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Join NAEA Renew MembershipYouth Art Month (YAM)
What is Youth Art Month?
Youth Art Month is an annual observance each March to emphasize the value of art education for all children and to encourage support for quality school art programs.
Youth Art Month was created in 1961 by ACMI, a non-profit association of art and craft materials manufacturers, in cooperation with the NAEA. In 1984, ACMI created CFAE to administer the national Youth Art Month program and encourage funding for the program. Current members of the Council include: ACMI, which provides all administrative support and the majority of funding for national Youth Art Month; NAEA, whose members carry out local Youth Art Month activities and whose state affiliates help fund state Youth Art Month programs; The SHIP, a group of art materials exhibitors at the annual NAEA Convention; and the General Federation of Women's Clubs, a volunteer women's organization dedicated to community improvement through volunteer service. Other involved organizations include the Association of Crafts & Creative Industries, Hobby Industries Association, and National Art Materials Trade Association.
How Do I Get Involved in Youth Art Month in My Community?
Anyone can start an observance. In most states and local areas, art educators organize observances and seek the support and help of others in their schools and community, including businesspeople, other art teachers, parents, librarians, youth organization leaders, and others who have a genuine concern for quality art programs and who are willing to work with others in the school system or community. For a list of ideas that have worked for state organizations in their celebrations, click here.
To find out what is happening in your state, contact your state's Chairperson. To obtain the name and address of your state YAM Chairperson, contact the Council for Art Education (debbiem@acminet.org). You could also call the art departments of schools in your area to see if they already have events planned for Youth Art Month and to see how you can help. Or, if you have an idea for an event, let them know your ideas.
Links & Resources:
» What is YAM?
(from the Council for Art Education, Inc.)
» YAM Information Booklet (from the Council for Art Education, Inc.)
» YAM List of Ideas (from the Council for Art Education, Inc.)
» Tennessee's Youth Art Month Wiki: http://yamintn.wikispaces.com/home (Courtesy of Amy Broady, TN Youth Art Month Co-Chair)
» NAEA Monthly Mentor Blog
Advocacy "Basics" Resources
• American Association of Museums Advocacy Information
• Americans for the Arts – Arts Action Center (with links to finding local, state and federal legislator and media contacts)
• Arts Education Partnership – The source for research compendia and policy information on the national and state level
• Keep Arts in Schools – An online community for arts education advocates
• Kennedy Center Advocacy Toolkit – A good basic “how to” for effective advocacy
• MENC, The National Association for Music Education - Advocacy and Public Policy Resources
• National Assembly of State Arts Agencies Arts Education Tab
Visit the Advocacy section for more links and resources!