Message from Robert Lynch
Even though National Arts in Education Week has come and gone for another year we know that the work taking place at the heart of arts education continues throughout the year. It is in large and small classrooms and communities across Maine where educators and artists are making a difference in the lives of learners of all ages. Many of you go about this work and play quietly and go unnoticed. You are the heroes of arts education!
I ask you to pause for a moment and consider what it would be like if you took the time to let others know about your work. Would it make a difference in your community and/or school? Could it provide a brighter future for that individual you are teaching or perhaps hundreds of others?
We need effective educators and supporters of arts education to use their voices beyond National Arts in Education Week. Think about stepping up and asking for a seat at the table – taking on a leadership role so the voice of arts education is recognized. It can make a difference for one learner and many learners.
Robert Lynch, the President and CEO of Americans for the Arts (AFTA), put out a call on this very topic. AFTA is committed to “empowering diverse leadership across the education field, in every state and every community from coast to coast.” READ MR. LYNCH’S BLOG POST and consider what your role is beyond teaching and supporting arts education.
The arts in America is big business — a $704 billion-a-year business, according to Department of Commerce figures. Nearly a fifth of that economic activity, $134 million, is generated by the nation’s 100,000 arts and culture nonprofits, as are millions of jobs, says Robert Lynch, president of Americans for the Arts. You can listen to the podcast by 
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