National Arts in Education Week: Celebrating and Empowering Arts Education

National Arts in Education Week is a nationwide celebration recognizing the transformative power of the arts in education. This annual event highlights the essential role the arts play in shaping well-rounded, resilient students, from kindergarten to college and creative aging programs. Established by Congress in 2010, it's a time to advocate for the importance of artistic learning, innovative thinking, and creativity in homes, schools, and communities.

Resources and Updates for Art Educators

In celebration of National Arts in Education Week, several new resources and updates are available to empower and support art educators.

NAEA Professional Learning Studio: Curated Collections

The NAEA Professional Learning Studio now features Curated Collections, a growing library of resources designed to support teaching and professional development. These collections provide easy access to topic-specific resources.

National Art Education Association (NAEA) Standards

The newly reformatted standards outline the foundational components of a robust art education program. Explore how these standards can enhance your curriculum and practice.

Advocacy Resources

NAEA, the Arts Education Alliance, and other organizations offer a collection of advocacy resources.

"Art for All" Advocacy Design Competition

NAEA invites all National Art Honor Society (NAHS) and National Junior Art Honor Society (NJAHS) students to participate in the “Art for All” Advocacy Design Competition!

Virtual Conversations for Art Educators

A new program is designed to bring art educators together for rich, collaborative, virtual conversations.

Digital Subscriptions to Arts Education Publications

NAEA members will soon have digital subscriptions to two publications from Taylor & Francis: Arts Education Policy Review and an additional publication to be announced, in addition to Art Education Journal and NAEA News.

NAEA26 National Convention

NAEA26 is taking place March 5-7 in Chicago, IL, and registration is open now! NAEA members receive discounted pricing on registration and can get the lowest rate by registering before November 21.

Participating in National Arts in Education Week

There are many ways for individuals, organizations, and networks to participate in National Arts in Education Week and help spread the word about the importance of arts education.

Read also: Eligibility for National Awards

Americans for the Arts Events

Join Americans for the Arts for a dynamic conversation with arts education changemakers from across the country, including Alorie Clark, Jacob Fowler, Lilia Gonzáles-Chávez, Mary Cogswell, and Shannon McCue.

The Art of Education University (AOEU) Resources

The Art of Education University (AOEU) celebrates the incredible impact of art teachers. Explore how the arts elevate learning and lay the foundation for lifelong success.

Articles Highlighting Visual Arts

Explore a curated collection of articles that highlight how the visual arts empower learners, advocate for the importance of art education, and equip educators with the tools to champion their programs.

Online Community for Art Educators

Join thousands of art educators in a dedicated online space to share ideas, celebrate creativity, and support each other.

Research and Insights

Each year, The Art of Education University gathers and analyzes feedback from thousands of art educators to better understand the evolving landscape of visual arts education.

Ready-to-Use Tools

Download classroom posters, a digital planner, guides for new teachers, and higher ed planning resources designed for art educators.

PTA's Role in Arts Education

PTA believes all students of all grades deserve the opportunity to take part in the arts, both in school and in the community. PTA actively works to ensure that every child has access to high-quality arts learning experiences. By participating in a national arts celebration, PTAs can amplify their local impact on a national stage, showcasing how their support for the arts transforms student lives and strengthens school communities.

Engaging with PTA

Follow along on social media and repost student spotlights.
Encourage your network to check out talented student artists.
Mark your calendars for Reflections Week.

Americans for the Arts Campaign: 50 Stories, 50 States

In honor of National Arts & Humanities Month, Americans for the Arts is launching 50 Stories, 50 States, a national storytelling campaign inviting Americans everywhere to share how the arts and humanities have shaped their life, community, or identity.

Spread the Word: Download the Toolkit to share the campaign with your community.
Take Action: Record and submit your own video message telling us why the arts and humanities matter to you and your community.

Local Initiatives

Local stories, national spotlight: Your PTA’s efforts deserve recognition.
Invite Guest Artists or Alumni: Bring in local artists or former students to share videos that highlight how they benefited from arts education.
Organize a Community Art Walk: Display student artwork in local businesses, libraries, or community centers.
Launch a Mini Grant for Arts Projects: Offer small grants or supplies to teachers or students for classroom art projects.

PTA Resources and Programs

Get started by using our ArtsEd Leader's Guide to assess the health of the arts programs, practices and policies at your school and how well families are engaged in arts education.
Using a PTA Position Statement and Resolution, your PTA can show support for arts education in your community or state.
Invite families to learn about how artistic literacy translates into college and career readiness.
Spark creativity and celebrate participation and achievement in the arts. Learn more at PTA.org/Reflections/StartYourProgram.
Supports PTAs in strengthening family-school partnerships that support arts education. See how Schools of Excellence gained national recognition by using the program to expand arts programming in there school community here.
Encourage families and your school community to use art-making activities to foster family engagement and fun!

Reflections Program

For over 50 years, the National PTA Reflections arts program has furthered the goals of the program founder, Mary Lou Anderson. Mary Lou Anderson believed in the power and importance of the arts and dreamed that Reflections would leave a lasting impact on children across the country - and it has! Reflections has helped millions of students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life. National PTA is proud to continue Mary Lou Anderson's legacy of Reflections through the Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant. Curious how past grantees have used the grant funds?

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the Arts

National PTA believes that diversity, equity and inclusion enhances and deepens the impact of the arts in our communities. Celebrate diversity in the arts using our Diversity Arts Celebration Guide to offer students positive reinforcement for participation in arts programs, while also fostering inclusivity. Take a diversity in the National PTA arts pledge to highlight your PTA's commitment to expanding diversity in your arts programming.

Student Voices

National PTA believes that the arts are a great platform for our children and youth to elevate their voice. The 2020-2021 Reflections theme, I Matter Because…, reaffirmed this as it took on new meaning and allowed National PTA to connect with the thoughts and feelings of many of our Black and Brown children.

ArtsEd: In their own words!

We asked our 2023-2024 PTA Reflections national winners why creating art is important to them.

"Art helps me use my brain in different ways than I usually do. It’s fun to express yourself without using words. Or if I don't use words when creating , I do it in a different way than I normally would."
"For me, art acts as a means of self-expression and exploration, fostering creativity and cultural understanding."
"First of all, I love to do it! It helps me think in a different way of things. To look in a new perspective! And second, it helps me express myself and my feelings and just be me!"

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