The CMA Foundation Hosts State Of The Arts Discussion During Tennessee Arts Academy

THE CMA FOUNDATION HOSTS STATE OF THE ARTS DISCUSSION DURING TENNESSEE ARTS ACADEMY

The CMA Foundation, in partnership with Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation and the Tennessee Department of Education (TDOE), hosted a session focused on the State of the Arts initiative this week during Tennessee Arts Academy, a week-long intensive providing professional development, support, arts training and encouragement for K-12 arts educators. The session, which took place on Monday, July 11, featured an in-depth discussion with Tricia Williams, Program Director, Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, around State of the Arts, a multi-phase initiative established and led by the three organizations that uses free needs assessments to identify and understand the causes of inequities in music and arts education in Tennessee. Todd Shipley, Director of Arts Education, TDOE, also spoke to the importance of the program to the TDOE and how districts can get involved.

Currently in Phase 2, which includes the creation and execution of the State of the Arts Study, the State of the Arts program aims to develop an understanding around the varying criteria necessary for establishing high-quality arts education programs. The State of the Arts Study, a first-of-its-kind statewide arts education landscape analysis conducted by Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation, utilizes data and research to identify challenges, guide more strategic investing and philanthropic initiatives, better inform policymaking, and solve core barriers affecting the quality of arts education. To learn more about the State of the Arts initiative, visit CMAfoundation.org/state-of-the-arts/.

“As a longtime partner of the Tennessee Arts Academy, we are delighted to be able to share more information about State of the Arts with their participants,” says Tiffany Kerns, Executive Director, CMA Foundation. “A thriving music and arts community starts within the four walls of a classroom. We know that when students find their creative voice through music and the arts, magic happens. While we are incredibly excited that this statewide music and arts assessment will provide a roadmap for students within Tennessee, we are also confident that the model we’re building can be used by other states across the country to foster exceptional music and arts programs.”

“We are grateful to the Tennessee Arts Academy for providing so many Tennessee arts educators a week-long, intensive, content-specific professional learning experience,” says Shipley. “The department continues to be a strong partner in the State of the Arts program, and we thank the CMA Foundation and Mr. Holland’s Opus Foundation for championing this continued work with the State of the Arts Study. This study is a free opportunity open to all Tennessee school districts that provides participating districts, local communities, and the state with data to identify the resources and support needed to make decisions and improve access to high-quality arts education experiences for all students.”