Connected Arts Networks (CAN)

A five-year grant initiative to create nationwide virtual Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) with educators in visual arts, music, theater, dance and media arts

About CAN

The National Art Education Association, in partnership with the Educational Theater Association, the National Association for Music Education, the National Dance Education Organization, and the NYC Dept. of Education’s Arts Office launched Connected Arts Networks (CAN). CAN is a five-year grant initiative to create nationwide virtual Professional Learning Communities with educators in visual arts, music, theatre, dance and media arts.

CAN Mission

The purpose of CAN is to build a sustainable model of professional learning for arts educators in public schools and public charters to strengthen their pedagogy, instruction, and leadership skills in order to better serve students.

CAN Goals

  1. To develop highly effective arts educators, building their capacity to address Equity, Diversity & Inclusion and Social-Emotional Learning in their standards-based arts instruction through sustained, intensive, and job-embedded blended professional learning.
  2. To develop a local and national cadre of teacher leaders in the arts by building their content knowledge and leadership skills in order to expand the impact of arts learning for students and their communities.
  3. To develop accessible arts-based instructional materials, strategies, and toolkits to disseminate to arts educators nationwide, including synchronous and asynchronous professional development programs and digital resources.
  4. To create a model for developing, deepening, and maintaining effective partnerships among school communities, Local Education Agencies (LEAs), and national arts education associations.

Current Locations

View the schools and districts that are currently participating in CAN across the nation, color-coded by art form.

Partner Organizations

Teacher Participants

Find out more about the CAN Teacher Participants selected in 2024.

Quarterly Workshops and Resources

As part of the CAN project, we are offering “Quarterly Workshops” four times each academic year on a given topic. Each virtual workshop will be accompanied by a handout and a podcast episode featuring current CAN Teacher Leaders. Access all CAN resources here.

Additional resources:
Access episodes 11 and 12 of Arts ARE Education’s “Talk It Up” podcast series, as host Jim Palmarini talks to Connected Arts Networks (CAN) leaders:

  • CAN Part 1
    • Josh Streeter, Asst. Professor of Theatre Education at Emerson College and CAN’s PLC Leader for theatre
    • Amy Appleton, CAN Project Director and CAN’s PLC Leader for visual and media arts
  • CAN Part 2
    • Nicole S. Robinson, Fontana Unified School District dance educator, consultant and CAN’s PLC Leader for dance
    • LaSaundra Booth, Ed.D., National Board Certified Teaching Artist, arts administrator, and CAN’s PLC Leader for music

Archived Information

  • Read the official Press Release (October 2021) here.
  • View the archived call for Teacher Leaders (March 2021) here.
  • Read the CAN Teacher Leader Selection Press Release (October 2022) here.
  • View the September 26, 2023, Town Hall: Connected Arts Networks (CAN) Professional Learning Communities Recruitment here.
  • Read the CAN Teacher Participant Selection Press Release (March 2024) here.

Questions

Questions about CAN can be directed to Amy Appleton, CAN Project Director at aappleton@arteducators.org.

U.S. Department of Education

Program activities for this project are fully funded through the U.S. Department of Education’s Assistance for Arts Education Program for a total of five years.

Community