Celebrate Arts in Education Week

In honor of Arts in Education Week, please join NAEA for 5 Days of Action!

We’ll share resources and opportunities via social media to help you make the case for the transformative power of the arts in education in your school, your state, and nationally! Find NAEA on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Take Action: Day 1

Register for the Empowering Teachers to Advocate for Federal and State Arts Education Policy webinar

Webinar:
Empowering Teachers to Advocate for Federal and State Arts Education Policy
Tuesday, September 10, 7:00 pm ET
Register here

Earlier this year, the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), the National Art Education Association (NAEA), the National Association for Media Arts Education (NAMAE), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) announced a new partnership—the Arts Education Alliance—to amplify the value of arts education through joint advocacy work led by Amanda Karhuse and the Advocacy and Public Policy Team at NAfME.

The Arts Education Alliance invites you to join us for this webinar to learn more about our cross-organizational collaboration and how we are working to ensure that a well-rounded education incudes access to all five art forms. We will share actions arts educators can take to make your voices heard at the federal and state levels. Additionally, we will explore the collaborative work already underway by the Alliance, including advocacy to support education funding, legislation that strengthens arts access and participation, and examination of the National Core Arts Standards. Register here.

Take Action: Day 2

Share the Arts in Education Week Resolution

Stand up for every child’s right to a comprehensive arts education! Share the National Arts in Education Week Sample Arts in Education Resolution with your state and local leaders.

In 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed House Resolution 275, which designated the week starting with the second Sunday in September as National Arts in Education Week. The purpose of the resolution is to celebrate the transformative power of arts in education for all students. The resolution also encourages governors, mayors, and other elected officials, such as state legislatures and school boards, to sign similar proclamations. Follow the link in our bio to review a sample template created by Americans For The Arts @americans4arts that you can bring to elected leaders and encourage them to proclaim September 9-13 “Arts in Education Week”.

Take Action: Day 3

Find Your State’s “Why the Arts Matter” Factsheet

Every year, the Arts Action Fund @artsactionfund creates detailed data and narrative-driven state factsheets that help tell the story of “Why the Arts Matter” in each state.

They work with state and district arts captains to ensure that every state has the most updated economic, funding, and organizational information to promote the arts’ impact throughout our country’s diverse communities. These factsheets can be used as both an educational and advocacy tool, empowering arts advocates with a stronger case for the arts that they can present to their political representatives at the state and local levels.

Each factsheet also comes with a social media graphic for you to share on your platforms! Find your state factsheet today!

Take Action: Day 4

Visit the Connected Arts Networks (CAN) Resources page!

Visit the Connected Arts Networks (CAN) Resources page! NAEA, in partnership with the Educational Theatre Association, National Association for Music Education, National Dance Education Organization, and the NYC Department of Education Office of Arts and Special Projects has launched a nationwide initiative to create virtual Professional Learning Communities (PLCs).

The goal of Connected Arts Networks (CAN) is to build a sustainable model of professional learning to support teacher leaders in integrating social–emotional learning and equity, diversity, and inclusion practices into the arts classroom. As part of the CAN project, teacher leaders participate in annual Quarterly Workshop Series. The resources developed as part of the series are free and open to all. Access these amazing resources today!

Take Action: Day 5

Support Federal Arts Education Funding for National Arts in Education Week

Support Federal Arts Education Funding for National Arts in Education Week! This National Arts in Education Week, reach out to Members of Congress, asking them to support adequate Arts Education funding at the federal level.

In December 2015, Congress passed bipartisan legislation to reauthorize the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESSA) in a landslide vote. ESSA, the current iteration of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act of 1965 (ESEA), includes art and music in the definition of a “well-rounded education.” Within ESSA, there are several opportunities for the federal government to fund and support equitable access to Arts Education for K-12 students around the country. This includes well-rounded funding found in Titles I, II and IV, as well as the Arts in Education grant program. To help provide a quality arts education for all students, these programs must be adequately funded to support efforts at the state and local levels.

Both the House and the Senate Appropriations Committees have passed funding levels for these programs, but the Senate levels are much more favorable. Please ask your Member of Congress to support funding in the Senate Labor-HHS-Education appropriations bill, which provides either level funding or modest increases from last year. Visit The Arts Action Fund voter campaign to find and contact your legislator today!

Together, we can make our voices heard to support Arts Education!