Advocacy

Tell Your Story: Helping Families Become Art Room Advocates (Ep. 536)

September 22, 2026

On this episode of Art Ed Radio, host Tim Bogatz welcomes back Jen Leban from the AOE Community for a conversation about engaging parents, caregivers, and families in the art room. Jen shares how art teachers can move beyond asking for supplies and begin building partnerships that support advocacy, visibility, volunteering, and community connection.

Tim and Jen also discuss simple ways to share the story of your art program, including using school social media, connecting with families where they already communicate, inviting parents to share their arts-related careers, and finding manageable volunteer opportunities. They also explore family art nights, art shows, school beautification projects, art clubs, fundraising, and how to determine which ideas fit your teaching context and capacity.

Resources and Links

Transcript

Tim: Jen Leban is back on the show. Jen, how are you?

Jen Leban: I’m doing great, Tim. How are you?

Tim: I’m doing well, too. I always love talking with you. We have a lot of cool things to talk about today because you’re doing a lot of cool things in the community. As always, I feel like we talk about the community far too often on this show, but absolutely—both in life and in the community. So it works.

Can you tell us about Parents and Caregivers Week in the community?

Jen Leban: That’s all I do is cool things, Tim. Cool things.

Tim: What’s happening? What are the exciting things you’re doing right now?

Jen Leban: This is part of our back-to-school energy. We’ve also been looking closely at advocacy this month, and we started thinking about ways to bring parents into that conversation.

So we decided to create our own Parents and Caregivers Week in the community. Every day, we’re going to share links and resources that can help art teachers advocate for the arts in real-life family conversations.

It feels like school just started, but we’re already approaching parent-teacher conferences, so this is a good time to think about how we can connect with families.

Tim: Unfortunately, yes. For a lot of people, we’re getting there.

I love the idea of talking about advocacy and sharing some of those ideas because I think it’s something many people think about but don’t always know how to approach. They may not know exactly what to do or where to begin.

My first question for you is: Where do we get started? I feel like everybody has the “Hey, parents, I need supplies” conversation down. But what do we do next? How do we move beyond “Parents, please donate things”?

Jen Leban: First of all, there’s no shame in asking for donations. Please continue to donate. We need your toilet paper rolls.

Tim: I’m absolutely not going to disagree. Please continue to get all of the toilet paper rolls.

Jen Leban: Parent involvement can be tricky because everyone’s situation is different. Are you an elementary teacher, a middle school teacher, or a high school teacher? Parent involvement looks very different at each level. The willingness of families to volunteer can also vary.

I’ve even seen this in myself. I now have a son in high school, and my eagerness to volunteer when he was in elementary school was very different from my eagerness now. Now I’m thinking, “I don’t want to drive there for this meeting.” I’m not criticizing anyone else. I’m absolutely that person, too.

Depending on where you teach and what level you teach, you’re going to have a different audience of people who may be willing to help.The other thing I’ve noticed is that I was very spoiled when I was teaching art. My school had a PTA. Every building had a PTA, and our district had a districtwide foundation that raised money. We had very involved families, and I was fortunate and privileged to have that.

When I started working at other schools, I realized that some schools don’t even have a PTA. That completely changed how I had to approach things. If you don’t have a PTA to work with, you’re going to have to do different things.

You also need to think about your capacity. How much can you take on in addition to teaching, grading, and everything else? Parent involvement requires extra effort.

Tim: It absolutely does. Not everybody is able to do this with their teaching load, and not everybody is willing to take it on. Advocacy can feel like an extra step, and a lot of people are already at capacity.

Some of these ideas may not work for everyone, but if you have the capacity and you’re interested, we’re going to talk about what advocacy can look like, how you can build up your program, and how you can get the story of your art room out into the community.

You mentioned your son, and I also have a high school son. My son doesn’t want to talk about what’s happening at school. He doesn’t want to share much about what’s going on in class.

Kids may not always be the best at going home and sharing the excitement of the art room. What can we do to help educate parents, caregivers, and families about the value of the arts and what we’re doing in the art room?

Jen Leban: Especially at the high school level, you may be teaching students who have specifically chosen to take an art class. That’s different from elementary or middle school, where you may see every student in the building.

There’s no one right answer because the situation is different at every level. My son, by the way, does not want to take an art class, and it breaks my heart. But we have to respect their individuality. If he’s not an art kid, so be it. He’s still creative in other ways.

Tim: There’s probably a whole additional podcast about that. I’ve talked about it with my own kids because neither of them has been especially interested in art. That’s fine. They’re finding other ways to express themselves.

What I’ve always told them is, “I don’t care what you do. I just want you to do something.” They’re both happy and fairly well-adjusted, so I can’t complain too much.

Jen Leban: One hundred percent. We’ll put it on the schedule for a future episode. It can be a support group: “I’m an art teacher, and my kids don’t want to take art.”

To address your question, I was a middle school teacher. I saw all the kids, but not all of them were excited about art. I did, however, have parents who were really interested in art.

One thing you can do is find the parents who are interested in art, even if their children aren’t necessarily interested in it.

When I was teaching, I found a lot of parents through Instagram. I joined Twitter to find other art teachers and network with them. I joined Instagram to share what I was doing in the classroom with parents and people in the community.

Through Instagram, I found parents who would comment, “This is so cool,” or “Sarah brought home her project this week, and I loved it.” It was a way to connect with families without having to schedule a formal meeting. I was meeting them where they were.

Where are your parents already? Maybe they’re on TikTok. Meet them where they are. Find your people, just like we encourage art teachers to find their people in The Art of Ed Community.

Find the parents who can become your people, too.

If social media isn’t your thing, I completely respect that. I would send home my Artsonia permission slip on the first day of art, but I added a few questions to the form. I asked about parents’ interest in helping, their experience in the arts, or whether they had an arts-related career.

I had one wonderful mom whose son was a great kid but wasn’t especially interested in art. She was very interested in art, though. She eventually started substitute teaching in the district.

When I broke my elbow and had to be out for a couple of weeks, she came in and saved the day. These relationships and connections can help in unexpected ways.

You have to ask. Put your feelers out there. Build relationships not only with students but also with parents and caregivers in your community.

Tim: I want to talk a little more about parents in a moment, but can we talk about social media? It feels like a smaller lift. Posting a few things is easier than setting up a volunteer schedule and having parents come into the art room.

If we’re looking for small steps, what do you recommend? How should people approach social media, and how can they get started?

Jen Leban: If you’re a brand-new teacher, ask other teachers in your building. Every school has a different relationship with families. Maybe you have a PTA, or maybe you don’t. Maybe your parents are very involved, or maybe they aren’t.

Schools also have different means of communication. Maybe your school uses Facebook. Maybe your teachers and administrators prefer Instagram. Maybe your school has no social media presence at all.

You can even ask parents on your permission form which platforms they use. Once you know where families are, meet them there.

If you aren’t very comfortable with social media, you can start by sharing a picture with whoever manages your school or district’s social media. Give them a picture and a sentence to post. Many schools have systems like that.

That’s the lowest-lift option possible.

The next step might be getting access to the school’s Facebook or Instagram account. When I was teaching, I had an Instagram account called @theMrsLieban. I would post pictures over students’ shoulders, showing what they were working on.

I might write, “This week we’re working on monochromatic portraits.” That was it. It didn’t have to be earth-shattering or fancy. I was simply sharing what we were doing and telling the story of the art room.

Start small.

Tim: That’s a very easy lift and a simple way to get your story out there. You have to be the one to share your story. Nobody else is going to promote your program or advocate for it for you.

Jen Leban: It feels uncomfortable, too. You may think, “What I’m doing isn’t that special,” or “I’m not looking for attention.”

