The Emerging Arts Leadership Symposium is a place where up-and-coming arts leaders can connect with each other, learn from the best, and join the conversation to help evolve their field. EALS brings in people from all over, and we wanted to take the time to look at why the Symposium matters to some of them.
So, why is EALS important...
...to attendees?
People attending EALS get to choose from a variety of panels to shape the Symposium experience based on their interests and hear from experienced arts leaders from around the country. They get to connect with other artists and professionals and form relationships they can carry into their professional and personal future. Networking is a vital part of any arts managers looking to find thought partners, form collaborations, and boost their career, but EALS is also an opportunity to just become friends with more arts managers!
...to students?
Did you know that a group of graduate students in American University’s Arts Management program are the only people who plan and run the symposium? That’s right! As members of the EALS Executive Committee, we get hands on experience running every aspect of a registered 501(c)(3) organization. The Committee is intensely dedicated to making EALS a unique opportunity for other students studying art and arts administration across the United States to meet their peers and find their tribe. As a result, the Symposium is always full of fresh perspectives and centered around the most pressing and current issues in the field.
...to arts advocates?
EALS also serves as the kickoff event for Arts Advocacy Day. Arts Advocacy Day is a two day event held every spring in Washington DC where arts professionals gather to receive crucial advocacy training from experts in the field and then put that training into practice to send a message to their elected officials about how valuable and essential the arts are in Americans lives. Run by Americans For The Arts, the event is an opportunity to advocate for increased federal funding for the arts and garner support for issues like arts education policy and the charitable tax deduction.
...to arts leaders?
Finally, EALS is important because year after year, our participants and panelists tell us it is! Panelists come away happy to have shared their stories and inspired by the energy and drive of the young professionals. Participants come away with friendships, professional connections, new information and resources, and an overall fun day.
If you've participated in EALS before, let us know why is EALS important to you in the comments!
If you would like to #SupportEmergingArtsLeaders and future EALS events by making the Symposium more accessible, please check out our current UFUND Campaign!