While last week officially marked National Arts in Education Week, dedicated advocates know that school-based music education requires advocacy throughout the year. COVID-19 is disrupting how, where, and what students are learning in unprecedented ways, but the value of arts education remains high: Arts Education Is Essential.
U.S. petitioners that program international guest artists should prepare for steep fee increases in filing visa petitions with USCIS, effective next Friday, October 2, 2020. New versions of the Form I-129 were to have been released well in advance of this date, but as of September 23, the public is still awaiting approved versions of the new and I-129 forms.
First, please make time to read through the League’s resource, Playing Your Part: An Orchestra’s Guide to Public Policy Advocacy. In it you’ll find easy-to-read advice on how you can be an effective and engaged advocate for your orchestra. Volunteers are especially valuable advocates!
Each fall members of the Volunteer Council facilitate a multiple-week conference call series for volunteer association Presidents and Presidents-Elect, entitled Strategic Conversations. On these calls we discuss governance, leadership development, member recruitment and retention, fundraising, and other topics.
Making Connections – Strengthening Ties Through Social Media; Fundraising Fundamentals: An Introduction
to Grassroots Fundraising; The 3 R’s of Leadership: Roles, Responsibilities, and Resources
The U.S. Department of Labor (DoL) announced changes to overtime compensation requirements, with new requirements taking effect on January 1, 2020. Final regulations issued by the DoL will increase the number of workers eligible for overtime compensation, with a more moderate approach than previously proposed under the Obama Administration.
The Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras knows firsthand the rewards and challenges of initiating and executing projects that benefit orchestras. Each year the Volunteer Council invites organizations to submit outstanding volunteer programs for recognition at the League’s National Conference.
Bylaws Guidelines for Volunteer Organizations
Today’s rapidly evolving ecosystem offers orchestras opportunities to accelerate practices that put community and school partnerships at the center of our mission.
Volunteer Notes is published four times a year by the Volunteer Council of the League of American Orchestras, the nonprofit service and educational organization dedicated to the development of American symphony orchestras and to the cultural vitality of the communities they serve.