Creative Sonoma, a division of the Sonoma County Economic Development Collaborative, today announced the launch of #TeachTheArts, a new campaign to inform and encourage artists, particularly student artists, to consider a career in arts education.
The campaign was created by a committee of local arts, education, and cultural partners convened by Creative Sonoma to promote job opportunities in arts education resulting from Prop 28 funding. It is designed to boost the local arts educator workforce by highlighting the demand for arts teachers and by engaging students who have an interest in dance, theatre, music, visual art, and media arts.
Prop 28, known as the Arts and Music in Schools Act, passed in November 2022 and provides approximately $9.5 million to Sonoma County schools every year for new arts programs. For school districts with more than 500 students, 80 percent of that funding must be used on staffing arts teachers.
“I applaud Creative Sonoma for working to get the word out about this critical support for arts education in schools,” said Supervisor David Rabbitt, chair of the Board of Supervisors. “We know the important role that arts play in a well-rounded education. This campaign not only supports the student experience, but it also bolsters our education workforce.”
As part of the campaign, a new online resource, CreativeSonoma.org/TeachTheArts, is available to help individuals learn about the pathways to becoming a credentialed arts teacher or teaching artist. Additionally, an in-person College & Career Pathways in the Arts event is planned for Feb. 1, 2025. The free event will be held on the campus of Sonoma State University and is a partnership with SSU, Santa Rosa Junior College and Creative Sonoma to help students and their parents understand more about the Creative Economy, Prop 28, and career opportunities.
A recent Stanford Research Institute policy brief provides a deeper look at the need for more teachers across the state and the pathways that support teacher development. The SRI report recommends that arts funders sponsor a campaign to increase awareness and fund district arts plans. Creative Sonoma previously offered four rounds of funding to support local district arts plans.
Prop 28 is the largest investment in arts education in the United States. The funding, which has accountability requirements, is to be used for expanded arts programs to address current gaps in instruction, not to replace current funding sources.
More information can be found on CreativeSonoma.org/TeachTheArts.
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