04.07.08 | AE4NOLA Featured in Monroe Street Journal
From the article by Karima Holland:

"Understanding such challenges and looking for an impactful way to assist in the New Orleans recovery effort, Chris Genteel (MBA2 and co-founder of The Arts Enterprise Club) decided to use his skills to help the city he loves. Chris partnered with Dr. Nate Zeisler (also a co-founder of the Arts Enterprise Club and a current Professor at Bowling Green State University in Bowling Green, Ohio) to charter the Arts Enterprise for New Orleans (AE4NOLA) initiative. Chris and Professor Zeisler selected a diverse team of students from the University of Michigan and Bowling Green State University to embark on this two-week service learning project and put thought to action. The cross-disciplinary team of fourteen students from a variety of backgrounds - including Business, Music, Dance, and Policy - will travel to New Orleans to evaluate the current state of the New Orleans arts education sector and to assist in revitalization efforts. Joining Chris from the Ross School of Business is Andrew Charnik (Finance and Funding Manager, MBA1), Ken Powers (Project Manager, MBA1), and Karima Holland (Public Relations Manager, MBA1).

During the trip, the AE4NOLA team will partner with New Orleans Outreach (www.noooutreach.org), a non-profit organization that provides volunteer-based educational programs to the New Orleans school district. While many schools are unable to offer music, art, sports, and other enrichment opportunities, community partnerships with organizations such as New Orleans Outreach have played a vital role in advancing learning potential and strengthening the educational opportunities available to students. The AE4NOLA team will conduct quantitative and qualitative research and analysis to assist New Orleans Outreach in maximizing the effectiveness of their programs. The team will research, measure, and document the artistic achievement of students in relationship to their standardized test performance, grades, and school attendance. These measurements will help New Orleans Outreach better understand and communicate the benefits of their programs, and will assist the organization in shaping their strategic direction, decision-making, and program design in order to facilitate future expansion and national support."

11.28.07 | ARTS ENTERPRISE WEEK: November 28th- December 1st
Get ready for the first Arts Enterprise Week ever! We are very excited to be offering numerous engaging events the last week of November, just after the Thanksgiving Holidays. AE is partnering with UMS to bring Eric Booth, Juilliard School faculty and international speaker on arts and education, to be the resident speaker and facilitator of AE Week. If you are from the Ross School, SoMTD, LS&A, or School of A&D, there is something here for you! See the 'events' page for complete listings.

09.25.07 | Arts Enterprise Skills Workshops
Arts Enterprise Skills Workshops –
Last Friday the Arts Enterprise Club invited hip hop MC and teacher Toni Blackman to deliver a workshop entitled, “Hip Hop, Creativity & Social Justice” at the Ross Global Urban Symposium.
Blackman inspired participants by demonstrating how she teaches the art of freestyle rap and spoken word to young people around the world in order to cultivate their skills in public speaking, writing and team work. In the process helped the group, comprised of business, law policy and other Michigan grad students, discover how these skills apply to the business setting.
Through exercises designed to build the mental muscle for improvisation, association, and collaboration, the group learned methods critical for interpersonal and business success, including:
- The art of the Introduction: meeting people and setting the stage for a productive collaboration
- Accessing group creativity/problem solving skills
- Practicing & building confidence in your improvisational speaking skills
- How to mentally prepare for success

The workshop was followed by a performance where Blackman’s impressive freestyle skills illustrated the power of a creative thinker at the height of her skills. This event was the first of a series of Arts Enterprise Club events that will help build students’ toolkit for business and personal success through the arts. Future events include:

• Business with Bill Shakespeare – Working with Juilliard educator Eric Booth, students will write and act their way out of one of the Bard’s trickier quandaries, practicing their skills in influencing others, negotiate and work as a team.
• Executive Maestro – Try your hand at conducting a music ensemble and find what an orchestra conductors who leads 100+ musicians at a time has to say about leadership and high-performing teams.
• Whose Bottom-Line Is It Anyway? – The rules and practice of improv comedy exist to enable a team to problem solve it’s way out of impossible situations. Michigan’s theatre faculty will lead an improv comedy exercise to build your improvisational and teamwork muscles.

07.29.07 | BCOME
The Brevard Conference on Music Entrepreneurship (BCOME)
explores exciting career tracks beyond the traditional job pathways.
Workshops, lectures and instruction will help participants envision and
forge a career as music entrepreneurs. The three-day conference offers
unique tracks specifically tailored for performers, college faculty and
music industry professionals.

Kelly Dylla, Nate Zeisler, and Professor Mark Clague will present a
panel on ‘Innovative Models in Music Entrepreneurship Education’

03.19.07 | Musician Wynton Marsalis visits with UM Students
"This Thursday, Wynton Marsalis returned to Hill Auditorium with the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, to play a concert of Songs we Love. The concert series coincides with Marsalis' most recent album release, From the Plantation to the Penitentiary. The Orchestra's myriad talents were on display for a packed house, and with the tireless efforts of Chris Genteel, representing both the BBSA and the new Arts Enterprise Club, several students had the unique opportunity to attend the Orchestra's sound check and to meet Mr. Marsalis backstage after the concert."
-Ian Black, Monroe Street Journal