EDITOR’S LETTER: APRIL 2026

When I started teaching in 2001, I was told by fellow art educators that advocacy is an important part of this profession. I wasnʼt sure what they meant or what it looked like. What does it mean to advocate for your art program, students, and art education? Who are the stakeholders that should be part of that conversation? How much time does it take, or how often do I engage in it? Even if I couldnʼt define what advocacy was at that time, I felt it as I walked through the halls of a new school.

Here are four practices I have found invaluable:

• Demystify advocacy. What does advocacy look like today in our profession? What do others see? In what ways can we bring others to the table?
• Voice matters. Speak up and let your voice be heard. Although we tend to lead with our experiences and heart to bring attention and/or change inside our art room or school culture, it is important to communicate through numbers and documentation. Action research is a great way to gather data to start that conversation.
• Welcome stories. Sharing stories from district, local, state, and national perspectives creates an overview of the impact that art education, curriculum, and arts programming have on our students, profession, and community. Testimonials, photos, and videos are effective artifacts to show how creativity, voice, and personal growth are empowered through art education.
• Write for SchoolArts. Advocacy should be integral in everything we do with students. Change will happen, but it will take time, patience, perseverance, and accountability. Why not share your story?

In This Issue (Links to come)
You will be introduced to a variety of authors who share their unique perspectives on how, what, and why advocacy is essential in art education, ranging from curriculum development, community events, mentorships, collaborations, and professional development.

In the early childhood article, “Preservice Perspectives on Advocacy,” Reilly Powers taps into how the complexity of advocacy can be broken down into small, digestible tidbits of information and ideas that carve a path to understanding, implementation, and community building. By increasing student engagement at a young age, one can develop young advocates for the arts for life.

Holly Bess Kincaid’s lesson, “Art Read Think Day: Illustrated Dictionary Pages as Visual Voice,” was sparked by a childhood memory that led to the reinvention of an old dictionary into word-inspired modern stories, illustrated by middle-school students. The combination of literacy and creativity opens the door to imagination, excitement, and engagement, experienced through the community event, Art Read Think Day.

At the high-school level, Linda Kieling’s “Awareness, Understanding, & Change through Advocacy” shares how advocacy can be used as a tool for program growth and teacher and student development. Creating interactive opportunities for audience participation, building partnerships with local businesses to raise awareness, and service learning through the National Art Honor Society are some ways to get the community excited and involved.

Each year gets overwhelming with new building and district initiatives, administration, policies, curriculum, class sizes, and more. Art education is ever-changing. This school year, my students and I have been engaging in one of Dr. Gholdy Muhammad’s 5 Pursuits: Joy. Being present, inviting colleagues and staff to swing by the art room to engage with students, has created a richer culture of transparency and increased engagement. What has been your go-to advocacy tool?