But if you don’t share your story, other people will make one up for you. That’s why some people think art teachers color pictures all day. People create stories in their heads.

Let’s prove them wrong. Let’s advocate and show what’s really happening.

Tim: The story you want told about your program is the story you need to tell yourself. Nobody else is going to do it for you.

Let’s go back to the parent question. As you said earlier, there are caveats based on grade level, access, and families’ willingness to help.

If you are able to get volunteers in your room, where do art teachers need help? What can parents help with? What are they qualified to do, and how do you ask them?

Jen Leban: For the most part, parents cannot supervise your students because they aren’t certified. That’s a firm no. They can’t come in and supervise students unless they are certified substitutes, and even then, it can become complicated.

I approach volunteering by thinking about the things I don’t enjoy doing. Can I have a parent help with some of those tasks so I can spend more time on the parts of teaching that bring me joy?

Parents can help with things like cutting paper, mounting or framing artwork, matting work, making copies, and filling paint or glue bottles.

These aren’t necessarily bad tasks, but they can be monotonous and time-consuming. If someone else can help with them, that can be extremely useful.

I’ve also had parents help take down and hang art displays throughout the year. If you love creating bulletin boards, then keep that task for yourself. You should decide which responsibilities you want to keep and which ones you’re willing to share.

I’ve had parents come talk to classes about their arts-related jobs. That took more scheduling, but we had some wonderful speakers.

I also had a good relationship with my PTA. One parent served as the chairperson for our end-of-the-year art show. She handled the refreshments, decorations, and other event details.

Tim: That’s spectacular.

Jen Leban: It was. The PTA actually budgeted $500 for the art show. It was fantastic. This is why I say I was spoiled.

You could also have parents volunteer after school with an art club. They can’t supervise students, but they can be helpers. How fun would that be?

Tim: A lot of times you have 40 students showing up for an art club. Having a couple of additional adults in the room to help can make a huge difference.

Jen Leban: Absolutely.

Parents can also help with school beautification projects. I had parents paint walls outside the classroom and in the hallway. It was a combination of PTA support, school beautification, and art.

You might also have parents with connections to local businesses or community organizations. Those connections can help you display artwork, organize fundraisers, or partner with local groups.

Again, you’re building relationships and discovering what’s possible.

Some ideas are easier than others. Asking someone to come in once a week and make copies is probably a low-lift request. Asking someone to come talk to your class about their art therapy practice is a bigger project.

You need to decide what fits your capacity.

Tim: Absolutely. I want to share two things.

First, a piece of advice: When you’re talking about monotonous work or work you don’t enjoy, don’t give parents the dirty work.

Don’t ask them to come in and wash brushes or scrape paint off the tables. That’s not necessarily the job for parents.

Jen Leban: I have not had parents scrape my tables, to be fair. But kids sometimes love those jobs, especially at the elementary level.

Tim: They really do. You can always have a dirty sink waiting for them.

The second thing is a story. I’m not sure whether there’s a lesson in it, but during my third year of teaching high school, I had two students who were interested in tattoos.

I had a friend who was a tattoo artist. He had gone to school in Colorado and had an illustration degree, so I asked him to come talk to my class about what he did for a career and how he got there.

It was fantastic. The students loved it. Several went home and told their parents that they wanted to become tattoo artists.

We received some negative feedback from parents that was directed to my principal. I wasn’t expecting that response.

I would absolutely invite him back because the experience was incredible for the students who needed to hear it. One of those students is a tattoo artist now.

The lesson, if there is one, is to be aware of what you’re doing and how families may interpret it when students bring the experience home.

Jen Leban: That is also very much determined by the community or neighborhood where you teach. There may be schools where families think it’s wonderful, and other schools where they hear “tattoo artist” and immediately think it’s dangerous or inappropriate.

Tim: Very much so.

Let’s get back on track. For parents who are excited to help and promote your program, how do we turn them into advocates? How can they help cheerlead the program and get the word out about the cool things happening in the art room?

