Urging investment in arts education and highlighting the need for every student—in every community—to have access to it, National Arts in Education Week will take place September 13-19.
Why is access to arts education so important? Look no further than a program made possible by the Oklahoma Arts Council in rural Henryetta, Oklahoma, where a former student whose life and career were changed through the arts recently brought her New York City theatre experience back to her hometown.
Director and actor Liz Bealko returned to devote hundreds of hours to local students—most of whom had no theatre experience—presenting the musical "Annie." Not only did Bealko's arts education experience inspire her to invest in her hometown, but the students she led said they felt they made a new family during the weeks of working together. Parents proudly posted videos of their teenagers singing, "It's the Hard Knock Life," and said their younger kids were inspired and are now envisioning themselves on stage someday.
One of the teachers who organized the program featuring Bealko said, "There are so many benefits, I don't think I can name them all...This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience!" See photos from the production.
In Oklahoma, National Arts in Education Week activities are being spearheaded by Oklahomans for the Arts. The nonprofit arts advocacy organization will highlight stories of arts education impact throughout the week while bringing attention to the Oklahoma Arts Education Data Dashboard, which will feature new data to help make the case for investing in arts education.
Get ready for National Arts in Education Week by taking a deeper dive into arts education's role in classroom success and workforce development.
Download these Oklahoma Arts Council resources:
