Did you know that September 11-17 is National Arts in Education Week? Established by Congress in 2010, the second week in September has been designated as a time to focus on the importance of arts education in our schools – to promote the creativity and innovation that must be fostered in our children who will be the leaders of the next generation.
The resolution states:
Arts education, comprising a rich array of disciplines including dance, music, theater, 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.
Helping to Enrich Students Lives
There are several organizations around the country devoted to promoting and supporting the advancement of the arts in school. Americans for the Arts is an advocacy group focusing in several key areas: Legal advocacy, networking, research, professional development and marketing. Through a variety of programs, Americans for the Arts conducts research to prove the value of arts education and lobbies our government to support it. They provide valuable tools for teachers to use for practical application in the classroom and serve as a clearinghouse for educational networks and councils. It’s a great place to start if you’re a teacher, student, or advocate for the arts in the United States.
The National Education Association is the largest employee organization in the country devoted to the advancement of public education. While not solely devoted to the arts, they are a primary vehicle through which educators can promote the importance of the arts to those with the power to influence our educators nationwide. For Arts Education week, they have created a hub for sharing information. The site also includes links to other organizations planning arts-related events and activities. To learn more, visit Arts Education Partnership.
Art is Everywhere
There is so much evidence out there to support the desperate need we have for arts education and appreciation. Need more? Just go to any museum… local, national, or regional. What do you see there? Art… all types of art. Since the beginning of time, art has been our primary form of communication. Civilizations throughout history have communicated using dance, theater, painting… the visual arts. Even the clothes we wear, the signs we see in the street everyday, the jewelry we flaunt.. .it all conveys a message and it was all born of creativity and vision… the arts. They ARE important.
Charles Fazzino working on an interactive art project with students from a local elementary school.
