Town Hall
NAEA Town Hall Conversations
Tune in to an NAEA Town Hall Conversation to gain information, insight, connection, and support as we collaborate to delve into issues that are important to visual arts educators—especially during this complex time. This virtual series tackles fresh topics, guided by a panel of experts and practitioners from both within and beyond the visual arts education field. Additionally, every Town Hall Conversation will result in a call to action and an informational download.
Registration is free and open to members and nonmembers! Visit the NAEA Professional Learning Studio to register for upcoming Town Halls – and access on demand recordings of past events.
Archived NAEA Town Hall Conversations
Connected Arts Networks (CAN) Professional Learning Communities Recruitment
View the September 26, 2023 recording here
Download the slide presentation here.
View CAN Recruitment FAQ here.
Are you interested in furthering your instructional capacity to serve each unique students’ needs, or leveraging the arts in your school for greater impact? If so, join us for the Connected Arts Networks (CAN) Town Hall!
CAN is a multi-year grant initiative creating nationwide virtual Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) with educators in visual/media arts, music, theatre, and dance. CAN’s purpose 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 to better serve students.
In fall of 2023, we are recruiting up to 600 arts educators (150 educators per art form) to serve as PLC participants! These PLCs will meet virtually each month of the school year from January of 2024 through June of 2026 with a primary focus on professional learning in the areas of equity, diversity and inclusion; social–emotional learning; and teacher leadership through standards-based arts instruction.
At this Town Hall, you will hear from current CAN Teacher Leaders in each art form who are part of the inaugural cohort, in addition to learning more about the program, benefits, and how to apply!
This program is a partnership between the New York City Department of Education’s Arts Office, the National Dance Education Organization (NDEO), the Educational Theatre Association (EdTA), the National Association for Music Education (NAfME), and the National Art Education Association (NAEA).
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.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Nathan Rødahl, Director of Orchestras, Port Angeles High School, Port Angeles, WA; Music Director, Bainbridge Island Youth Orchestra, Bainbridge Island, WA, National Association for Music Education (NAfME)
- Raine Dawn Valentine, Art Educator, Rigley Middle School, Baltimore, MD, National Art Education Association (NAEA)
- Kristie L. Farr, Theatre Educator, Indian River High School, Philadelphia, NY Educational Theatre Association (EdTA)
- Ashley Cartledge, Dance Educator, Greenville, NC, National Dance Education Organization (NDEO)
Leading With Creativity
View the March 21, 2023 recording here
In honor of the National Art Education Association’s (NAEA) 75th Anniversary, NAEA and Crayola Education partnered to offer the NAEA–Crayola Creativity Ambassadors Program, providing 75 visual arts education professionals with professional learning, resources, and support to cultivate Creative Leadership Teams within their learning communities. Join us for this NAEA Town Hall Conversation as we hear directly from NAEA–Crayola Creativity Ambassadors who continue to lead, inspire, and encourage colleagues to leverage creativity as a foundational practice in teaching and learning.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- James Wells, Education Manager, Crayola
- Lauren E. Burrow, Associate Professor of Education Studies, Stephen F. Austin State University
- Raine Dawn Valentine, Art Educator, Ridgely Middle School; Adjunct Instructor, Notre Dame of Maryland University
- Mari Atkinson, Instructor, Shack Art Center; Student Teacher Supervisor, Western Washington University
NAEA Town Hall: Back-to-School Edition
View the September 20, 2022 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here
It’s time! The 2022–2023 school year has begun. Let’s connect with colleagues and experts as they share their ideas and strategies for the year ahead. We’ll discuss classroom practices, inspiration for lesson ideas, budgets and supplies, and navigating school systems and bureaucracies. We’ll top it all off with advocacy and the Arts Are Education campaign. Please join us!
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Olivia Gude, Professor, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- James Palmarini, Policy and Advocacy Advisor, Educational Theatre Association, Cincinnati, OH
- Chalon Ross, Visual and Performing Arts Instructional Lead, Alliance Cindy & Bill Simon Technology Academy High School; NAEA Connected Arts Networks (CAN), Los Angeles, CA
- Elizabeth Stuart Whitehead, Instructional Supervisor, Visual Arts, Prince George’s County Public Schools, Silver Spring, MD
Arts Education: From Challenges to Triumphs!
View the May 31, 2022 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here
Triumphs often come about by overcoming challenges, and we usually learn a lot along the way. Join us for this candid and interactive conversation exploring the ups, downs, and in-betweens that have shaped us as visual arts, design, and media arts educators. When you register, feel free to share your questions to help guide the conversation.
