Transformational Art Education Leaders: Expanding Intersections of Professional Expertise to Enhance Art Education Practices

Transformational Art Education Leaders: Expanding Intersections of Professional Expertise to Enhance Art Education Practices

The field of art education needs intellectual leadership as an advocacy, research and practice tool to cope with policy changes, educational reforms, and societal phenomena. National Art Education Association (NAEA) announced this year’s annual conference theme: LEAD! Share Your Vision for Art Education. This focus encouraged an expanded perspective to examine art education practice through creativity, vision, and collaboration. It charged art teachers, administrators, artists, and researchers to take action to advocate for art education within broader venues. Art and creativity play important roles that successfully foster collaboration in different educational settings; artistic and creative minds encourage leaders to make bold changes and develop innovative practices. Based on qualitative research spanning three years, this study examines art education leaders’ outstanding practices in arts organizations in metropolitan areas in the United States to discover their effective strategies for expanding collaborative opportunities and transforming art learning in K-12 schools, communities, and universities. Close collaboration creates innovative possibilities for art learning and art teaching. The study aims to provide an effective professional development tool for art educators, art researchers, and artists through discussing successful arts leadership that expands intersections of professional expertise and fosters collaboration among different settings and entities within art education.