Announcing The 2020 TAA Virtual Academy!
"Empowering Arts Teachers In A Virtual World"
The Tennessee Arts Academy has announced that this summer’s Tennessee Arts Academy institute, normally hosted on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville, will be restructured for 2020 as a “virtual” learning Academy. Frank Bluestein, executive director of the Academy, stated in a letter to Academy participants, staff and supporters that due to the Covid-19 epidemic and the closure of the Belmont campus this summer to all summer on-campus activities, the Tennessee Arts Academy will now focus on turning this July’s session into an online experience. The TAA Administrative Council will spend the month of April creating the basic outline for moving forward, with the broad plan of the new online Academy experience ready to announce by the first week in May.
The theme for 2020 has been rebranded to Empowering Arts Teachers in a Virtual World. The nationally renowned Academy faculty will retool and offer their classes as an online experience. Not only will the classes impart valuable arts-based content, but more importantly for this year, they will model for the participants a way to teach online arts classes to students.
Bluestein stated, “We truly are looking at this as an opportunity and not as a disaster intervention tactic. We all know that online teaching is going to be expected of everyone as we move forward. It is our intention that the Academy be on the forefront of teaching arts educators how to adapt to the new world in which we find ourselves.”
The online Academy dates will remain the same as the original dates, July 12-17. In addition to the classes, the Academy will continue to have virtual performances, inspiring speakers (Musings), and art exhibition tours along with a series of choice sessions (Interludes) each day. Academy participants will continue to be able to earn 36 hours of recertification credit. A two-week post-Academy session will provide participants with additional resources, networking, and collaborative experiences.
TAA registration will remain open through June 15th. The online application form can be accessed by visiting the TAA website at tennesseeartsacademy.org. TAA office personnel will be working from their home office locations during regular office hours Monday through Friday from 1 PM to 5 PM to conduct business and to answer questions. For further information, the TAA staff can be reached by email at taa@belmont.edu or by telephone at 615-460-5451.