By Jim Speirs, Executive Director, Arts South Dakota

This year, the week of July 15-18 will mark the 20th annual Arts Education Institute—two decades of providing inspiration, new ideas and networking opportunities to art teachers, administrators and South Dakota arts education advocates. It’s not too late to register for this year’s event, which adds a new twist with the inaugural Band Director Institute. It’s all happening this summer on the campus of Northern State University in Aberdeen.

The Arts Education Institute offers an educational and fun-filled week of learning to infuse the arts into classrooms and curriculum development. This year 24 hands-on art, choral and music workshops offer many opportunities for all Pre-K through 12th grade educators. However, you DO NOT need to be an educator to attend AEI—anyone wanting to take part in high quality workshops can attend.

The Band Director Institute is an intensive program designed to bring music educators the best in current and standard literature, teaching methods and materials. The three-day institute will include large ensemble reading sessions, master classes and clinic sessions, with headline clinician Michael Sweeney, composer and director of band publications for Hal Leonard.

This year’s 20th annual selection of arts education workshops gives teachers and administrators from across the state an opportunity to share an affordable, high quality professional development experience. All workshops are relevant and directly applicable to the classroom, as well as inspirational and fun. Information, ideas and interaction are packed into a few days, providing a creative break for all participants. Over 100 arts educators from around South Dakota are expected to attend this year’s institute, sponsored by Arts South Dakota, the South Dakota Arts Council, Northern State University and Popplers Music.

Whether you are a teacher, administrator, teaching artist or want to learn more about arts education in South Dakota, visit www.ArtsSouthDakota.org and look for the registration link. Be part of a 20-year tradition at the Arts Education Institute!