For over 25 years, TAG has been at the forefront of a movement to uplift those who bring art, creativity, and healing into communities. TAG’s history is one of collaboration between artists, collectives, and organizations from across the country. 

In 1998, the Association of Teaching Artists (ATA) was founded in Poughkeepsie, NY, at a summit convened by the New York State Council on the Arts. Teaching artists, arts administrators, and leaders from across the state gathered to discuss the creation of a statewide organization to support and advocate for teaching artists. ATA was officially incorporated in September 1998, with its first major achievement in 2002: the creation of the Distinguished Service to the Field Award, the first recognition for teaching artists in New York State’s Arts in Education field.

On the other side of the country, a passionate group of educators formed Teaching Artists Organized (TAO) in California in 2004. This collective, representing a wide range of organizations, worked tirelessly to amplify the voices of teaching artists in California. By 2008, TAO had become a fiscally sponsored project of Community Initiatives. As the years progressed, both ATA and TAO took crucial steps to solidify their place in the national conversation on teaching artistry. In 2006, Dale Davis, a founding member of ATA, became its first Executive Director. In 2010, Sabrina Klein took the helm of TAO as its first Executive Director with the goal of broadening the organization’s coalition and influence.

By the early 2010s, both ATA and TAO had begun to expand their reach and services. ATA convened the first National Teaching Artists Forum in New York City in 2011, followed by the introduction of Teaching Artist Appreciation Week in May 2012, which became an annual celebration of the incredible work teaching artists do. Meanwhile, TAO rebranded as the Teaching Artists Guild (TAG), expanding its national services and creating valuable tools and a supportive community for teaching artists across the country. Under the leadership of Executive Director Jean Johnstone, TAG also established a National Advisory Committee (NAC), allowing teaching artists from all over the U.S. to contribute to the strategic direction of the organization.

In 2020, a significant milestone was reached when TAG and ATA merged to form one unified nonprofit organization. This merger combined the strengths and resources of both organizations, creating a more powerful national presence for teaching artists. This new iteration of TAG adopted a shared leadership model, with Co-Executive Directors Miko Lee and Heleya de Barros at the helm. This leadership model was part of TAG’s ongoing commitment to being a collective, practitioner-led organization. In 2021, Miko Lee stepped down as Co-ED and rejoined the NAC, with Katie Rainey stepping in as her successor. Similarly, in 2022, Heleya de Barros transitioned to the NAC and was succeeded by Kerry Warren.

As TAG continued to evolve, its legacy was preserved and shared on multiple platforms. In 2023, Emeritus NAC Member Courtney J. Boddie conducted interviews with various TAG stakeholders for her podcast Teaching Artistry with Courtney J. Boddie, documenting the history and impact of TAG and ATA through a three-part series. In these interviews, guests reflect on the journey of TAG and its predecessors, providing valuable insights into the past while offering a vision for the future:

• Episode 63, Act 1: “Collective Field Building” 
• Episode 63, Act 2: “Collaborate, Cultivate, Celebrate”
• Episode 63, Act 3: “Continuing the Continuum”

TAG’s growth at this time was also marked by its ongoing commitment to professional development and recognition in the field. ATA’s introduction of the Digital Professional Development Series in 2019 provided accessible, low-cost professional development for teaching artists across the country. With the launch of its awards, professional forums, and community-building efforts, TAG continued to honor the contributions of teaching artists while expanding its reach to support even more artists across the United States.

Throughout its history and its various iterations, TAG served as a vital space for connecting teaching artists, sharing resources, and providing support. From its early days with the Yahoo listserv, which acted as an open forum for sharing jobs and resources, to the Slack platform, TAG continually adapted to meet the needs of the teaching artist community. 

In 2024, after many years of surviving as a scrappy, grassroots organization, TAG leadership made the difficult decision to sunset its 501(c)3. There are a number of challenges that led to this decision, which you can read in this case study created by several TAG  teaching artists: “Beyond Sustainability: A Case Study on Strengthening the Teaching Artist Community.” (View the slide deck). 

Despite the difficult decision to sunset the 501(c)(3), TAG’s legacy will continue through a new chapter with the National Guild for Community Arts Education. As the only national service organization dedicated to community arts education, the Guild shares TAG’s commitment to uplifting teaching artists and fostering equity in the field.

TAG and the Guild have long been connected—many TAG tools, including the Teaching Artist Manifesto and Social Justice Resource Database, emerged from Guild Conference working groups. This shared history and aligned mission make the Guild a natural home for TAG’s digital assets and programming. With the Guild’s dedicated staff and national platform, TAG’s work will gain new stability, broader reach, and continued impact. This transition ensures teaching artists remain at the center, with opportunities for leadership, advocacy, and connection through initiatives like Unity Networks and GuildCollectives.

This new iteration of TAG is a collaborative call to action. With the Guild, TAG can help shape a more just and sustainable future for arts education—one that honors teaching artistry as both profession and practice. Together, we are stronger.