National Arts in Education Week is September 10th – 16th. Americans for the Arts will be recognizing the value of the arts in education in a webinar on Thursday, September 14 at 3:00 PM – 4:00 PM ET. This is another year-round arts advocacy training opportunity to learn about arts education policies at the federal, state, and local levels.

While considering arts education issues is a year-round endeavor, National Arts in Education Week provides a dedicated time to raise awareness and bring these issues to the forefront of our advocacy efforts. From kindergarten to higher education, arts educators and policymakers are grappling with burnout and decreased funding as well as threats to expression in the classroom. Learners, educators, and administrators in 2023 are trying to navigate teacher shortages and learning loss as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The concern over learning loss during the pandemic has led to a greater focus on other subjects which can squeeze arts education out of curriculums even though it can help students cope with post-pandemic stress. In addition to the daily challenges our educators face, book bans and rhetoric around social-emotional learning are impacting arts education in many states. As learners emerge from the pandemic, it is vital to advocate for social-emotional learning so that they can continue to develop their empathy, social awareness, and relationship-building skills. We hope you will join us for this important conversation!

Speakers:

-Ashlee McKinnon of DC Arts & Humanities Education Collaborative
-United States House Representative Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR)
-Dr. Annamarie Bollino, Coordinator of Visual and Performing Arts for Stafford County Public Schools
-Dr. Lenora Helm Hammonds, Associate Professor and Chair of Music
-Jim Palmarini of the Arts ARE Education Campaign
-Nolen V. Bivens, President and CEO, Americans for the Arts
-Tooshar Swain, Director, Public Policy, Americans for the Arts