Uncertainty is the word of today. As a society, we find ourselves unable to control, predict, or be assured of positive outcomes. Markets are confused. Hiring is frozen. Massive funding cuts and job losses mount.
In the world of the arts in education, we feel the greater societal upheaval. We are uncertain about our work and the education sector itself— Is my curriculum at risk? Will my students show up for class? How can we protect our youth? How do we fill this funding gap? Will our programs suffer? Will I continue to have a job? Will our societal norms around education stand?
While I don’t have a magic wand, I do take heart from stories of colleagues. Advocacy—and a relentless focus on positive outcomes for youth– will help us feel less alone, less lost as we navigate the storm.
Students Come First
In January 2025, band director Frank Zimmerer was in his classroom at Antioch High School in Nashville when the shooting started. He kept his students safe. Though as Frank and others will tell you, the toll on mental health in the aftermath of a school shooting can be as deadly as the shooting itself. Following the tragedy, Frank and his team focused on the students and on making music, enlisting the aid of other faculty and school administrators to keep the students engaged and on track. The students responded. With little preparation time, cancelled rehearsals, missed school days, and a grieving community, the band made a triumphant appearance at a regional competition, earning high marks from the judges. This is advocacy at its finest, with a public demonstration of excellence and pride. An eloquent reminder that music can heal.
Stay Focused on Mission
Think 360 Arts for Learning is a statewide Colorado nonprofit dedicated to fostering creative learning from preschoolers to older adults. Many arts nonprofits are facing the loss of grant funding, diminishing revenues for program services, and a resulting reduction of staff. Daisy Fodness-McGowan, executive director of Think 360 Arts, is facing this moment of uncertainty with a clear understanding that advocacy is an important element of vision and leadership.
“As Executive Director of Think 360 Arts, I am leading our organization through uncertainty by doubling down on what we do best— supporting teaching artists, fostering creative learning in schools and communities, and advocating for policies that embed the arts into education statewide. Sustainability in arts education requires more than funding; it demands collective advocacy and systemic change. At the same time, we are navigating our own sustainability, underscoring the urgent need for greater support at every level to ensure this vital work continues.”
Use Data
Ingenuity was founded in 2011 to increase arts education access, quality, and equity in Chicago Public Schools in direct response to decades of arts divestment. Data is at the core of Ingenuity’s mission to advocate for arts access.
Nicole Upton, executive director of Ingenuity, says, “In the face of ongoing threats to arts education, Ingenuity continues to take action to protect and expand arts learning for all students. By using data to expose inequities and mobilizing schools, arts organizations, and policymakers around a shared vision, we are ensuring that the arts remain essential in education—no matter the political or economic climate.”
Build a Coalition
ArtsEd Tennessee is a statewide coalition dedicated to ensuring equitable access to arts education in Tennessee. As president of ArtsEd Tennessee, Stephen Coleman believes in sharing, in giving others the tools to become effective advocates. “Our free online course, Building a Strong Voice for Arts Education in Tennessee, provides arts education advocates the essential tools and training necessary to create a local arts education advocacy coalition. Change happens at the local level. By enlisting and empowering others, we will ensure that arts education thrives within local communities.”
Plan for the Future
Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) in North Carolina serves over 161,000 students, with over 600 arts teachers. Their arts-focused strategic plan is nearing completion, with advocacy embedded in the plan itself. The superintendent is one of the most vocal advocates.
Jeremy Tucker, director of arts education in WCPSS, states, “In the face of rapid change and uncertainty, our district is advancing a strategic plan for arts education that ensures equitable access to high-quality programs for all students. Important to the success of any plan, we are also actively engaging administrators and the public in understanding the profound impact of the arts on student success and community well-being.”
Advocacy in arts education is about more than promoting a piece of legislation. It is about telling the larger story. There are many more stories like the ones I’ve shared with you—stories of people who are dedicated to music and arts learning for all youth, against the odds. Ever adapting, revising, shifting to keep afloat while staying true to the mission. Our challenge is to stay energized and speak out; do not falter in the telling and re-telling of the story, a mantra that comforts in times of uncertainty.
Laurie Schell is a lifelong advocate for music and arts education. She is founding principal of Laurie Schell Associates | ElevateArtsEd, providing consulting services and issue expertise in coalition building, public policy and advocacy, strategic planning, and advocacy training.
ElevateArtsEd.org
