Welcome to the NH Arts Learning Network

On July 26, 2010, the U. S. House of Representatives passed a resolution designating the second week of September as Arts in Education Week to promote and showcase the immense role arts education has in producing engaged, successful, and college- and career-ready students. 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.”

There are many ways you can celebrate Arts in Education week and advocate for arts education in your school and community. We invite you to read about some of these here.

1. Take a few minutes to send a Letter to the Editor of your local paper, explaining why the arts matter in education! Write your own or use this template from Americans for the Arts.

Download and post our
Arts Education Week poster.

2.   Post your Arts Ed Story on social media. Use the hashtag #BecauseOfArtsEd. People from all walks of life can share stories of the transformative power of the arts in their own education and the impact of the arts in their work and life.
3.   Celebrate Arts Ed week in your school/organization. Decorate a bulletin board, highlight student projects, write a message in your school/organization newsletter. Organize a pop-up or drop-in arts activity for students and staff.
4.   Send an email to your principal, administration, and school board, letting them know it’s Arts Education week and sharing a couple of arts-related ideas, activities or events you’re excited about this school year.
5.   Sign up for a fall professional development opportunity. Challenge yourself! What workshops and development will help you grow as a teacher, artist, and person? How will connecting with other educators and community leaders energize your work?
6.   Talk about arts learning with family and friends. Successful grassroots movements start with the local. Does your inner circle know why you’re passionate about arts education? What transformative experiences have you seen students have in your school or community?
7.   Dig deeper into the Every Student Succeeds Act. Read about how the arts can play an important role in the implementation of ESSA.
8.   Celebrate your school successes by writing a short Spotlight for our website. Was one of your lessons or units wildly successful? Have you integrated arts into other classroom subjects? Have you had an artist in residence or afterschool program that you want to share with the world? Write a short description and photos, audio, or video, and we will consider it for a model spotlight on our website.
9.   Reinvest in your own Arts Education. As lifelong learners, our teaching and sharing improves as we continue to immerse ourselves in art making. Carve out a couple of hours for your own studio time, let yourself take the time to see a theatre performance, sign up for a class, make time for a few creative exercises….
10. Engage in online conversations about Arts Ed week and the important role the arts have played in your life. Almost everyone has an arts story to tell! After you share your own post, search the hashtags #BecauseofArtsEd and #ArtsEdweek to contribute to the national conversation.

And we encourage you to check out a variety of great resources and ideas at these sites:
Americans for the Arts
Arts Education Partnership
National Education Association

We support quality Arts Education for all New Hampshire students by:

Increasing communications and connections among key stakeholders
Sharing and leveraging resources, research and ideas for growth and sustainability
Encouraging best practice in arts teaching and learning (in and out of school)
Providing an open forum for policy discussion and information
Raising awareness of the value and benefits of arts learning
Fostering collaborations and partnerships that support arts education in our state

Fall Professional Development Opportunities

Dates	Location	Local & National Professional Development Opportunities
October 5-7	Denver, CO	Arts Education Partnership National Forum: The Arts Leading the Way to Students Success
October 15	Manchester, NH	NH Art Educators’ Association State Conference Art Inspiring Environments
October 16	Durham, NH	NH Music Educators Association October Music Fest and Fall All-Member Meeting
October 20	Plymouth, NH	Educational Theatre Collaborative Far From the Home I Love: Creating Artwork with a Sense of Place
November 11-12	Grapevine, TX	SEADAE Arts Assessment Symposium Advances in Arts Assessment
November 11-12	Claremont, NH	NH State Council on the Arts The Arts are Essential, NH Arts Education Partnership Conference

This year's NH Arts Education Partnership Conference will explore how the arts are essential to a well-rounded education; contribute to a strong school culture and community climate; reach all learners; are integral for STEAM learning; and teach 21st Century skills. The 22nd annual conference is a great professional development and networking opportunity for educators, teaching artists, parents, and school leaders. The conference provides focused time and unique resources to encourage exploration of the power of the arts to improve learning and build community. The conference is organized by the NH State Council on the Arts in partnership with the Arts Alliance of Northern New Hampshire. More information.