2022 is the year of NAEA’s 75th anniversary! In honor of this milestone, our Town Hall series this year will continue to tackle fresh content that is relevant to visual arts, design, and media arts educators while looking back at NAEA’s history and ahead to our future. Each conversation will reflect on lessons learned and discoveries made through an honest dialogue that acknowledges challenges, accomplishments, and growth.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Paula Liz, Art Educator, Montgomery County Schools
- gloria j. wilson, Founding Codirector, Racial Justice Studio; Associate Professor, Art + Visual Culture Education, University of Arizona, Tucson, AZ
- Ellen Winner, Professor Emerita, Boston College; Senior Research Associate, Project Zero, Harvard Graduate School of Education, Boston, MA
Before I Thought…Now I Think!
View the April 26, 2022 recording here.
Download the accompanying handout here
Join us as we explore myths, discoveries, and “aha!” moments in visual arts, design, and media arts education that have shaped the perspectives and practices of our panelists. And, our conversation will be driven by questions asked by you! Get ready to share your revelations as an educator and receive new insight in return.
2022 is the year of NAEA’s 75th anniversary! In honor of this milestone, our Town Hall series this year will continue to tackle fresh content that is relevant to visual arts, design, and media arts educators while looking back at NAEA’s history and ahead to our future. Each conversation will reflect on lessons learned and discoveries made through an honest dialogue acknowledging challenges, accomplishments, and growth.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Maritza Mosquera, Artist & Art Educator, Office of Refugee Resettlement, Pittsburgh, PA
- Krissy Ponden, Visual Arts Department Chair, The Unquowa School, Fairfield, CT
- Mary Ann Stankiewicz, Emerita Professor of Art Education, The Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA
Community Vibrancy
View the January 18, 2022 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here
2022 is the year of NAEA’s 75th Anniversary! In honor of this milestone, our Town Hall series this year will continue to tackle fresh content that is relevant to visual arts, design, and media arts educators while looking back at NAEA’s history and ahead to our future. Each conversation will reflect on lessons learned and discoveries made through an honest dialogue acknowledging challenges, accomplishments, and growth.
Our conversation will explore past, present, and future approaches to keeping our visual arts, design, and media arts community vibrant and healthy, including social emotional learning (SEL) and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I).
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Kendyl Boyd, FAO Schwarz Fellow for Community Engagement and Family Programs, The Barnes Foundation, Philadelphia, PA
- Candido Crespo, Art Educator, Central Islip Union Free School District, Islip, NY
- Jonathan Juravich, Elementary Art Educator, 2018 Ohio Teacher of the Year, Liberty Tree Elementary School, Columbus, OH
- Sarah Tambucci, Ph.D., Art Educator, Administrator, and Former Executive Director of the Arts Education Collaborative, Pittsburgh, PA
Innovative Practices in Visual Arts, Design, and Media Arts
View the November 23, 2021 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here
Join experts in conversation as we explore innovations that have arisen out of the necessity of this unique moment in time. We’ll explore on-the-ground creative strategies for instruction; student demos; displays and exhibitions; social emotional learning (SEL); and STEAM for classrooms, studios, and media labs. Also, we’ll take a look at this topic from the practicing artist’s point of view.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Melissa A. Butler, Writer and Educator, Reimagining Project Pittsburgh, PA
- Nettrice Gaskins, Assistant Director, Lesley STEAM Learning Lab, Lesley University, Roxbury, MA
- Ekene Ijeoma, Artist and Director, MIT, Boston, MA
- Tim Needles, Art Educator and Author of STEAM Power, Smithtown Schools, Sound Beach, NY
Art Education + Design: Looking at Student Pathways
View the October 19, 2021 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here
NAEA’s new Strategic Vision identifies design as an opportunity for growth across the Association. At this Town Hall, we will explore what design can look like as a future pathway for our learners, from concept to production. We’ll hear from working designers in the field, art educators, and one of our National Art Honor Society students as well!
