An initiative of the The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C., Any Given Child seeks to bring access, balance and equity to each K-8 student’s arts education. Any Given Child supports cities through the process of developing an affordable arts education model that combines the resources of school districts, local arts groups and the Kennedy Center. In June 2010, the Portland metro region was elected as the third urban partner in the nation for this program. The Right Brain Initiative of the Regional Arts & Culture Council leads the Portland area’s Any Given Child effort. The City of Portland and four area school districts serve as partners. With the Kennedy Center’s guidance, a local team of community members and education leaders spent the spring of 2011 completing an audit of existing arts education resources, by surveying school district staff, arts organizations and the public. The summer was spent developing a vision to fill the gaps.

In October 2011, the team released to the public their Phase One report, including the results of the community audit. This report includes the results of a community arts education audit and the shared vision for the project and a concrete statement of commitment to bring a complete arts education to every child, as determined by all partners and the Any Given Child Community Arts Team.

Download the Any Given Child Portland Metro Phase 1 Report.

The region’s first comprehensive and long-range K-8 arts education plan will follow in 2012.

Project Partners
The Right Brain Initiative | Regional Arts & Culture Council
City of Portland
Gresham-Barlow School District
Hillsboro School District
North Clackamas Schools
Portland Public Schools

Any Given Child Community Arts Team
• Tom Breuckman, Principal, Beach PK-8, Portland Public Schools
• Cary Clarke, Arts & Culture Director, Mayor’s Office, Portland
• Sarah Collins, Planning, Public Policy & Management Master’s Candidate, University of Oregon
• Tim Drilling, Director of Student Achievement, Gresham-Barlow School District
• Tim DuRoche, Director of Programs, World Affairs Council of Oregon/Governing Committee
• Michele Fujii, Artistic Director, Portland Taiko
• Kasandra Greuner, Director of Education & Outreach, Oregon Ballet Theatre
• Denis Hickey, Executive Director, Young Audiences of Oregon & SW Washington
• Kali Ladd, Education Strategies Director, Mayor’s Office, City of Portland
• Elaine Luckenbaugh, Principal, Hollydale Elementary, Gresham-Barlow School District
• Ross McKeen, Managing Director, Oregon Children’s Theatre
• Tina Olsen, Director of Education and Public Programs, Portland Art Museum
• Jon Pede, Principal, Jackson Elementary, Hillsboro School District
• Kathi Robinson, Executive Director of School Improvement, Hillsboro School District
• Carin Rosenberg, The Right Brain Initiative Implementation Manager, Young Audiences
• Carol R. Smith, Retired Educator; Board Chair, Regional Arts & Culture Council
• Joel Stuart, Associate Director of Curriculum, K-12, North Clackamas School District
• Joseph Suggs, Director of Research, Evaluation & Assessment, Portland Public Schools
• Deborah Vaughn, Arts Education Coordinator, Oregon Arts Commission
• David Wynde, Deputy Chief Financial Officer, Portland Public Schools

LEARN MORE!
Download the Phase One Any Given Child report.

Sign up for the Right Brain email list to receive updates about the Portland Metro Any Given Child initiative as it unfolds.

Read about the Kennedy Center’s vision for Any Given Child, and about other AGC sites around the country.

See how the Kennedy Center’s Executive Director Michael Kaiser describes Any Given Child on the Huffington Post.

Learn about the first few months of the Any Given Child Portland Metro project on the Right Brain blog.

Read a statement from The Right Brain Initiative’s Program Manager Marna Stalcup about the Portland area’s acceptance to the Any Given Child initiative.

Read the original press release announcing the Portland area’s participation in Any Given Child.