Lynne Kingsley

Though it’s a generally accepted concept that infusing 21st Century Skills into education for our nation’s students is vital for creating and maintaining a strong, globally competitive society, we, as a professional arts education field, are having a tough time letting go of 20th century habits.

What follows are three skills that come directly from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills Arts Map. I ask that we, as arts education professionals and managers, consider, “are we practicing what we teach?”

Collaboration:

Which one of us has not felt the pangs of anxiety (especially in such harsh budget times) in hearing news of project serving audiences similar to ours being funded or winning awards? Territorialism takes over and the tendency to work in silos to achieve more than our colleagues (or, cruder, competitors) lingers over us like a dark cloud of doom.

In these economically unstable times, we do not have the luxury to pit ourselves against one another. We’re in crisis mode right now and we must come together to work on projects to serve our collective constituencies.

P21 defines collaboration as “Exercising flexibility and willingness to be helpful in making necessary compromises to accomplish a common goal.”

Is it naïve to think we can learn to trust one another for the common good of our field?

Communication and ICT Literacy:

The new digital communication channels presented through 21st century technology has flipped traditional public relations and marketing communications on its head. The traditional nonprofit organization may have several chains of command or councils/committees that need common consensus before a single communication message is delivered.

The speed of communication these days is merciless against “proper communications protocols” and board meeting bureaucracy. Whether we like it or not, through blogs, tweets, status updates, etc, the message has already been sent across the country before the board meeting even began.

We have less control over the timing and content of the messages, but we do have the option to join the conversation through social media.

So, it’s essential we embrace these new methods, explore their potential and recognize their limitations.

[I realize I’m preaching to the converted here, as you are savvy enough to be reading a blog.]

Flexibility and Adaptability:

Ben Cameron spoke last week at the Southeastern Theatre Conference about conversations that have been going for more than 10 years - issues relating to the impending generational transfer of leadership as the founding generation of leaders retires.

What’s new in this conversation is that young, emerging arts leaders are saying “there are plenty of us ready and willing to take over…but we don’t want to be the mere custodians. Unless you give us the same degree of power and autonomy to shape and re-make those organizations that you have, well then we’re not interested.”

A perspective that indicates, the issue is not “where will we find the next leaders”, but the real issue is about organizational capacity for flexibility and change. We, as a non-profit arts and arts education field must learn to adapt to our quickly changing world in order to survive and thrive.

We know it’s vital that 21st Century Skills be a part of our young people’s education and arts education in particular is well suited to be conduits for delivering these skills. What’s equally important that we hold ourselves accountable to these same ideals and ensure that our good work remains sustainable and relevant in the changing times ahead.

Editors Note: Lynne and fellow Salon blogger Kathi R. Levin are presenting a discussion about the 21st Century Skills Map for the Arts at the Americans for the Arts Annual Convention in San Diego in June.