MEDIA RELEASE: Maine Declares March a Celebration of Arts Education in Our Schools
The list of observances that happen in the month of March is long and varied – the first day of Spring, Women’s History Month, National Foreign Language Week, Deaf History Month – and included in that list is the opportunity to celebrate arts education in our schools for the entire month! In Maine and across the nation we take time throughout the coming month to recognize the value of the arts in the education of the whole child.
Recently, at a celebration of and for arts education advocacy throughout Maine, Governor Janet T. Mills delivered remarks celebrating the rich traditions and history that arts, artists, and arts education continue to play in the social fabric of Maine’s citizenry.
She, as well as the Maine Department of Education, encourage you to safely celebrate the role that the arts and arts education play in your local communities by encouraging and supporting the efforts of students at all levels. Without their dedication and determination to explore their artistic selves, many of Maine’s youth would miss out on opportunities to build a strong foundation of 21st-Century skills with which to be successful in a post-secondary school world. We, at the Maine Department of Education, are proud of our steadfast arts educators for their perseverance during this difficult time, and applaud their attitudes toward innovation and adaptation so that students have opportunities to continue exploring the artist within each one of them.
Due to the ongoing pandemic, Maine will be celebrating “Arts Education in Our Schools Month” a bit differently than in past years. But rest assured that celebrations are happening in the form of virtual art shows, concerts, and performances of all kinds. Contact your local school to see how you can support the students and arts educators throughout the month of March – and how you can see, hear, feel, and experience the amazing works of art that come in all forms from students of all ages.
For more information on “Arts Education in Our Schools Month”, and how you can celebrate with your local community, contact Jason Anderson, Visual and Performing Arts Content Specialist at the Maine Department of Education (jason.anderson@maine.gov; 207-592-3524).
