Advocacy, Collaboration, and … Podcasts!

Finding yourself traveling this season? How about a podcast to keep you company on that long drive? The ACDA Advocacy and Collaboration (A&C) Committee has been curating advocacy and collaboration-focused episodes on the Music (ed) Matters podcast as a place for members to spark ideas, learn, and get invigorated. The A&C series kicked off with Bonus Episode #20 – Officially Introducing the Advocacy & Collaboration Series with Robyn Lana and Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer, past chairs of the committee. The A&C committee wanted to use the podcast platform as a way to illuminate resources and opportunities for listeners to advocate or collaborate in new ways. To inaugurate the series, Robyn Lana and Dr. Lynn Brinckmeyer shared institutional history on where the committee came from, why it exists, and how members can find what they need to advocate and collaborate in their programs. Find the episode wherever you get your podcasts (Music [ed] Matters, Oct. 14, 2021) or click here for a direct link. You can also watch this episode on YouTube. 

Looking for more during your long holiday drive? Catch an audio-only replay of a recent ACDA webinar on advocacy in Episode 79 (video of webinar here). Hosted by Dr. Emily Williams Burch, the webinar description is as follows:

Challenge Accepted: Advocating for the Choral Arts –  A Panel Discussion with Tips, Tools, and Techniques for Advocating with Administrations and Legislation – This session addresses the most commonly asked advocacy questions by going right to the source – administration and legislative masterminds. Russ Sperling is the Director of Visual and Performing Arts for San Diego Unified School District, as well as excellent with legislation and getting things done. As a Chief Operating Officer for Fairfax County Public Schools, Marty K. Smith understands the inner workings of superintendents, district offices, and all the details of operating one of the largest school districts in the country. You will walk away from this panel with resources and answers you can use to advocate and amplify your program! 

In this episode, you learn specific ideas and tools for working with administration, solving problems, and tips for making things happen. Find the podcast episode wherever you get your podcasts (published Nov. 9, 2021) or use this direct link.

Dr. Emily Williams Burch chairs ACDA’s Advocacy & Collaboration Committee. Dr. Burch has served in various positions for ACDA at the state, regional, national level in a variety of roles, including co-programming chair and honor choir coordinator for the Southern Region ACDA conferences since 2014. You can subscribe to her podcast for music educators wherever you get your podcasts, or at EmilyBurch.org/podcast.