The Herschel Workshop Design Challenge
The Herschel Supply Company has partnered with PENSOLE Academy and NAEA to inspire NAHS students to design their future! Find out more and enter here. Download a flyer to share here.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Dawn Zalkus, Art and Design Educator; NAHS Sponsor, Batavia High School; NAHS/NJAHS Division Coordinator, Illinois Art Education Association, Batavia, IL
- Tanner Fleury, National Art Honor Society Executive Board Member; Student, Batavia High School, Batavia, IL
- D’Wayne Edwards, Founder, PENSOLE, Tualatin, OR
- Jamie Cormack, Co-Founder and Managing Director, Herschel Supply Co., Vancouver, BC
Back to School 2021-22: Community Check-in
View the September 28, 2021 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here
We learned so much from the challenges and shifts of the last unique school year. How can we build on that to help create the best experience for our learners and ourselves now and in the potentially uncertain months ahead? Join with colleagues as they share strategies and approaches to help us start 2021–22 with a fresh perspective.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Laura Grundler, Visual Arts Coordinator, Plano, TX
- Wanda Knight, Assistant Dean for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Associate Professor of Art Education; African American Studies; and Women’s, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Penn State University, Harrisburg, PA
- Don Masse, VAPA Visual Arts Resource Teacher, La Mesa, CA
- Evan Thomas, Fine Arts Educator, Blairstown, NJ
Art Educator as Artist
View the June 8, 2021 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here
Join us for the June NAEA Town Hall Conversation as we collaborate to inspire your inner artist. We know you are likely immersed daily in artmaking with your learners, but can we help you tend to your own practice? Connect with a variety of arts educators who have found ways to honor their own artmaking as well as create unique experiences for their communities through projects and workshops. And, it’s perfect timing, as we prepare for summer and look forward to picking up our own tools and dedicating some quality time to making, creating, and expressing!
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Michelle Angela Ortiz, Visual Artist, Philadelphia, PA
- Cheryl Pope, Artist and Adjunct Full Professor, School of the Art Institute of Chicago, Chicago, IL
- James Rees, Artist, Researcher, and Teacher, Provo High School, Provo, UT
- Marissa Reyes, Chief Learning and Engagement Officer, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, Bentonville, AR
Special NAEA Town Hall Conversation: ESSER Funds, Arts Education, and You!
View the June 2, 2021 recording here
Download the presentation here
Let’s talk about the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) Fund—$125 billion enacted to help schools reopen and sustain programs due to the pandemic. The funds will be distributed from states to Local Educational Agencies (LEAs) over 3 years through Title I channels (but are not bound by Title I policies). What does that mean for art education? Opportunities for facility upgrades, technology purchases, staffing, supporting underserved students, and special programs are just some of the possibilities for ESSER funds. The key is building relationships with decision makers and making a case for putting these funds into visual arts, design, and media arts education.
Join us and learn strategies to support your program during this special conversation as we provide an overview of the ESSER Fund through an arts education lens and speak with colleagues who are already making their cases and even putting the funds to work!
Art Education and Teacher Leadership: Contributing to School Culture and Success
View the May 18, 2021 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here
As arts educators, many of us are charged with representing and advocating for visual arts, design, and media arts among administrators, faculty, families, and students. We have the power, as creative leaders, to weave what we teach into the fiber of the culture of our schools, institutions, and communities—not only contributing to the present, but building a foundation for future growth for ourselves, our learners, and the field. Learn from visual arts education leaders and administrators about how they plan for success, challenges they’ve faced, and hear them answer questions from educators in the field at this NAEA Town Hall Conversation.
Panelist bios are available here.
Lessons Learned and Looking Forward: School Years 2020–2021 and 2021–2022
View the April 20, 2021 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here
The school year 2020–2021 presented unique challenges that initiated tremendous innovation, creative problem solving, taking a deeper look at our society and selves, and bridging the gap of connectivity during this time of isolation. We each have a one-of-a-kind story from the past year, as well as great takeaways that emerged from the necessity of creating a “new normal” that was nothing like anything we’ve experienced. How do we make the most of what we’ve learned, taking it with us as we begin the shift into another school year that will likely be different as well? What will help us to move forward in the most positive way for our learners, our communities, and ourselves?
Panelist bios are available here.
Panelists
Anna Pilhoefer, Elementary Art Teacher, Santa Barbara, CA
Karen Rosner, Director of Visual Arts, New York City Department of Education, New York, NY
James Wells, Innovative Teaching and Learning Manager, Crayola, Cordova, TN
Ray Yang, Visual Art Teacher and Grade Level Dean, University Prep, Seattle, WA
Arts Are Education: An Advocacy Conversation
View the February 16, 2021 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here.
Arts ARE Education is a new national campaign in support of arts education for all students. NAEA is helping lead the charge, representing the visual arts in this initiative. Join us as we discuss strategies and support for communicating the importance of the visual arts in the success of the social and emotional well-being of students, fostering a welcoming and safe school environment, and encouraging inclusivity through multiple pathways for every child’s creative voice.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Lorinda Rice, Art Curriculum Specialist, Lincoln Public Schools Lincoln, NE
- Tara “Trinity” Villanueva (she/ella), Founding Program Director, Arts Integration + Culture, Carlos Rosario International Public Charter School, Washington, DC (ancestral lands of the Anacostans)
Art Education Continuum: Building a Pipeline to Foster Future Educators and Strengthen our Field
View the February 9, 2021 recording here.
