For nearly 30 years, the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA) have supported the Professional Development Institute (PDI) for state arts agency arts education managers. The PDI provides meaningful leadership development and technical assistance for this diverse field. As a result, arts education managers are knowledgeable leaders in their field through a peer network that new and seasoned managers alike find invaluable.
The 2022 PDI took place in Kansas City, Missouri from Monday, September 19 to Wednesday, September 21.
The purpose of this year’s PDI was to continue to explore issues related to diversity, equity, access and inclusion in arts education, specifically what the evolution of K-12 arts education policies and practices looks like in statewide education systems in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. PDI attendees examined the job-specific leverage points available to them in their role as state arts agency arts education managers, and learned and practiced applying an asset based approach to specific planning and professional development goals unique to their agencies and states.
Guiding Question & Outcomes
The 2022 PDI agenda responded to the following guiding question:
How can state arts agency arts education leaders use their unique role to reimagine and build equitable, enduring arts education ecosystems in their states?
Building on learning outcomes from previous PDIs, such as effectively using data to define and decrease equity gaps in arts education policy and practice, and positioning state arts education leaders as drivers of change, 2021 PDI outcomes were:
- Learning Outcome 1: Participants will consider methods that cultivate and support equitable relationships with arts education constituents.
- Learning Outcome 2: Participants will explore strategies to build effective statewide arts education coalitions.
- Learning Outcome 3: Participants will identify available tools to influence the statewide arts education ecosystem.
