Advocacy
- Advocacy
- Grants
- Accreditation
The National Dance Association defines advocacy as “communication for the purpose of influencing others about an issue, idea or concern that is meaningful to you. It is a means to make your views or the views of others you represent to count in the decision making process. Your role as an advocate depends upon your interests and skills. You may be good at gathering information, writing a press release, speaking to a group or talking one on one with a legislator, or you may prefer to plan activities and work behind the scenes. There is a role for everyone in advocacy especially when you passionately care about and believe in the cause or idea.”
Dance/art education advocacy is organized at the national, state and local levels.
OhioDance Advocacy Statement
OhioDance is the statewide service organization for dance and movement arts. Its mission is to support the diverse and vibrant field of dance in Ohio. Since 1976, OhioDance has been an inclusive not-for-profit umbrella and advocate for information-sharing, education, partnership-building, and increased visibility for dance in Ohio, trying to serve all counties and realms of dance.
OhioDance addresses the spirit of coming together in the name of art, community, and education. Dance, as an art form, is defined by the people who engage in it. The meaning and contributions of dance are not realized unless those representatives are given venues for full action and embodiment. OhioDance allows dancers to share and benefit from their pursuits. OhioDance provides the potential to inspire and support those diverse “moving” voices by providing a system to better share their expertise and talents, and thereby better serve our community.
OhioDance draws strength from partnerships formed with other statewide arts service organizations (Art Possible Ohio, Ohio Alliance for Arts Education, Ohio Citizens for the Arts, public school systems, universities and dance companies as well as dancers.
Together our statewide service organizations provide a unique opportunity for arts education. We are united in a strong voice to support all of the arts which further promotes the educational value, artistic excellence, and joy of dance for the citizens of Ohio.
As we move into a new era for arts education as part of recently adopted legislation (SB 311) we have the opportunity to further our partnership work as we strategically develop a plan to assist schools and districts with strategies and tools to increase the capacity of educators to provide high quality instruction in arts education to all of Ohio’s students.
National
- Arts Education Partnership (AEP)
- Arts Education Partnership (AEP) “is a national coalition of arts, education, business, philanthropic and government organizations that demonstrate and promote the essential role of the arts in the learning and development of every child and in the improvement of America’s schools.” AEP “provides information and guidance to assist arts education organizations and partnerships advocate for the arts at national, state and local levels and learn about government funding at the federal and state levels. The Partnership provides information on the grant programs of two federal agencies: the U.S. Department of Education and the National Endowment for the Arts.” This site provides a valuable and searchable State Arts Education Policy database containing summaries of state policy on the following topics:
- Arts coursework requirements for non-arts teachers
- Arts requirements for college entrance
- Arts requirements for high school graduation
- Chief State School Officer statement supportive of arts education
- Current or recent state-appointed task forces or commissions relevant to arts education
- Licensure/certification requirements for arts teachers
- Licensure/certification requirements for general (elementary) classroom teachers
- Professional development requirements for arts teachers
- State arts education mandate
- State assessment measures in the arts
- State standards for the arts
- State Department of Education Contact Person
- State Department of Education’s website
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- Americans for the Arts
- Americans for the Arts is a national nonprofit organization that seeks to promote and support the viability of the arts across the national landscape so that the arts may serve as a resource for the community. Americans for the Arts partners with government agencies, business leaders, educators and other patrons and generates research and professional development programs in support of its arts advocacy position and goals. Membership is available for individuals and organizations.
- Americans for the Arts: Arts Advocacy offers extensive access to information pertaining to the pursuit of arts advocacy.
- Americans for the Arts: Arts Action Fund offers an online tool for easy access to elected officials.
- Americans for the Arts: Arts Education Advocacy links to arts education advocacy.
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- The Kennedy Center
- For educators looking to infuse the arts into their educational practices, we’ve developed a robust collection of hundreds of digital learning resources: lessons, articles, performance guides, how-tos and much more. And did we mention they’re free? https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/
- National Art Education Association (NAEA)
- National Art Education Association (NAEA) “promotes art education through professional development, service, advancement of knowledge, and leadership” for the visual arts. It provides a series of advocacy links for arts education through its Advocacy/Research page.
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- National Arts and Education Network (ArtsEdge)
- National Arts and Education Network (ArtsEdge) has a Connect: Advocacy Essentials page that offers access to “ideas, tools” and contact information “that support the role of arts in education.”
