Arts in Education
New Mexico Arts is committed to supporting arts education in all its various forms. Both in-school and school programs are supported through Arts in Learning funding or through general support of the many non-profit organizations funded by New Mexico Arts who work in New Mexico schools throughout the state.
NEW MEXICO ARTS:
- Funds programs for K-12 projects and residencies in the state’s schools
- Leads the Poetry Out Loud program in the state
- Presents professional development workshops for teachers and teaching artists
- Provides resources such as arts education advocacy kits, research findings, and information on funding opportunities
- Collaborates with such organizations as the NM Public Education Department, New Mexico Advisory Council for Arts Education, New Mexico Alliance for Art Education, and New Mexico Art Education Association
HIGHLIGHTED ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMS:
Poetry Out Loud National Recitation Contest
In 2009, 1,000 New Mexico high school students from across the state participated in Poetry Out Loud – a national recitation contest sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation. Eight school champions from Albuquerque, Deming, Carlsbad, Clovis, Jemez Pueblo, Las Cruces, Santa Fe, and Taos competed in the state finals. State Champion Santana Shorty, 16, of Santa Fe Indian School earned $200, plus $500 for her school library for the purchase of poetry books, and an all-expenses-paid trip to Washington, DC for the national finals where she competed against 52 other state or territory winners for $20,000 in prizes. For information on participating in Poetry Out Loud click here.
NEA Education Leaders Institute
In June 2009, New Mexico Arts led a team of state arts educations leaders to Chicago to attend the prestigous Education Leaders Institute along with teams from Alabama, Indiana, Maine and Utah. The team focused on how the state's arts education programs and arts resources could be used to reduce New Mexico's high drop out rate. In addition to the New Mexico Arts Education Coordinator Jenice Gharib (team leader), other team members included state senator and district superintendent Cynthia Nava, Assistant Secretary of Rural Education Dr. James Halloway, Director of Education at the National Hispanic Cultural Center Dr. Shelle Sanchez and Shelly Norris principal of the Arts Academy at Bella Vista.
ARTS EDUCATION FUNDING
New Mexico Arts offers two funding categories for arts education projects in or with K-12 schools. Arts Learning in Schools – Projects and Arts Learning in Schools – Residency.
Arts Learning in Schools – Projects funding supports a wide range of programs taking place in K-12 schools either during school hours or in after-school programs. These programs focus on creative process arts activities, arts activities integrated into other content areas, art history, or arts education professional development.
Arts Learning in Schools – Residencies funding supports guest individual artists teamed with certified teachers to create programs that promote learning in and through the arts for schools. (Please note that New Mexico Arts is unable to fund individuals directly due to a provision in the state constitution. Applicants must be a school district, charter school or 501(c)3.)
For full information on Arts Learning funding opportunities download the New Mexico Arts Funding Guidelines or contact the Arts Education Program Coordinator at (505) 827-6490.