Jen Leban: One thing you can do is create a reciprocal relationship. Is there something you can do in exchange for help from parents?

For example, if your PTA is creating an event, can you help make posters for them? Then they may be more likely to help you set up your art show.

It’s not about making a formal deal, but people are often more likely to help when they know you’re willing to support them, too.

Tim: A quid pro quo for volunteer hours?

Jen Leban: Exactly.

Here’s an example from my own experience. My district had a foundation that raised money throughout the year and awarded grants to teachers.

I was pretty good at winning those grants because I taught art. I could write a grant explaining that the money would benefit every student in the school. That was a strong argument.

The foundation also wanted to award grants to a variety of teachers, and there weren’t many art teachers in the district applying. My odds were pretty good.

Eventually, the foundation asked me to speak at its annual fundraising gala. They also asked me to take over the foundation’s Instagram account for a week.

Was that intimidating? Absolutely. I was nervous about speaking at a gala with families who had more money than I could imagine because that was the neighborhood where I worked.

But they asked me to do it, and it ended up being a short presentation. I received a free dinner, and it was ultimately fun, even though I was far outside my comfort zone.

When you put that energy out there, it makes people more likely to support you in the future. They see that you’re doing good things and that you’re willing to participate.

Sometimes you have to do something intimidating, like speak at a PTA meeting. It may benefit you, not only because of the work you’re doing in the classroom but also because parents begin to know you.

They might think, “That’s Mrs. Leban. She’s the teacher at the middle school—the one with the blue hair.”

As long as you’re backing yourself up with strong work, putting yourself out there is usually a good thing.

Tim: Absolutely.

Last question: Do you have any other ideas to share? Either from your own experience or from things you’ve seen in the community—ways to get parents and families involved through community-based activities, family nights, or other accessible events?

Jen Leban: I’m obsessed with the latest YouTube series featuring Jess Stewart and John Zabelsky. It’s about art clubs, and one episode focuses on fundraising and service projects.

There are so many good ideas in that series. I would start there.

Tim: We’ll link to that series and the episode in particular in the show notes.

Jen Leban: I also made a note about an idea someone shared in the community: hosting a paint-and-sip night at your school.

I think it’s hilarious to hear that recommendation from me because my hot take is that paint-and-sip is not actual art. However, is it engaging for parents? Would families enjoy it? Could you raise money or simply create a fun family engagement night?

Absolutely. I think it’s a fantastic idea.

Tim: I was going to say—

Jen Leban: Although it’s not real art.

Tim: It can be. I’ve seen teachers use a paint-and-sip format as a family night or family activity. A step-by-step painting experience can be a great way to bring families into the school.

We’ve talked for the last 20 or 25 minutes about positive experiences in the art room and the cool things happening in art programs. If you can give parents and families that kind of experience, it will reflect well on your program.

I think that’s a really good idea.

Jen Leban: Survey your parents, too. Maybe you have a parent who already leads paint-and-sip events and can do it for you.

You could make it “paint and sip” with Capri Suns.

Tim: That would actually make me want to go. Juice boxes are great. Everybody loves juice boxes.

Jen Leban: It would be a school event, so it can’t involve adult beverages. You have to modify the idea.

Paint and juice boxes.

Tim: We’ll wrap up on that paint-and-juice-box note.

Jen, thank you so much for joining me and sharing all of these ideas. We’ll see you in the community for Parents and Caregivers Week.

Jen Leban: Thank you so much for having me.

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.

Tell Your Story: Helping Families Become Art Room Advocates (Ep. 536)

Resources and Links

Transcript

Related

Why Every Program Needs an Art Hall of Fame (Ep. 532)

Why Art is the Most Important Class (Ep. 526)

From the Archives: Advocacy for Art Teachers: Planning, Prepping, and Promotion

Advocacy for Art Teachers: Planning, Prepping, and Promotion (Ep. 498)