There have always been times where I, as a teaching artist, have felt disconnected from colleagues and separated from policies. I accepted it as the quirks of the business of teaching artistry. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
I remained hopeful and employed my imagination – true to the nature of an artist. And so, I sought out teaching artist networks and eventually cofounded TAMA, the Teaching Artists of the Mid-Atlantic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
And then 2020’s two historic crises: public health and racial justice hit and my thinking shifted, and continues to shift. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The quirks of the business aren’t things I can privately or in small groups imagine change around. I must actively seek out and instigate change.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Earlier in the year, I asked<\/a> you<\/a> to put yourself on the Teaching Artists Guild’s Asset Map<\/a>. (Did you do that? If not, do that now. Then continue reading!)<\/p>\n\n\n\n Then last month you may have seen the “Break Up letter<\/a>” that Miko Lee of the Teaching Artists Guild and I wrote. Published in the National Guild for Community Arts <\/a>Education’s<\/a> GuildNotes<\/a>, this letter was a collage of the stories teaching artists had shared with us about their experience during this challenging year. The Guild gave Miko and I an opportunity to present a checklist that offered suggestions to arts organizations to improve their connection with teaching artists. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Yes! <\/p>\n\n\n\n A step in the right direction. <\/p>\n\n\n\n But only a step. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Hidden in the article was a sentence that moves me to sing:<\/p>\n\n\n\n TAs need these private spaces to build unity and cohesion in a growing worldwide field, reaching across all artistic mediums and its many and varied sectors. <\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n That sentence I think is overlooked and I want to share what inspired it for me. Since the top of the pandemic, TAMA has regularly hosted Monday morning zoom meetings. The TA Cafe is a place for teaching artists to support each other and work through the challenges we faced individually and collectively. <\/p>\n\n\n\n In one of those initial weeks, I began developing a pitch or story about the importance of teaching artist networks. That summer, the talented entrepreneur Kayla Harley<\/a> hosted me for a FB live session to raise awareness about TAMA’s meetings. I pulled out props so that I could visually tell the story. I told my TA colleagues who have become friends during this year that I was going to record it and share it on social media. <\/p>\n\n\n\n For a year, I procrastinated on recording this video.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The time was never right.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The video always needed revisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Well, guess what, perfection isn’t real. Besides this blog is supposed to be about process. I sincerely want to process all that has happened, is happening and can happen with you, colleagues. <\/p>\n\n\n\n So here it is…. Consider my invitation to “Find Your TA Home.”<\/p>\n\n\n\n