Arts Education Alliance

Photos Credit: Will Bucquoy

The Sonoma County Arts Education Alliance (AEA) is a coalition working to improve the lives of Sonoma County students through equitable access to high quality arts education. 

  • Members include representatives from arts organizations, certificated arts teachers, teaching artists, schools and districts, parents, businesses and nonprofits, and other interested Sonoma County residents.
  • Members participate in various ways and capacities, which are described below under AEA Committees and Working Groups. 
  • Sign up for the mailing list to receive important and timely updates about local arts education, advocacy, and opportunities to participate!
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On this page:

AEA SPONSORED/RECOMMENDED EVENTS AND OPPORTUNITIES:

Join this statewide webinar to learn about action steps you can take to advocate. 

April 23 at 10am. Learn more HERE

Join the journey of exploring how arts change our lives! More info HERE

Any Education Leader from a Sonoma County Arts Organization is welcome to join this virtual cohort. Discuss relevant topics, learn what strategies others are using, and find out what’s going on in the County. 

Questions or interested? Contact Ashleigh Worley at aworley@lutherburbankcenter.org

We want YOU to join the conversation at the May Arts Now Meetup! Come to meet and reconnect with your fellow arts education advocates on 5/21/24 at 11am. 

Register HERE

AEA RECOMMENDS:

Use Creative Sonoma tools to find or post arts education resources!

AEA COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS

Click on any of the following groups and initiatives to learn more about what they do and who is doing it!

The AEA Steering Committee oversees the broad agenda and actions of the coalition. It sets priorities, evaluates opportunities and needs, and develops plans to achieve the objectives.

  • A list of current steering committee team members is HERE. 

Sonoma County school districts that have written strategic arts plans are welcome to participate in a Community of Practice for District Arts Leadership Teams. Two facilitated convenings are being offered in school year 2023-24 to share strategies, examples, and resources. For more information, contact debbie.yarrow@sonoma-county.org

This group of arts education advocates (artists, arts orgs, parents, teachers, business and community members) organize community resources and initiate messaging to build public will for arts education. The Advocacy Team offers presentations for parent and community groups, as well as consultations with schools and school districts. If you are interested in learning more, contact debbie.yarrow@sonoma-county.org.

Through this working group, several cohorts of leaders in local arts education have been created:  school and district administrative teams, education leaders from arts organizations, and a cohort of community advocates that completed an AEA mini-course in arts education support.

  • Examples of local community advocate coalitions are Creative Bridges in Sonoma Valley.
  • A list of the 2020 and 2022 Leadership Development Cohort can be found HERE
  • A list of the Planning Committee can be found HERE

The AEA provides consultation and offers presentations to school, district, parent, and community groups about options to financially support and sustain arts programming in the schools. 

  • For general information on local funding and other resources, explore more HERE.

The Sonoma County Arts Education Alliance has established Youth Arts Leaders to lift students into positions of leadership with their stories, their voices. YAL provides infrastructure to lift up new student leaders. A first cohort of high school students in the arts received training in areas that support advocacy and are available to present to community and school group about the impact of the arts on students. YAL represent different arts disciplines and geographic locations of the county.

To learn more about the program and presentations by YAL, visit HERE

To have a Youth Arts Leader speak to your organization or group or if you are interested in providing similar training to a group of students, contact debbie.yarrow@sonoma-county.org

If you would like more information on any of the above committees or groups, please email Debbie.Yarrow@Sonoma-County.org.

SONOMA COUNTY ARTS EDUCATION FRAMEWORK

After two years of research and collaboration across our county, the AEA released its Sonoma County Arts Education Framework in December 2019. The Framework is a countywide master plan and a tool for schools to increase equitable access to arts education throughout our county. 

  • The Framework is a FREE resource and includes a customizable Framework template.
  • Click HERE to learn more about the Framework and to see examples of Sonoma County District Arts Plans.
 
 

Implementing the Framework

Creative Sonoma offered grant funding and consultation for local schools and districts to implement the Framework. The AEA has created systems of leadership, learning, and convening to support district plans. See above under “AEA COMMITTEES AND WORKING GROUPS”

An education in the arts is an essential and necessary part of every student’s development.  Funded by the William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, these awards will support Sonoma County public school districts to create an arts education plan or present a student-featured arts showcase. Learn more HERE

This Creative Sonoma grant program provides funding to Sonoma County Public School Districts to develop, enhance or implement their strategic arts plans. Application workshops take place on June 15 and August 25, 2022. Made possible by funding from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation. Learn more, register for workshops, and apply HERE.

Guerneville and Horicon School Districts were selected to receive this award, funded by the California County Superintendent Educational Services. The districts are tailoring strategic plans utilizing the arts to address district priorities utilizing the arts. Learn more about the award HERE.

Learn how three grantees implemented their arts education plans as a result of this grant, funded by the Sonoma County Office of Education, HERE.