achieve success. it is they who will be thefuture advocates and allies for arts education, artsand culture in their communities.Art therapyArt therapy services and programs are oftenoverlooked resources to support the recovery,growth, and cycle of healing for Latinos who needmental health and social services. the benefits ofart therapy - such as increased coping skills, stressreduction, and self-soothing effects, and lesseningthe stigma of mental illness - should be promotedin the Latino communities. Advocates should usea strong message that highlights these benefitsthrough all communication and media platforms.Currently there is limited scholarship aboutart therapy as it relates to Latino community,lending to a lack of understanding of its benefitsfor patients and clients. the accessibility of arttherapy to Latinos also is further challenged bythe shortage of practitioners of color - less than10% according to a 2009 survey of AmericanArt therapy Association members. 108 in fact, theauthors of this survey note that the lack of culturaldiversity among art therapists is a “liability in termsof the future growth of the profession.” 109in Latino communities, there exists a pervasive,negative stigma and shame regarding mentalillness. Additionally, those Latinos who seeksupport may be more restricted if they are notenglish-speaking, due to the lack of spanishspeakingtherapists and counselors. thepractitioner’s ability to communicate in spanishcan enable the Latino client to help break awaymisunderstandings and fear about seeking helpfor depression, anxiety, emotional trauma, physicaland mental abuse, sexual assault and rape. AmongLatino outpatients, the most common problemsare depression, low self-esteem, isolation andloneliness which are intensified by “cultural andidentity conflicts” as a result of immigration. 110 thebenefits of art therapy include increased “selfunderstandingand insight to personal problems”and a greater understanding of the grief andpersonal trauma tied to immigration. 111 Moreover,a study has been conducted on the benefits ofcertain types of art therapy for older Latino adultswho may gain from “enhanc[ed] self-perceptionsand improv[ed] cognitive performance”. 112 Anintegrated bicultural approach to art therapy withthe use of Latino artistic practices in a structuredgroup setting can benefit many Latino patientsand clients.Academics have noted an increased demand for105 see exemplary models for youth driven programs that promote creative exploration through technology such as: the intel Computer Clubhouse which serves over 60,000youth worldwide including Latin America and includes major partners such as the boys and Girls Clubs of America and YMCA. it provides bi-annual opportunities for youth fromacross the globe to gather together and build cultural exchange. YouMedia, a growing afterschool program housed at the Chicago Public Library’s downtown Harold WashingtonLibrary Center, is a dynamic space that encourages high school youth to connect, be creative and hone their technology and media skills. 106 these suggestions also can beapplied to the art therapy field, which will be discussed in the next section.107 Pedagogy education should adopt non-traditional vocabulary to show continuity of our cultural patrimony and our bodies of knowledge to highlight its urgency and vitality.108 David e. elkins and sarah P. Deaver, “American Art therapy Association, inc.: 2009 Membership survey report”, Art therapy, 27:3, at 142 (2010). naturally, this number maynot reflect art therapy practitioners who are not AAtA members but it does provide an idea of the exceedingly low levels of diversity for people of color in the U.s. 109 id. at 147.110 Diana bermudez and Mercedes ter Maat, “Art therapy with Hispanic Clients: results of a survey study” Art therapy: Journal of the American Art therapy Association 23(4)AAtA, inc. at 166 (2006). 111 id. For more information regarding multicultural competence in art therapy, see Mercedes b. ter Maat, “Developing and Assessing Multicultural CompetenceWith a Focus on Culture and ethnicity”, Art therapy, 28:1, 4-10 (2011). 112 Amanda Alders and Linda Levine-Madori, “the effect of Art therapy on Cognitive Performanceof Hispanic/Latino older Adults”, Art therapy, 27:3, at 134 (2010).42 NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ART • CresCenDo CULtUrAL NATIONAL MUSEUM OF MEXICAN ART • CresCenDo CULtUrAL 43