This week, we’re joining the nationwide celebration of Arts in Education.
In July of 2010, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution designating the second week of September as Arts in Education Week.
The resolution (H.Con.Res. 275) was proposed and introduced by Rep. Jackie Speier from California. The resolution states,”Arts education, comprising a rich array of disciplines including dance, music, theatre, media arts, literature, design, and visual arts, is a core academic subject and an essential element of a complete and balanced education for all students.”
In recent years, the scope of Arts in Education Week has expanded to encompass opportunities for lifelong learning in, through and about the arts. Over the course of this week, we’ll be looking at the benefits of arts in education across the aging spectrum.
Today, we kick off Arts in Education Week with some suggestions from our friends at Americans for the Arts:
Host or attend a celebration
Find or share celebrations for the week of September 13 – 19, 2015 with others on Americans for the Arts’ ArtsMeet National Event Calendar.
Advocate to decision makers
Advocacy is a key element to spreading the word about arts education. The ability to tell stories, cite facts, and get your local decision makers on board with your mission is a valuable asset for spreading the word.
- Use this opportunity to learn how to speak to your education leaders about the importance of arts education. Americans for the Arts’ Arts Education Navigator e-books provide lots of advocacy tips and tools.
- Then, ask your local education leaders to add their support to National Arts in Education Week. Americans for the Arts offers a variety of resolution templates that you can customize and submit to your State House of Representatives, Local Board of Education, Local Superintendent, City/town/county Council, Mayor and others. See the section labeled “Advocate to Decision Makers” on their Arts in Education Week page to download.
Bring attention to the cause
Join in the national celebration on social media. Let your circle of colleagues, friends and family know you care and bring them into the greater movement!
- During #ArtsEdWeek, be sure to follow @Americans4Arts on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook and upload your favorite arts education moments.
- Show us a picture of student artwork or a performance with #EncourageCreativity.
- Or tell us about an arts educator who made a difference with #TeachTheArts.
Americans for the Arts is getting the campaign started with our new Encourage Creativity video series.
Related Posts
This week we're celebrating National Arts in Education Week. Yesterday we talked about some of our arts learning programs and today, we take a closer look at one of our favorites: Poetry Out Loud. Recently we spoke with Eleanor Billingsly, Program Manager at the NEA, about the program and its benefits to the students who participate and their communities. This week, we're joining the nationwide celebration of Arts in Education. In recent years, the scope of Arts in Education Week has expanded to encompass opportunities for lifelong learning in, through and about the arts. Over the course of this week, we'll be looking at the benefits of arts in education across the aging spectrum. National Arts in Education Week may be drawing to a close, but we hope you'll continue to explore and celebrate the myriad benefits of lifelong learning in, through and about the arts. For those interested in digging deeper into the research or looking for ways to get involved, these resources are an excellent place to start. This week we're celebrating National Arts in Education Week. While the week has traditionally been primarily associated with arts programs in public schools, the emphasis has broadened in recent years to promote the benefits of quality arts learning activities across the aging spectrum. This week we're celebrating National Arts in Education Week. Learn more about the grants, programs and resources administered by the Arts Commission in support of quality arts learning opportunities for Arizona residents across the aging spectrum. 
Arts in Education Week: Poetry Out Loud
Arts in Education Week: A National Spotlight for Arts Education
Arts in Education Week: Research & Policy
Arts in Education Week: Creative Aging
Arts in Education Week: Resources and Tools
