Advocating for the arts is integral to the continued growth and retention of art programs in schools. The Americans for the Arts website states, “As a constituent, you are the ideal grassroots advocate to convey to members of Congress how essential the arts and arts education are to your community. You have the power to educate them about the importance of the arts in your community.”
This powerful quote illustrates the role we have in promoting art education. To do this, you must be empowered with the proper information.
Here are nine resources to help you advocate for arts education.
1. Americans for the Arts Advocacy Toolkit
This organization’s website is full of great information for those who want to advocate for the arts. It is created for individuals and organizations. You can find ways to reach out to members of Congress, advocate at the federal level, and find explanations regarding the importance of advocacy.
2. National Arts Education Association Advocacy
This site contains links to a variety of helpful resources. For instance, Art in Education Week, Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) Implementation and Resources, as well as Issues Briefs for National Art Advocacy Day 2018. This just names a few of the great links shared on this site.
3. National Endowment for the Arts
This website shares a few different art-related grants for which organizations can apply. More specifically, grants for art projects, to support projects in underserved populations, and the Our Town grant which, “support[s] projects that integrate arts, culture, and design activities into efforts that strengthen communities by advancing local economic, physical, and/or social outcomes.”
4. The Kennedy Center Arts Advocacy Tool Kit
Advocating on a large scale can take lots of preparation and research. This resource provides insightful information regarding vital ways to plan your advocacy efforts. It also shares the habits of effective art education advocates, steps to create an effective art advocacy plan, and a list of coalitions for networking.
In addition to these resources, AOEU also has you covered! Find everything we’ve ever published on art advocacy right here.
5. Keep the Arts in Public Schools Campaigns
This “community of people dedicated to supporting the arts as part of a well-rounded education for all students,” is dedicated to voting and raising funds for a variety of arts education campaigns. A few of the current campaigns are, “Take a Stand for Art Ed” and “Foster a #RightToArt movement to support arts education.”
6. Americans for the Arts Action Fund
This website has a helpful area filled with news and a blog on arts advocacy efforts. You can share this information with your school community and stakeholders. It even has a list of advocacy partners, highlights arts ed Tweets, and gives readers a way to learn more and take action for art education.
7. Davis Magazine Art Advocacy Articles
Check out this link for a huge list of articles that will help you share about art advocacy. The articles work well at all grade levels and focus on different topics. A few articles talk about arts integration and starting your very own art room blog.
8. NAMTA Art Advocacy
NAMTA is the International Art Material Association. This site shares art news in both the U.S and Canada as well as facts of the week. They also are taking on new members if you are looking to join.
9. Arts Education Partnership
AEP is an organization dedicated to helping advance art education. Their mission focuses on research, policies, and other practices to help make a difference in arts education. You will find lots of information to share with others.
No matter where you begin, the act of getting started is the most important part of advocating for your program and art education as a whole. While you may advocate at the school level, it is also essential to advocate for the arts at the state and federal level as well. Art is a highly valuable subject and making those in power aware is key to thriving arts education programs today.
How do you advocate for your art program?
Have you done anything to advocate for the arts at the state or federal level? If so, what?
Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.
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