Celebrate National YA Week To Raise Support for Arts in Education!

Join Us To Celebrate National Young Audiences Arts for Learning Week (YA Week), March 28-April 10

As an affiliate of Young Audiences Arts for Learning (YA), the nation’s largest arts in education network, YANJEP, is participating in the annual YA Week advocacy initiative to spotlight the impact of arts-integrated teaching and learning. First championed by Conductor Leonard Bernstein in 1971, YA Week has grown into an annual, two-week celebration of arts in education.

This year’s festivities center around spotlighting innovative virtual programs pioneered by YA affiliates, including YANJEP, and advocating for the ongoing value of the arts for young people and communities during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond in collaboration with the Arts ARE Education movement.

“YA week reminds us we are part of a robust and vibrant network of arts education organizations across the country, all committed to our mission: “To inspire young people and expand their learning through the arts,” shared Michele Russo, YANJEP President & CEO. “We celebrate the power of the arts with teaching artists, teachers, students and our peers across the YA network.”

“YA Week is an opportunity to showcase and celebrate the deep and demonstrable impact of an arts-integrated education on students’ learning, engagement, and social emotional wellbeing,” said David A. Dik, National Executive Director of Young Audiences Arts for Learning. “We are proud to work collectively with our affiliates each YA Week to bring national and local awareness to the continued importance of the arts within a well-rounded education for all young people.”

Stay tuned to www.ya.org/yaweek to explore virtual learning innovations across the YA Network and for advocacy resources to help protect funding for arts programs that support the well-being of students and school communities across the country.

About Young Audiences Arts for Learning NJ & Eastern PA

Founded in 1973, Young Audiences Arts for Learning NJ & Eastern PA is the premier arts-in-education resource in the region, providing teaching artist-led performances, workshops, residencies, and teacher professional learning programs to schools in all 21 counties of New Jersey and the 7 easternmost counties of Pennsylvania. Young Audiences’ extensive professional teaching artist roster represents all art forms—from dance and theater to music, language and visual arts. Since its founding, the organization has reached over 15 million children in its nearly 50-year history.

A not-for-profit organization, Young Audiences’ mission is to inspire young people and expand their learning through the arts. Students are the center of our work. Our vision is that every child will have rich and meaningful arts experiences as part of their education. YA continually strives to create spaces that are diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible to all students and is committed to providing students of all identities, backgrounds, and experiences with arts education in which their creativity, cultures, abilities, and identities are validated, included, and nurtured.

YA’s programs are designed to strengthen the arts in schools, meet local and state curriculum standards, and enrich cultural life in New Jersey and Pennsylvania communities.

Young Audiences is the first arts education organization designated as a major service organization by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and, as part of the national network of Young Audiences, Inc., was awarded the National Medal of Arts by President Clinton. Young Audiences programs are made possible in part through a grant from the New Jersey State Council on the Arts/Department of State and Pennsylvania Council of the Arts. Additional funding comes from foundations, corporations and generous individuals. To learn more, visit www.yanjep.org. To be “social” with us, join us on Facebook, follow us on Instagram and Twitter @YAAFLORG.

About Young Audiences Arts for Learning

Founded in 1952, Young Audiences Arts for Learning’s mission is to inspire young people and expand their learning through the arts. We are the nation’s largest arts in education network, comprising local affiliates across the country that collectively impact over 5 million young people each year. The national Young Audiences Arts for Learning network works collaboratively to advance arts in education through advocacy, communications, fundraising, program development, professional learning, and other support. To explore our national network, please visit: www.youngaudiences.org/network