Teaching Artists Organized (TAO)

Membership benefits
  • Discounts on all TAO-sponsored professional development, Teaching Artist Institutes and workshops.
  • Organizational members send a rep FREE to every TAO-sponsored event.
  • Priority registration on select community events and workshops.
  • Subscribe to job listings, professional development listing, community news and other TAO web features to be delivered directly to your mailbox.

 

Let's start with the most important benefit of all: your membership means you belong to a professional community of dedicated teaching artists and those who hire, train and support them. It wasn't that long ago that the "field" of teaching artistry seemed not to exist. 

When Eric Booth founded The Teaching Artist Journal, publisher after publisher turned him down with the comment, "You're writing for a non-existent field."  Now it's subscription base keeps growing and it's the go-to periodical for teaching artists all aroudn the country.

And here we are, in numbers that are growing. Your membership MATTERS to us, to the field, and--we think--to you.  Here you can find support, look for jobs, develop your own professional development life-learning pathway, and share your knowledge and experience with people who can benefit from what you know.

Here's what Young Audiences  of Northern California Executive Director Kris Murray says about how she values TAO membership among her roster of artists:

www.yanc.org

"Membership in TAO is one of the best ways that an artist can assure us [at Young Audiences] of his or her commitment to the craft of being a Teaching Artist. We view it as at least as powerful as having an undergraduate degree in the art form. TAO gives Teaching Artists a community of like-minded professionals who can offer support, criticism, and encouragement (sometimes all at once!).  When we encounter a Teaching Artist who is a member of TAO, we know we are dealing with an individual who cares deeply about the work that he/she is doing and who understands the value of life-long learning."             

 

OTHER BENEFITS FOR TAO MEMBERS

THE CONTAINER STORE accepts TAO membership as proof of your work as an educator! Lugging and organizing your arts supplies is a Herculean task. Go to The Container Store’s "Organized Teacher" online application to apply.  Enter "Teaching Artists Organized" as your School, with our address (5951 College Avenue, Oakland, CA, 94618) and your own contact info and email.  You'll receive a unique educator ID number to use right away--online, in stores.  Good through Dec 31.  www.containerstore.com 

THE CRUCIBLE partners with TAO to extend their Educator Discount Program to members -- 50% discount off of tuition (studio costs not included) on adult classes! Available in person or by phone only; only one course per session.  First come, first served with limited openings.  1260 7th Street, Oakland, CA 94607  (510) 444-0919  www.thecrucible.org     

OAKLAND EAST BAY SYMPHONY prepares to offer single ticket discount to TAO members. Details and a promotion code will be available in our next newsletter. TAO members will be eligible for a 20% discount on single tickets.

TAO members can become a preferred BLICK customer and get 10% off everyday priced items. Sign up for free with your TAO membership card at a Blick store in Oakland, Berkeley or SF. www.dickblick.com

EAST BAY CENTER FOR CREATIVE REUSE, a teaching artitsts' best friend for cheap and recyled materials and supplies, accepts your TAO membership as evidence of your work as an educator.  Take your card in and sign up to receive 10% off selected project supplies, access to free teacher materials and lessons plans, and other specials for educators only.  Fabrics, papers, containers, all kinds of strange and wonderful recycled stuff...

And we're negotiating more deals for you even as you read this!  If you have organizations you'd like us to contact for educator discounts, let us know.

 

 

 
 
 
@ Teaching Artists Organized (TAO)   Contact us:  510.493.7533    tao@teachingartistsorganized.org   
   Studio Space: 5951 College Ave (downstairs at College Ave Presbyterian Church), Oakland, 94618