School for Art Leaders
Committed to supporting art educators in their quest to excel as leaders, NAEA has designed a 21st century flagship program: School for Art Leaders at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
Applications for the class of 2025 closed on October 4, 2024.
The Program
Since 1947, art educators representing all states, regions, and work contexts have provided volunteer leadership service that has shaped the field of art education and positioned the National Art Education Association (NAEA) as the premier professional community for art educators. Committed to supporting art educators in their quest to excel as leaders, NAEA has designed a 21st-century flagship program: School for Art Leaders. Utilizing experiential action learning modules and in-depth conversations with expert leaders, the program provides participants with learning experiences and skills to successfully lead in any environment.
The program design is geared specifically for art educators and is based on the work and recommendations of the NAEA Leadership Development Task Force. Five leadership models provide a strong basis for the work’s content, with specific individual and group exercises woven throughout the experience.
- The NAEA Art Educator Competency Model (developed by the Leadership Development Task Force)
- Thurber–Zimmerman Empowerment/Leadership Model
- Mindful Leadership
- Total Leadership
- Emotional Intelligence
- Storytelling
- Strategies to Support Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Leadership
Those selected for each class annually will contribute to the development of an extraordinary community cohort committed to leadership excellence. Upon successful completion, participants become members of the national School for Art Leaders network and are positioned to excel as leaders in education, the arts, and advocacy.
Our Approach
- We believe art educators possess unique skills—developing plans to meet objectives, adapting to meet current needs, recognizing potential and developing others, using resources responsibly, using creative processes to identify opportunities and solve complex challenges.
- We get the right people together—an annual cohort of peers is selected from among applicants to represent diverse professional experience, demographics, ethnicity, and gender.
- We introduce relevant and timely ideas about leadership—gain access to others working in this space, to useful tools and resources, to experiential learning, and to rigorous application of knowledge and understanding.
- Together, we engage meaningful/mindful learning—give and receive feedback from peers; work with expert mentors to refine learning.
- Together, we get to work—apply learning through your own unique design and execution of leadership experiments; step into leadership roles within your local, state, and national professional communities and mentor other emerging leaders.
Eligibility and Application Selection
Eligibility
Art education professionals who are new to leadership as well as those who have a range of leadership experience and are looking to enhance their skills are encouraged to apply. Successful applicants will:
- Have five years or more of professional practice and currently working as an art educator (school/school district, museum, college/university, local or state agency, community organization, or other work context)
- Commit to fully participating in the ten-month program, including a longitudinal study on leadership impact in art education, upon completion of the program.
- Have organizational support from a state association and/or your school/institution.
NAEA expects that the graduates of the program will actively apply their leadership skills in ways that will enhance their institutions, and/or NAEA and its affiliates, and contribute a positive impact on the field of art education.
2025 Program Commitment
The 10–month program begins in mid-June 2025 and ends at the NAEA National Convention in Chicago, March 5–7, 2026. The cohort will participate in a required on-site 5–day intensive learning module July 14-18, 2025, in Bentonville, Arkansas; followed by monthly online learning, from August through January. A final capstone project will be submitted in January 2026, and the program will conclude with presentations and a recognition ceremony at the 2026 NAEA National Convention in Chicago, IL.
Application Process
Application deadline: October 4, 2024
Selection notification date: by Friday, November 8, 2024
A completed application package includes:
Professional Services/Activities
- Ranking of the importance of leadership roles in each organization (i.e. president vs. committee member).
- Variety of professional services (within the field and from outside the field).
- Kind and number of international, national, regional, state, or local activities
- Kind and number of international, national, regional, state, or local awards or honors (humanitarian, civic, volunteer)
- Record of sustained leadership or service commitments
- Ranking of the importance of leadership roles in each organization (i.e. president vs. committee member).
Projects, Programs, and Awards
- Variety of service or professional projects/programs, accomplishments, or awards (within the field and from outside the field).
- Kind and number of international, national, regional, state, or local accomplishments and/or awards humanitarian, civic, volunteer, etc.).
- Source of programs, awards, or honors (institutions, arts organizations, community organizations, volunteer organizations, etc.).
- Variety of service or professional projects/programs, accomplishments, or awards (within the field and from outside the field).
About You
- What was the nature of the service activity listed and the importance of its relationship to leadership?
- How has engagement in service activities impacted the applicant’s efforts?
- What was the nature of the service activity listed and the importance of its relationship to leadership?
Characteristics and Values
- Alignment to NAEA values, mission, and vision.
- Alignment to NAEA values, mission, and vision.
One-Page Statement (500 words or less)
- What applicant hopes to gain from the School for Art Leaders.
- Where applicant is in their career and why leadership development is important to them at this time.
- How participation will benefit their work as an art educator.
- What applicant hopes to gain from the School for Art Leaders.
Resume
Letter of Support
All applications are confidential and submitted via the Submittable platform. If you do not have a Submittable account, you will be asked to create one before continuing to the application form. Applicants will receive an email confirmation immediately following application submission.
Program Fee
There is no application fee. Once accepted, a program fee of $900 for members and $1,100 for non-members must be submitted by June 1. The program fee includes access to all courses and related materials, including the onsite intensive program at Crystal Bridges. Travel and housing are additional and at the expense of the participant. NAEA works to secure competitive and optional housing rates.
Selection Process
Each class is limited to 25 individuals annually. Each application is carefully read and scored by a minimum of three reviewers to determine an average score, then the final decisions are made by a selection committee. The reviewers and selection committee consist of a diverse group of SAL Alumni and the selection committee is made up of a diverse group of active NAEA leaders. Both reviewers and the selection committee remain anonymous throughout the selection process. The reviewers and selection committee are committed to NAEA’s goal of supporting the leadership development of art educators toward creating a pool of leader-ready individuals to advance the profession and the field. Selection will be based on the committee’s evaluation of the readiness for the experience and application of the leadership skills. The selection will also ensure diverse professional experience, volunteer service, geographic designation, ethnicity, and other indications of leadership potential.
Questions? E-mail Laura Grundler, Director of Learning and Program Development at lgrundler@arteducators.org
Scholarship Information
The Leaders in Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Scholarship is intended to support class of 2025 participants who are interested in growing their leadership capacity and skills, while also engaging in the work of Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I).
Scholarships include the cost of SAL program fees; accommodations at the 21C Museum Hotel in Bentonville, AR; and an air travel allowance (up to $600). Details and application information are available here.
Professional Development Credit
2024 School for Art Leaders
Participants can earn 45 hours of Professional Development through Virtual Art Educators.
Participants can also opt earn to earn credit through CSU, Chico Regional & Continuing Education. The SAL program provides 45 hours of instructional learning which is eligible for 3 professional development units; or for 3 graduate units for a letter grade. For further information, visit http://rce.csuchico.edu/teachers/naea.
