Arts Extension Service
The Arts Extension Service (AES) was founded by Stan Rosenberg (now State Senator) as a program of the Division of Continuing Education at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Modeled after Robert Gard's Office of Community Arts Development at the University of Wisconsin, AES was originally created to extend the cultural and educational resources of the University to stimulate cultural activity across Massachusetts.
Rosenberg was inspired by Robert Gard’s work in Wisconsin. Gard’s Wisconsin Idea Theater was heir to the Lyceum and Chautauqua movements and a turn-of-the-century progressive reform movement in which state government and the university worked closely together to extend the opportunity for learning throughout the state. Like Gard, Rosenberg sought to build stronger communities by stimulating the organization of community arts councils. In its early years, AES laid the ground work that would result in the creation of local cultural councils in every community in Massachusetts.
AES still works in this university outreach, community development tradition. While AES has for years taught an annual undergraduate course in arts administration, our constituents cover a broad geographic region. Originally serving the communities of western Massachusetts, AES teaching, consulting, and publications now reach a nation-wide audience.
Educational programming has long been a central function. Through workshops, courses, conferences and consulting, AES has taught artists, community and state arts leaders how to manage the arts. Publications that were originally developed to enhance the educational value of workshops have subsequently grown so that AES is now a publisher with ten titles currently in print. Publications range from our most recent, Fundamentals of Local Arts Management, to the classic, Community Cultural Planning Handbook: A Guide for Community Leaders.
Learn more at http://www.artsextensionservice.org/.
Contact:
Arts Extension Service
University of Massachusetts Amherst
Division of Outreach
100 Venture Way Ste 201
Hadley, MA 01035-9430
TEL: 413-545-2360
FAX: 413-577-3838
INFO LINE: 413-545-2360, press 1
Email: aes@outreach.umass.edu
