This week we celebrated the 10th anniversary of National Arts in Education Week with a blog series showcasing the tremendously creative work arts educators are doing to keep students engaged virtually during the COVID-19 pandemic; highlighting one of our arts education member organizations; introducing new data-driven “fast facts” you can use to advocate for arts education; and sharing personal stories from singer/songwriter Josh Groban and his mother (a former visual arts teacher) about how arts education has shaped their lives. The Grobans also joined a virtual discussion about the power of arts education with actress Annette Bening, opera singer Denyce Graves-Montgomery and her daughter Ella, Congressional STEAM Caucus co-chair Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, and arts education professor Dr. James Haywood Rolling Jr.

If you, like us, believe that arts education is essential, please sign our Arts Ed Week pledge and share your #BecauseOfArtsEd story on social media! And be sure to save the date for next year's celebration, happening Sept. 12-18, 2021.

ARTSblog

Letters from Josh Groban and his mother, Lindy, in support of Arts Education by Josh Groban and Lindy Groban
Without the arts, stories like mine, and millions more, will go untold. The connectivity that makes us who we are, that releases the better angels of our nature, will fade into the dark. Americans for the Arts is here to ensure that we never fade.

Member Profile: ArtsEd Washington by Abigail Alpern Fisch
ArtsEd Washington is a nonprofit organization dedicated to making arts education equitable and accessible to every K-12 student in Washington State. Danielle Gahl has been the Executive Director since 2017, while Courtney Clark stepped up from the organization’s Board and became the Interim Co-Executive Director in July 2020.

Boston Public Schools Arts Educators Creatively Meet the Moment by Anthony Beatrice and Ruth C. Mercado-Zizzo
Within a week of Boston Public Schools closing its schools due to COVID-19, the district’s nearly 300 BPS visual and performing arts educators quickly shifted to offering remote learning in the arts. The creativity, responsiveness, and community approach educators brought to this task have ensured the arts remain a priority for our students.

From Fearful to Fierce: Creating Authentic and Engaging Virtual Arts Experiences for Youth by Alex Gartner
Until eight months ago, many arts educators would’ve scoffed at the idea of teaching art, music, dance, or theatre online. Now, virtual learning is a lifeline for arts education. With so many youth enrolled in virtual schooling, the need to design authentic and engaging online artistic experiences is ever more pressing.

10 (Newer!) Arts Education Fast Facts by Kelly Bolender and Rena Cohen
Great stories should be paired with compelling data and facts to help round out your advocacy strategy. In honor of the 10th anniversary of National Arts in Education Week, we’ve put together 10 new fast facts—exclusively featuring data collected within the last five years—illustrating the benefits of, support for, and challenges facing arts education in America today.

ArtsU

Supporting Individual Artists: Keep Arts Working - Creating More Than a Message
To continue supporting local artists during COVID-19, Arts Council for Long Beach created the Keep Arts Working project. In this webinar, learn more about the project and how arts organizations can create similar meaningful and valuable grassroots community connections.

Reframing Art | Reclaiming Place: Transforming a Liquor Store into an Artspace
How can communities activate vacant storefronts using arts and culture? What barriers might they encounter and how can they overcome them? How can arts and culture projects in vacant storefronts fit into wider community economic development strategies? Learn more in this engaging workshop!

National Arts in Education Week

Arts Education Pledge: We Believe Arts Education Is Essential!
If you believe arts education is a strong part of a well-rounded education for students in your community, and if you stand with Americans for the Arts to advance equitable access to arts education for all public school students, sign our pledge in support of arts education.

Video: #BecauseOfArtsEd Chat
Hear from Josh Groban and his mom Lindy Groban, Annette Bening, Denyce Graves-Montgomery and her daughter Ella Thomas Montgomery, Rep. Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), and Dr. James Haywood Rolling Jr. in this virtual discussion about the value of arts education.