Teaching Artists Guild is growing!
We are proud to announce a new chapter in the history of Teaching Artistry in the United States. Over the past 30 years, our burgeoning profession has grown from relative obscurity to become the backbone of arts education delivery, affecting the educational environment in schools, community centers, and other learning settings across the US. In the last few years, the field of Teaching Artistry has taken several giant leaps forward, with national convenings, greater recognition and focus from progressive funders, and new and stronger networks that are helping to raise the voice of the teaching artist and connect our disparate community.
The next step forward in this development? Statewide chapters, backed by a national body, that can cater more specifically to the needs of teaching artists in distinct and diverse regions. The first of these chapters is actually an evolution of some fantastic work that has been going on for years. The Teaching Artists Support Collaborative of California is now becoming TAG of CA.
As a strong, well-equipped network of professional teaching artists in California, TAG of CA is picking up TASC’s good work: building public awareness for the value and role of teaching artists in the community, sharing best practices and resources for delivering quality arts education experiences, and advocating for the professional status of teaching artists.
For teaching artists working in California, this development means stronger representation for CA teaching artists’ needs nationally, as well as more focused and tailored service from TAG within the state of CA.
We encourage teaching artists working in California to serve on the advisory group for TAG of CA. Joining the advisory group presents a unique opportunity to connect with other leaders (emerging and established) in the field, as well as an opportunity to play a meaningful role in the development of specific initiatives for teaching artists within the state. You can apply to the advisory committee here (link).
Some of the exciting projects you can expect to see from TAG of CA:
- The CA pilot of the Teaching Artists Asset Map
- In-person professional development and networking events
- “Teaching Artist 101” professional development workshops for rural California communities
Funders and stakeholders in California are increasingly recognizing the incredible value that teaching artists provide to our educational ecosystem. TAG statewide networks are a natural next step in the growth of our national teaching artist community. If you are the leader of an organization doing arts education work in California, please be sure to join us on this journey. Today, we announce a new page of the TAG website specifically catering to the needs of California teaching artists. Please visit us online at http://teachingartistsguild.org/california
Yours in Community,
Jean, Kenny, and The TAG National Advisory Committee