Download the accompanying handout here
Each role in the visual arts education ecosystem plays a critical part in the overall success of the field. Join us for this conversation as guests engage in dialogue from their unique perspectives: High School Art Student, Preservice Art Educator, Classroom Practitioner, and Higher Education Scholar. We’ll explore what is needed to grow and sustain a healthy pipeline for the next generation of visual arts educators as well how we might best work together to strategically position art education looking forward. Member-generated questions will guide our discussion as we work toward solutions and support.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Jasmine Floyd, Preservice Art Educator/Student, Miami University, Oxford, OH
- Thom Knab, NAEA President and Visual Arts Educator, Dodge Elementary School, East Amherst, NY
- Jorge Lucero, Associate Professor and Chair of Art Education, University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, Champaign, IL
- Nemisa Samanthapudi, Student, Spring Valley High School, Columbia, SC
Art Education and School Year 2020-21: From Skills to Concepts—Working Across the Curriculum in a New Environment
View the January 26, 2021 recording here
Download the accompanying handout here
Whether a you are a new or veteran visual arts educator (or anywhere in between), this school year challenges us to look at our curriculum and instruction in new and different ways. In this conversation, our expert guests will explore and share strategies for stretching our approaches and embracing sometimes untapped areas of the curriculum that may best lend themselves to remote, hybrid, and/or limited in-person learning environments. Member-generated questions will guide the discussion, as we collaborate to offer solutions and support.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Orlando Graves Bolaños, Art Education Manager, DoSeum, San Antonio, TX
- Kimberley D’Adamo Green, Artist & Educator, Lincoln Public Schools and UNL College of Education, Lincoln Nebraska
- Lois Hetland, EdD, Professor, Art Education Department, Massachusetts College of Art and Design, Boston, MA
- Natalie Chanel Jones, Director of Education, Harvey B. Gantt Center for African American Arts + Culture, Charlotte, NC
Art Education and Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion: Moving from Ideas to Action
View the December 15, 2020 recording here.
Download the accompanying handout here.
Each individual educator is on their own journey of understanding equity, diversity, and inclusion concepts, context, and actions. In this conversation, discover tools and strategies for your own growth as an educator, as well as how to best support your diverse learners. Our expert guests will share their own stories and journeys as peers who are tackling this work in their own settings—from working directly with learners to the bird’s eye view of supervision and leadership. Participant-generated questions will guide the discussion, which will be focused on solutions and support.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Libya Doman, Elementary Art Teacher and Cultural Proficiency Facilitator, Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax, VA
- Matthew Neylon, Director of Visual and Performing Arts, The Mount Vernon School, Atlanta, GA
- James Haywood Rolling, Jr., Professor and Chair of Arts Education, Syracuse University, Manlius New York
- Ruth Mercado-Zizzo, Senior Director of Arts and Equity, EdVestors, Boston, MA
Art Education and Social Emotional Learning: Taking Care of Our Learners and Ourselves
View the November 17, 2020 recording here.
Download the accompanying handout here.
Social Emotional Learning (SEL) has always been a critical component of learning and is often times an elegant fit in the art room and studio. In this conversation, our expert guests will discuss and share various SEL strategies to support learners, including trauma-informed education, as well as share ideas for teacher self-care at this uniquely taxing moment in time. Gain national, district, and classroom perspectives, solutions, and support.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Karen Van Ausdal, Senior Director of Practice, Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL), Chicago, IL
- Lindsey D. Vance, Art Therapist, Fine Artist, Educator, and Consultant
- Dr. Zerric Clinton, PhD, Art Educator, Dutchtown High School, Hampton, GA
- Alexandra Burnside, Elementary Art Teacher, Carthage R-9 School District, Carthage, MO
Art Education and School Year 2020-21: Navigating Remote, Hybrid, and In-Person Instruction in the COVID-19 Landscape
View the October 20, 2020 recording here.
Download the accompanying handout here.
Sharing solutions and support for success in this unique school year is our goal for this conversation. Join expert guides as they communicate how they are navigating the current landscape as supervisors, administrators, and classroom practitioners. Gain perspective from various vantage points and walk away with practical ideas for immediate use whether you’re faced with the challenges and opportunities of remote, in-person, or hybrid learning during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Panelists
Panelist bios are available here.
- Armon Barrows, Visual and Graphic Arts Teacher, Crater Renaissance Academy High School
- Alysia Lee, Coordinator of Fine Arts, Maryland State Department of Education/Founder, Sister Cities Girl Choir
- Dr. L. Earl Franks, EdD, CAE, Executive Director, National Association of Elementary School Principals (NAESP)
- Luisa Tio, Art Educator, Matthew Maury Elementary School, Alexandria City Public Schools
