About Us
The National Art Education Association (NAEA) is the professional home for visual arts, design, and media arts educators. As a collaborative, worldwide community, NAEA continues to shape and advocate for the field while promoting and providing professional learning, research, resources, connectivity, and opportunities since our founding in 1947.
A Vibrant Professional Community
NAEA’s members come from all 50 states plus the District of Columbia, U.S. Possessions, most Canadian Provinces, U.S. military bases around the world, and 25+ foreign countries.
- Pre-K–high school educators
- College and university professors
- University students training to become educators
- Researchers and scholars
- Teaching artists
- School administrators and supervisors
- Art museum educators
Mission
The National Art Education Association (NAEA) champions creative growth and innovation by equitably advancing the tools and resources for a high-quality visual arts, design, and media arts education throughout diverse populations and communities of practice.
Vision
The National Art Education Association (NAEA) harnesses the power of the visual arts, design, and media arts to educate and enrich the lives of all learners and communities, especially those who are members of historically marginalized groups, and serves as a catalyst for developing creative and culturally competent future generations.
NAEA Core Values
Working in tandem with NAEA’s 2021-25 Mission, Vision, and Strategic Pillars (MVSP), the NAEA Board and Staff have developed a set of organizational values for the association. These values reflect core attributes and behaviors that the association uplifts and holds dear, in alignment with the MVSP.
Creativity
A driving energy for our work
NAEA values creativity, forward thinking, and innovative problem solving. We are committed to fostering an environment for learners and educators, alike that cultivates passionate and intentional exploration of and contribution to the world through experiencing and making art.
Interconnectivity
Together, we can
NAEA is a community of, by, and for members. We are grounded by a shared Mission and Vision and aspire to evolve based on the needs and opportunities shared by our community. As a collaborative network, we strive to be welcoming, stand together, and show support through our actions, words, and relationships.
Inclusivity
Fostering a welcoming community
NAEA is continuously working to cultivate an environment of acceptance and inclusion. This type of environment is sustained by a collective responsibility to lead through curiosity, learning, understanding, and empathy.
Ingenuity
We are all growing as leaders
NAEA at its core is a teaching and learning organization. Creative adaptation, research, and continuous growth are cornerstones of our work. As instructional leaders in the arts, we also recognize and celebrate the leadership skills we bring to our roles to foster robust visual arts, design, and media arts education programs, such as advocacy, collaboration, and establishing safe spaces for expression.
Responsibility
Taking care of our communities and ourselves
NAEA recognizes the importance of professional and personal nourishment. We support educators as they prioritize time, energy, and space to successfully advance their own performance goals and better serve their learning and professional communities. We also encourage restorative self-care and are committed to offering resources and opportunities to equip individuals in their achievement of best practices.
