On October 28, the National Art Education Foundation (NAEF) Board of Trustees hosted its annual retreat in Alexandria, Virginia. In 2018, I was elected to serve on this board. Having a national perspective on art education as a NAEF board of trustees and as a high school art educator and member of the National Art Education Association (NAEA) has impacted my lens on important topics such as ED & I, SEL, grant funding, and educational support.

Sometimes we are so razor focused on what we are doing inside the classroom that we often do not think about the ‘bigger picture’ and what type of impact we are making. How are art educators coping with what is happening in the K-16 art education landscape? What type of support are in place to assist those that need guidance? In what ways can we use data to reveal areas in need of improvement? Or perhaps we are stretched to the limit that it is difficult to think on a local, state, or national level while we are trying to stay afloat day by day?

Strategic planning, visibility, and vision are important elements to determine how we can continue to meet the needs of our stakeholders – our members, our colleagues, our art education community. So proud to be a part of this amazing group.

Bonus: I finally visited the NAEA headquarters. Truly a magical place.

About the National Art Education Foundation

The National Art Education Foundation (NAEF) invests in innovative initiatives to support instructional practice, research, and leadership in visual arts education. Learn more about applying for a grant or donating to NAEF.

NAEF Vision Statement

As an independent, philanthropic organization, the National Art Education Foundation (NAEF) supports a wide variety of professional activities, including support for visual art educators to participate in professional development programs; the promotion of visual arts education as an integral part of the curriculum; the exploration of new models of visual arts instruction in public and private K-16 schools; the promotion of the teaching of art through activities related to the instructional process, curriculum, student learning, student assessment, management, or discipline; the purchase of equipment and/or instructional resources; and conducting research in visual arts education. NAEF has supported 316 projects since its inception in 1985. NAEF is a sister organization to the National Art Education Association (NAEA) and provides support for a variety of visual arts education programs for the Association and its members. Source: NAEF.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

•