Blog Posts for Arts Education Network

Thank you to the many people who have been blog contributors to, and readers of ArtsBlog over the years. ArtsBlog has long been a space where we uplifted stories from the field that demonstrated how the arts strengthen our communities socially, educationally, and economically; where trends and issues and controversies were called out; and advocacy tools were provided to help you make the case for more arts funding and favorable arts policies.

As part of Americans for the Arts’ recent Strategic Realignment Process, we were asked to evaluate our storytelling communications platforms and evolve the way we share content. As a result, we launched the Designing Our Destiny portal to explore new ways of telling stories and sharing information, one that is consistent with our longtime practice of, “No numbers without a story, and no stories without a number.”

As we put our energy into developing this platform and reevaluate our communications strategies, we have put ArtsBlog on hold. That is, you can read past blog posts, but we are not posting new ones. You can look to the Designing Our Destiny portal and our news items feed on the Americans for the Arts website for stories you would have seen in ArtsBlog in the past.

ArtsBlog will remain online through this year as we determine the best way to archive this valuable resource and the knowledge you’ve shared here.

As ever, we are grateful for your participation in ArtsBlog and thank you for your work in advancing the arts. It is important, and you are important for doing it.


Mr. Narric Rome

U.S. House Votes Impacting Arts Education

Posted by Mr. Narric Rome, Feb 26, 2015 0 comments


Mr. Narric Rome

Last night it was confirmed that the U.S. House of Representatives is scheduled to consider over three dozen amendments to "The Student Success Act" (HR 5), a bill to reauthorize federal education programs. This is a legislative effort last completed 13 years ago through the No Child Left Behind Act. There is a great need to improve upon that outdated legislation.

Through Friday's floor consideration in the House, members of Congress will have an opportunity to vote on HR 5 and a Democratic alternative - but both bills are expected to receive partisan vote outcomes.


 

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Mary Palmer

Arts Education and Cognitive Development

Posted by Mary Palmer, Mar 20, 2015 1 comment


Mary Palmer

I have launched my own version of a television show… for an audience of one. Henry, my first grandchild, has been my avid collaborator for over 2 years. Although we are separated by thousands of miles, we are “close” thanks to frequent video conferencing. Tours of my house and yard, co-reading books, playing with puppets, singing songs, playing instruments, counting oranges or abacus beads, and just chatting are part of our “together time.” The huge difference between my TV show and “prime time” TV is that mine is tailored to the interests and needs of Henry. He has an integral role in the choice of content as well as the pacing and types of interaction in which we engage.

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Kristen Engebretsen

VANS Inspires the Next Generation of Artists, Designers, and Innovators

Posted by Kristen Engebretsen, Jun 22, 2015 1 comment


Kristen Engebretsen

Editor’s Note: Americans for the Arts partners with VANS on their Custom Culture program. Last week in New York City was the final event of the competition, where the winning shoe design was picked. Below are remarks that our Arts Education Program Manager made during the event:

My name is Kristen, and my organization, Americans for the Arts, partners with Vans to ensure that schools all over the country have amazing arts programs, just like yours.

Custom Culture was developed to encourage high school students to embrace their creativity and inspire a new generation of youth culture.

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Ms. Kathi R. Levin

ESEA and the National Arts Standards - A Pathway to Artistic Literacy

Posted by Ms. Kathi R. Levin, Sep 15, 2015 0 comments


Ms. Kathi R. Levin

After multiple attempts and years of Congressional deliberations, the summer of 2015 finally realized the passage of two different versions - one from the Senate and one from the House of Representatives - of the reauthorization of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA). This fall, a conference committee comprised of members of both chambers will possibly finalize a compromise bill, enabling President Obama to sign a new version of ESEA into law. One of the primary components that arts education advocates hope will be in the final legislation is the inclusion of the arts as a core subject. This is something which advocates continue to push heavily for maintaining as an important statement of the value of arts learning in federal policy.

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Erik Holmgren

How do we get the arts to young people?

Posted by Erik Holmgren, Sep 17, 2015 0 comments


Erik Holmgren

The essential question that needs to be asked as Congress moves to complete the first substantive reauthorization of federal education legislation since 2001 is different than the one we may instinctively pose. It always seems that simplest truths are the most powerful and, in this case, the one thing that binds everyone reading this, is this: We believe in the arts as a powerful way to enhance the lives of young people. Young people need the arts.

With that simple seed, our guiding question in looking at federal legislation needs embrace that fundamental idea. When we look at the reauthorization of the ESEA, we need to broaden the question beyond ‘How do we get arts into schools?’ to ‘How do we get the arts to young people?’

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Ms. Kate O. McClanahan


Eleanor Shingleton

2015: what a year for the arts!

Posted by Ms. Kate O. McClanahan, Eleanor Shingleton, Dec 23, 2015 0 comments


Ms. Kate O. McClanahan


Eleanor Shingleton

2015 was a huge year for the arts! From the monumental new federal K-12 education law, the Every Student Succeeds Act, to a funding increase of $2 million for the National Endowment for the Arts, to key federal charitable tax provisions being made permanent, arts and arts education policy have progressed immensely this past year.

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