Milwaukee Recreation Supervisor Elected to National Advisory Council

Kari Couture. Photo courtesy of Milwaukee Recreation.

Members of Americans for the Arts, the leading organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America, have elected Kari Couture as a member of their advisory council for the Arts Education Network. Couture will advise Americans for the Arts’ staff on developing programs and services that will build a deeper connection to the arts education field and the network membership.

In the Arts Education Council, Couture will work with fellow arts leaders to select the Arts Education Leadership Award recipient, and participate in and support network-specific programs such as Arts in Education Week, Keep the Arts in Public Schools, and more.

Couture is an artist, teaching artist, arts administrator, and arts education advocate. As the Community Arts Specialist with Milwaukee Recreation, her primary role is administering the 1.5 million dollar MPS Partnership for the Arts and Humanities grant that supports after-school and summer arts programming as well as the MPS Arts Internship program which provides paid summer internships for high school students at local arts agencies. She has also been leading the citywide arts education collective impact initiative aimed at ensuring access to high quality arts programming for all children and youth in Milwaukee.

“Americans for the Arts strives to cultivate the next generation of arts leaders in America, and I am pleased to welcome Kari Couture to our advisory council,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “These leaders are willing to dedicate their time and expertise to work with peers across the country to shape national programs and messages and help craft services for states, communities, and local organizations. I applaud Ms. Couture for her valued contribution and commitment that will undoubtedly improve the state of arts in America.”

Potential council members were nominated in mid-September and were voted on by members of Americans for the Arts through November 12, 2015. Couture will serve a three-year term, from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2018.

“Milwaukee is faced with many challenges when it comes to caring for and educating our children and youth,” said Couture. “I am honored to be a part of a group of leaders looking to advance the collective work of using arts education to transform individuals and communities. I value this opportunity to learn about what other communities are doing and to connect to a network of leaders because I believe we owe it to our young people to utilize the best solutions possible with a sense of great urgency.”

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org.

Milwaukee Recreation is a department of Milwaukee Public Schools, established in 1911 to provide the entire community with affordable and enriching recreational activities. For more information, visit MilwaukeeRecreation.net or contact Brian Hoffer at (414) 475-8938.

NOTE: This press release was submitted to Urban Milwaukee and was not written by an Urban Milwaukee writer. It has not been verified for its accuracy or completeness.

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