10 Ways to Support Arts Education

Kristen Engebretsen of AMERICANS FOR THE ARTSThe ARTS EDUCATION NETWORK is another reason that arts professionals and passionate advocates should be members of AMERICANS FOR THE ARTS
Originally posted August 11, 2011

This week I got an email from someone concerned about the budget cuts to arts education and inquiring about what they could do to help keep the arts in schools.

In the spirit of my colleague Randy Cohen’s popular post (Top 10 Reasons to Support the Arts), I am presenting my own Top 10 Ways to Support Arts Education.

10. Volunteer your time, resources, skills:Many schools would appreciate your time as a chaperone, your skill as a teaching artist, or your donations of money, costumes, rehearsal space, etc.

9. Know the facts: Stay on top of current arts education research, trends, and news articles. Start with Reinvesting in Arts Education, which summarizes research on the topic. Use this data in your messaging when you speak to elected officials or school leaders.

8. Get involved politically: Tell your elected officials why arts education is important. Ask your members of Congress to keep the arts listed as a core subject during the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act.

Arts Advocacy Day 2012

The 25th annual Arts Advocacy Day brought together a broad cross section of America’s cultural and civic organizations, along with more than 500 grassroots advocates from 40 states across the country, to underscore the importance of developing strong public policies and appropriating increased public funding for the arts. View highlights from Arts Advocacy Day 2012 below.



Alec Baldwin delivered the 25th Annual Nancy Hanks Lecture on Arts and Public Policy, a leading national forum for arts policy, intended to stimulate discussion of policy and social issues affecting the arts. The lecture provides an opportunity for public discourse at the highest levels on the importance of the arts and culture to our nation's well-being.

Mr. Baldwin was introduced by Maureen Dowd, Pulitzer prize winning journalist, and preceded by a
musical performance by noted singer-songwriter Ben Folds, accompanied by YoungArts alumni musicians. Bob Lynch, Americans for the Arts' President and CEO, Ken Solomon, Chairman of Ovation and Hill Harper, the 2012 Co-Chair of National Arts Advocacy Day, also gave brief remarks.

2012 Nancy Hanks Lecture - Alec Baldwin from Americans for the Arts on Vimeo.

TO VIEW ALL VIDEOS, PRESS RELEASES AND MORE VISIT
http://www.artsusa.org/events/2012/aad/default.asp

So…What’s Your Equation for Quality?

Posted by Kristen Engebretsen On March - 16 - 2012
I hope that everyone has enjoyed reading the various thoughts and stories from leaders across the country during our bi-annual Blog Salon (come back in September for our second one).

During the Salon, we heard examples of how folks are measuring quality, in terms of the effectiveness of their partnerships and their levels of student engagement:

• Talia’s story of training school leaders to look at student work using the Qualities of Quality.
• The results Merryl shared from her program, DREAM.
• Lynne’s explanation of partnerships that have (and have not) worked for her national association.

We also heard some calls to action, by authors who wanted to push the field forward:

• Seth’s ideas for shaking up education.
• Jane’s call to let go of the notion that “models” from the “pockets of excellence” in the field will emerge and conveniently help us “scale up” and solve all of our problems.
• Joyce’s simple reminder that creativity is the answer to this search for quality.

Thanks for following our salon on quality, engagement, and partnerships.

After reading all of these posts, have you decided on your own equation for quality in your community? I’d love to hear your final reflections in the comments section.
To view the salon in its entirety, please use this link: http://bit.ly/y9d2JV.

Drama and Theatre: Arts in Our Schools Month

TIOS 2012 Theme: Connecting Communities, Engaging Minds

Theatre and drama are essential in the lives of students all year, but March is designated to celebrate and increase public awareness of the impact of theatre in our schools and schools in our theatres. AATE invites you to celebrate Theatre in our Schools (TIOS) in your area! You know theatre education's power to make children's lives better, now shout about it and let the skeptics know how vital theatre is to youth development. More info can be found in the 2012 Official Guide. Here are a few tools: