NAAE Calls For An Artist In Every School

The National Advocates for Arts Education (NAAE) strongly support the call for a national Artist-in-Residence program as advanced by the Australian Greens this week.

"NAAE has long called for dedicated federal funding for Artist-in-Residence programs in schools, particularly programs that have a dual focus on student learning and teacher professional learning," said NAAE Chair, Dr John Nicholas Saunders.

"We note that a call for a federally funded Artist-in-Residence program in schools was one of the key outcomes of the Australia 2020 Summit led by Prime Minister Rudd in 2008. The $300 million national Artist-in-Residence program proposed by the Greens would enable an artist to work in every school and library across Australia."

NAAE also acknowledges the previous four-year $5.2 million investment by the Australian Government in 2008 which provided Artists-in-Residence programs for schools, early childhood centres and universities.

The National Advocates for Arts Education is the network of peak national professional arts and arts education associations that represent arts educators across Australia. NAAE works with government, government agencies, teachers, schools and tertiary institutions to advocate for quality, sequential and developmental arts education in schools, develop arts education policy and promote quality teaching and learning across all five of the Arts subjects (Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music and Visual Arts) in The Australian Curriculum: The Arts.

"An extensive body of Australian and international research continues to demonstrate that Artist-in-Residence programs can have a significant impact on developing students' academic outcomes" Saunders continued. "Artist-in-Residence programs advance creativity, communication, critical thinking and collaboration skills, as well as increasing school attendance and social-emotional wellbeing. Furthermore, such programs assist the development of teacher skills and capacity."

"A best practice national Artist-in-Residence program must have a transparent competitive grant process managed by the Australia Council for the Arts, and ensure that each of the five Arts subjects - Dance, Drama, Media Arts, Music and Visual Arts - receive equal allocation of funds."

"NAAE calls for the Federal Government to provide an arts-industry specific package for COVID-19 that includes funding targeted to Artist-in-Residence programs for schools" Saunders said.