Arts Education Program

Arts Education Coordinator: Allison Hawkins
Allison.Hawkins@dncr.nh.gov, 603/271-0791

Purpose
The NH State Council on the Arts supports access to high quality arts education for all students pre-K through grade 12in all arts disciplines including dance, theatre, media, music, visual arts, craft, and creative writing. . Arts learning fosters positive social and emotional skills and bolsters creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. Our programming broadens access to diverse forms of artistic and cultural practices and can engage youth in contributing to community goals. Through this work, NHSCA is committed to sustaining the capacity of teaching artists and supporting their impact on local communities.

To achieve our strategic priority, "Cultivate Equitable Access to High Quality Arts Education,” NHSCA will:

• Invest in arts education opportunities for students pre K- 12 and evaluate according to quality, access, impact, and diversity.
• Partner with the New Hampshire Department of Education (NHDOE) and other stakeholders to deliver services to the field and promote state education policies that are inclusive of the arts.
• Provide statewide leadership in the advancement of arts integration including STEAM (science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics), utilizing the arts for inclusive learning in special education, and developing 21st century graduates through youth-led community initiatives.
• Design and support professional development in the arts for educators and administrators of all content areas, teaching artists, and community educational sites.

Grants
Youth Arts Projects Grants- fund high-quality educational opportunities in the arts. Arts learning fosters positive social and emotional skills and bolsters creativity, critical thinking, and collaboration. YAP grants broaden access to diverse forms of artistic and cultural practices and can engage youth in contributing to community goals. Grants fund programs in all arts disciplines including dance, theatre, media, music, visual arts, craft, and creative writing. Engaging teaching artists to lead the arts learning is a core element of this program.

Artist in Residence Grants -  Funds for Artist in Residence projects that bring juried teaching artists from our Arts Education Roster to public schools for creative learning and skills development in the arts.

Arts Education Teaching Artist Roster
A juried roster of professional Teaching Artists in all disciplines who are experienced in their fields and make a strong personal commitment to working in an educational settings. NHSCA Roster Artists receive professional development, resources, and community building opportunities.

CreativeGround is a New England-wide database of artists, creative organizations, and other participants in the region’s creative economy. This free, crowd-sourced resource enables people and businesses working with and within the creative economy to identify, connect with, and share opportunities within the arts. For arts commissions and other arts service entities, CreativeGround acts as a creative asset map to help you identify and showcase the creative businesses in your community. Hosted by New England Foundation for the Arts. NHSCA Arts Education Roster Artist have searchable profiles on CreativeGround.

Poetry Out Loud
A dynamic poetry curriculum and recitation program that supports students in their public speaking skills, builds self-confidence, and educates on their literary heritage. This program is administered nationally by the NEA and Poetry Foundation and coordinated in New Hampshire by NHSCA.

NH Arts Learning Network
www.NHArtsLearning.org - A collaborative advancing Arts Education in NH by shining a spotlight on model projects, sharing professional development opportunities, resources, and connecting teaching artists and educators. 

Professional Development
Arts Partnership Conference: an evolution of the biannual Arts Education Conference that most recently convened in Fall 2023. Our event, Woven: Gathering at the Intersections, highlighted the intersection of all NHSCA program areas.
In person and virtual workshops & events addressing the needs of educators, teaching artists, and community organizations.

Arts Education Data Project: using data as a catalyst to increase arts education across the nation. New Hampshire is involved in the project and it is a combined effort of NHSCA and the Department of Education in the state.

Youth Arts Month / Student Art Month- a statewide celebration of education in music, dance, theatre, visual arts, media, creative writing, arts integration, and STEAM.

Special Partnership Initiatives
The New Hampshire State Council on the Arts works in partnership with many organizations, teachers' associations and the other New England state arts agencies to help meet the needs of New Hampshire students, teachers and teaching artists in educational settings.

Past Initiatives:
Arts Leadership Connector- an annual convening of leaders in arts education. In partnership with the Department of Education and the New Hampshire Arts Learning Network.

Last updated: February 6, 2024