Arts Ed NJ will host its second annual Youth Arts Ed Summit on Saturday, January 25th, 2025, from 10:00am to 1:00pm. This free virtual event represents the culmination of work by the organization's Youth Arts Education Council. This Council was established to amplify student voices and perspectives and drive meaningful change in New Jersey’s arts education landscape.
Click here to register for this free event.
The Summit features expert-led panel discussions on:
* Effective Arts Education Advocacy Led by the Youth Arts Ed Council
* Pathways to the Career you Want: Industry professionals and career consultants share how to pursue a creative career via college or alternative pathways.
* Careers in the Arts with industry professionals including: Playwright, Ngozi Anyanwu; Manager of Theater and Dance Education Programs at Ensemble Arts Philly - Mark Wong; Director of Individual Giving at Sesame Street Workshop - Reynaldi Lindler Lolong; Executive Director at Americans for the Arts Action Fund - Nina Ozlu Tunceli; Creative Director of Character Design at Sesame Workshop, Louis Henry Mitchell and more!
The event begins with a pre-summit preview at 9:40am and includes exclusive giveaways throughout the program. All interested participants are welcome to attend this free virtual event.
Under the guidance of Program Director Monifa Kincaid, the Youth Arts Education Council has been meeting since July 2024, engaging in sessions focused on artivism, school board engagement, and public relations strategies. The Council comprises 20 diverse high school students from across New Jersey, currently led by first-year council alumni Alexa Rowe and Maithili Chaudhary. These young leaders collaborate on multimedia projects, interact with guest speakers, and play an integral role in planning the upcoming summit.
“Being able to collaborate with other students to create murals fueled my passion for the arts and showed me the positive impact the arts can have on young people, which is what initially inspired me to join the Youth Council,” said Maithili. “Being part of the council allows me to explore how the arts can drive positive change in our communities, and I’m eager to learn more about how we can make arts education more inclusive and impactful,” said Alexa.
"The Youth Arts Education Council represents the next generation of arts advocates and leaders," said Wendy Liscow, Executive Director of Arts Ed NJ. "Their fresh perspectives and passionate voices are helping to reshape arts education across New Jersey, creating more inclusive and dynamic learning environments for all students."
Council members are developing crucial skills in advocacy, creative problem-solving, and community engagement while working to champion arts education in their schools and communities. Their initiatives include exploring the intersection of arts and social justice, developing strategies for engaging with school administrators, and creating effective advocacy campaigns.
The general public can support Arts Ed NJs mission and our youth initiatives by donating online or through Venmo.
This year's Summit is made possible thanks to the generous support of the National Endowment for the Arts, NJ State Council on the Arts, and The Henry S. and Agnes M. Trusack Foundation. Sponsorships and ads are available for purchase. Learn more here or for information, please contact [email protected]
Arts Ed NJ is a collective impact coalition of statewide partners that works to ensure that all New Jersey Prek-12 public school students participate in a high-impact, sequential, equitable arts education that celebrates diverse lived experience and artistic expression and prepares the creative leaders of tomorrow.
