Grateful for Arts Educators

The season of gratitude is upon us, and the Arts Ed Collaborative team is reflecting on how thankful we are for everyone who is working to ensure youth benefit from impactful arts learning opportunities.

During our annual ACTIVATE Arts Learning Conference on October 10, more than 100 educators from across the region participated in a variety of hands-on sessions all designed to perpetuate AEC’s mission: collaborating with educators to unlock the transformative power of the arts. From the inspired opening performance by Clara Kent to sessions by local teaching artists including Jacquelin Walker, Celeta Hickman, Ja’Sonta Roberts, Michelle King, and Zena Ruiz, we were honored to showcase the talents and elevate the voices of historically marginalized creators.

While words truly can’t convey the depth of the experience, ACTIVATE attendees shared meaningful responses about arts education and how to manifest liberated learning:

“Being honest with myself and those around me and embodying radical acceptance.”

“I am committed to creating spaces that embrace empathy + care + respect for all learners.”

“To empower students and young people to explore their inner world and express their truth through art.”

“I commit to bringing in experts to my classroom in order to increase knowledge + relevance. It’s ok for me not to know all the answers!”

“A safe space to explore, discuss, and create music that puts the creative power into the students’ hands.”

With your support, we can take that inspiration so much further. If you’re able to support Arts Ed Collaborative with a donation on Giving Tuesday, we can continue making programs accessible and equitable for teachers, school districts, teaching artists, and most importantly, children.

Please make a donation to AEC or browse other arts education organizations.

We can’t thank you enough for your support throughout 2022 and we can’t wait to see what 2023 will bring!