PTA believes all students deserve the opportunity to take part in the arts, both in school and in the community. The arts can positively affect entire school culture—especially student motivation, attitudes, and attendance—which encourages students to stay in school, succeed in school, succeed in work, and succeed in life!
Help PTA ensure that every child has access to-and takes part in-high quality arts learning experiences. Use the ArtsEd Toolkit to grow family and community engagement for arts education at your school.
PTA ArtsEd Toolkit
Whether you're new to PTA or an experienced leader, the PTA ArtsEd Leader's Guide and Appendices will help you establish an ArtsEd team, assess arts programs, practices and policies at your school and engage more families in school decision-making. By the end of the school year, your PTA will be able to accomplish one or more of the following:
- Increase student access to ArtsEd opportunities.
- Secure ArtsEd resources for students and teachers.
- Strengthen family and community relationships with schools.
- Establish School ArtsEd Policies
What Can PTAs Do?
Lead a PTA ArtsEd Project to:
- Speak Up for Arts Education: Using a powerful PTA Position Statement and Resolution, your PTA can show important support and enthusiasm arts education.
- Host a Creative Career Fair for Families: Invite families to learn about how artistic literacy translates into college and career readiness. Learn how using the PTA Creative Career Fair Guide.
- Host a Reflections Awards Program for Students: Spark creativity and celebrate participation and achievement in the arts with the whole family. Learn how using the PTA Reflections Tools.
- Enroll in the National PTA's School of Excellence Program (May 1 - Oct. 1): Strengthen family-school partnerships in support of arts education and gain national recognition for excellence in family engagement. Learn more about National PTA School of Excellence.
Additional Resources
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Sept. 13-19, 2020 is National Arts in Education Week
- October is National Arts and Humanities Month
Americans for the Arts envisions a country where everyone has access to-and takes part in-high quality and lifelong learning experiences in the arts, both in school and in the community. Learn about new ways to support the arts during National Arts in Education Week and National Arts and Humanities Month. Find connections and partnerships in the Arts Education Field Guide. Browse the Arts Education Navigator Series and grow your confidence as a PTA ArtsEd Leader. Share these family activities.
Arts Education Partnership helps PTA to advance arts education and lead the way to student success with current research and policy insights. Visit ArtScan to learn about state education policies supporting arts education. Make your case for arts education with the help of ArtsEdSearch, a research and policy database providing summaries on academic, cognitive, personal, social, and civic outcomes for students of arts education.
Our national program supporters offer access to regional and state level arts education experts.
ArtsEd Grant Opportunity
Mary Lou Anderson ArtsEd Grant - now closed
For 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 happy to continue Mary Lou Anderson’s vision of Reflections through the Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant. This grant opportunity provides local PTAs the opportunity to match grant dollars with that of school and community partners to accomplish innovative arts education projects.
In line with Mary Lou Anderson’s vision of access to the arts education, this grant opportunity places special emphasis on increasing access among at-risk and underserved students. It is National PTA’s hope that this grant opportunity will serve local PTAs that demonstrate a commitment to providing new pathways for students to participate in National PTA’s Reflections program and increasing at-risk student's access to high quality arts learning experiences.