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- National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA)
- National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) “is the membership organization that unites, represents and serves the nation’s state and jurisdictional arts agencies.” Each of the 50 states and six special jurisdictions has an arts agency committed to a meaningful role for the arts and culture in the lives of individuals, families and communities. NASAA empowers the “state arts agencies through strategic assistance that fosters leadership, enhances planning and decision making, and increases resources.” The 56 State Arts Agencies receive funding from the National Endowment for the Arts. NASAA publications include Advocacy and Lobbying: Speaking up for the Arts, Arts Advocacy Checklist for Arts Organizations, Arts Advocacy Checklist for State Arts Agencies, and The NASAA Advocate: Strategies for Building Arts Support found on their Advocacy Publications page.
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- National Dance Education Organization (NDEO)
- The National Dance Education Organization (NDEO) is a nonprofit advocate organization that promotes the “importance of dance in the human experience,” supporting “dance education at the local, state, and national levels.”
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“is a national network of more than 4,100 members comprising the professional, nonprofit performing arts and presenting fields. For 30 years, the American Arts Alliance has been the premiere advocate for America’s professional nonprofit arts organizations, artists and their publics before the US Congress and key policy makers. Through legislative and grassroots action, the American Arts Alliance advocates for national policies that recognize, enhance and foster the contributions the performing arts make to America.” Dance/USA, “the national service organization for not-for-profit professional dance”, is a member organization of the American Arts Alliance.
- Project Zero
- Project Zero’s Art Survive! research study examines arts education partnerships to determine “why some partnerships survive and others do not.”
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State
provides an inclusive environment in which children and adults with disabilities are given the opportunity to celebrate life through the arts, education and creative expression. Art Possible Ohio also serves as an advocate for artists with disabilities, people with disabilities, and accessibility issues.
- Ohio Alliance for Arts Education (OAAE) “OAAE speaks on behalf of arts education before policy-makers and provides strategic input to the Ohio Department of Education, Ohio Arts Council, local arts organizations, school boards, parents, and educators. OAAE advocacy work, which includes weekly e-mail updates to our members has helped increase public awareness on such issues as operating and academic standards, the education budget, and work undertaken by the State Board of Education, Ohio Coalition for Equity and Adequacy of School Funding, and the legislature. OAAE is a member of the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network.” The latest “Arts on Line” Education update is available and there are links to past “Arts on Line” updates. The Advocacy page is underdevelopment
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- Ohio Arts Council (OAC)
- The Ohio Arts Council (OAC)“is a state agency that funds and supports quality arts experiences to strengthen Ohio communities culturally, educationally and economically.”
- OAC Resources page links to regional, state and national organizations and information.
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- OhioDance
- OhioDance “is the statewide service organization for dance and movement arts. Its mission is to support the diverse and vibrant field of dance in Ohio. For 30 years, OhioDance has been an inclusive not-for-profit umbrella and advocate for information-sharing, education, partnership-building, and increased visibility for dance in Ohio, trying to serve all counties and realms of dance.”
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Ohio Alliance for Arts Education (OAAE)
Local/Regional
Resource content and links for local advocacy are based on individual/community submissions to OhioDance.
- The Greater Columbus Arts Council (Arts Council) funds artists and arts organizations and provides marketing services that support artists and organizations through the ColumbusMakesArt.com event calendar and Artist Directory. We also produce the annual Community Arts Partnership Awards recognizing business and individual contributions to the community and the Columbus Arts Festival, the city’s welcome to summer event that takes place each June.
- https://www.gcac.org
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Northeast Ohio
- Center for Art-Inspired Learning
- Center for Art-Inspired Learning In more than 60 years, the Center for Arts-Inspired Learning (formerly Young Audiences of Northeast Ohio) has served nearly 7 million students in 18 counties through arts education, and has reached even more through our advocacy efforts, professional development, and community programs.We effectively create innovative learning experiences–closing learning gaps, teaching creative thinking and problem solving, and helping students succeed in school, in their first jobs, and beyond. We work with more than 100 professional teaching artists, experts in their fields, to tie to curricular connections and socio-emotional themes, helping children in Grades PreK-12 learn through and with the arts.
- Summit Artspace
- Summit Artspace “is a non-profit 501(c)3 advocacy organization promoting arts and cultural activities in the Summit, Portage and Medina Counties. The Education Programming Guide lists youth programming offered by Summit Artspace members to schools and youth organizations throughout Summit, Medina and Portage Counties.”
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