Spotlight on Arts Education: National Arts in Education Week, September 9-15
Next week, September 9–15, 2012, marks the third annual National Arts in Education Week. This resolution, passed by the U.S. House of Representatives in July 2010 in support of the declaration, provides many reasons why arts education warrants a national week of attention and recognition. The following are a few of the many reasons we celebrate arts in education.
- 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.
- Arts education enables students to develop critical thinking and problem solving skills, imagination and creativity, discipline, alternative ways to communicate and express ideas, and cross-cultural understanding, which supports academic success across the curriculum as well as personal growth outside the classroom.
- As the Nation works to strengthen its foothold in the 21st century global economy, the arts equip students with a creative, competitive edge.
- Where schools and communities are delivering high-quality learning opportunities in, through, and about the arts for children, extraordinary results occur.
Let’s use this national platform to draw attention to the benefits of arts education, and to celebrate arts education providers both in and outside of the school setting.
Throughout the week, the Arizona Commission on the Arts will highlight current arts learning news and resources on the azarts417 blog; we hope you’ll tune in to learn more about arts education advocacy, the intersection between the arts and Common Core, and why The Choice is Art.
Also, in honor of National Arts in Education Week, the early registration rate for the Joint Arts Education Conference (JAEC) has been extended to September 16th. The conference offers an opportunity for Arizona’s arts learning community to come together, to learn from each other, to be inspired, and to envision what the future can look like for our students, when every week is arts in education week.
The Joint Arts Education Conference is presented by the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Arizona Department of Education, and hosted by the Mesa Arts Center. The conference will take place October 15, 2012, and provides professional development and networking opportunities for teaching artists, educators, arts administrators, and arts education advocates.
For a full conference agenda and to register, visit www.azarts.gov/jaec.
