Advocacy Toolkit

Promote Your Visual Arts Program

Check out this list of ideas for how to advocate for your art program.

• Exhibit Student and Teacher artwork in school and in community venues
• Post lesson objective(s) / explanatory text with exhibits and displays
• Hold art receptions for exhibitions
• Invite parents, administrators, school board, district news contact, local press to exhibitions and receptions
• Advertise in school newspaper, district newsletter, local newspaper, and internet
• Create a website for your visual art program
• Participate in social media with a program specific address
• Exhibit at Open House: pictures, banners, printed information, student portfolios
• Make postcards / notecards with student art
• Create posters for exhibits
• Display art quotes in the building
• Organize an Art Club
• Create a chapter of the National Art Honor Society (NAHS)
• Join a Parent Teacher Association
• Participate in PTA "Reflections"
• Publish Eisner's Ten Lessons the Arts Teach
• Join Texas Art Education Association (TAEA)
• Enter TAEA's VASE Programs — High School VASE, Junior VASE, or TEAM
• Participate in Big Art Day (First Thursday in March)
• Participate in YAM Programs
  • Youth Art Month (YAM) (annually in March)
  • YAM Flag Contest
  • YAM Spring Exhibition
  • Present to School Board, Administrators, and Teachers during YAM
• Attend TAEA conferences and events
• Use a Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) - based curriculum
• Visit the Center for Educator Development in Fine Arts (CEDFA)
• Join the National Art Education Association (NAEA)