Young Audiences of Louisiana Celebrates National YA Week to Raise Support for Arts in Education
Join Us As We Reflect on the Year and 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, Young Audiences of Louisiana (YALA), 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 YALA, 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.
Like many arts in education providers, YALA made the complete shift to online programming in March of 2020. Teaching artists and programs staff worked remotely to plan, produce and edit content that would maintain our connection to our partners, schools and families.
“Our goal was to take what we were already doing and package it into something that could be helpful to educators and families even without the physical presence of a teaching artist,” said Jenny James, Director of Education and Programs. “We wanted to bring our community a genuine arts experience that was similar to the one they are familiar with during live workshops or classes, but we also had to take our medium into account.”
“YALA thanks the generous funders who responded quickly to assist their efforts; specifically: The Helis Foundation, Institute of Mental Hygiene, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education.”
YALA thanks the generous funders who responded quickly to assist their efforts; specifically: Baptist Community Ministries, The Helis Foundation, Institute of Mental Hygiene, the W.K. Kellogg Foundation, and the U.S. Department of Education. The results continue to speak to YALA’s diligence.
Despite running at 50% capacity, YALA’s after-school enrichment program served 300 children across five schools.
YALA’s maintained communication with education partners at Orleans Parish early learning centers and distributed over 300 art supply bags for children, educators and caregivers. The team is preparing to distribute 200 more art supply bags throughout the spring.
Unable to enter Jefferson Parish elementary schools, YALA connected with educators with virtual residencies utilizing synchronous and asynchronous classes.
Additionally, YALA produced 70 online workshops for children throughout the Greater New Orleans Region, focusing on engaging children in pre-school through fifth grade.
New Orleans parents shared their excitement.
“Young Audiences of Louisiana after-school program at Audubon Gentilly has been nothing less than awesome,” said a local parent. “My daughter looks forward to those hour-long piano sessions on a weekly basis. YALA staff continues to remain very professional and a A+ organization.”
“My daughter looks forward to those hour-long piano sessions on a weekly basis. YALA staff continues to remain very professional and an A+ organization.”
Another parent expressed gratitude for the impact YALA Artsplay! at Home is making on her early learner.
“Your class is such a beautiful treat to our Saturday,” she said. “When we were looking at the sky this evening, [my daughter] brought up the painting with the Buffalo Soldiers. You are making quite an impression on her.”
For YALA, the challenges of the past year and response from the New Orleans community prove that the arts are not only essential to children, but that they are one of the tenets of a complete education. The nationally-recognized YA week allows the community to see that impact on a greater scale.
“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.”
“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”
During YA Week, YALA invites you to
Talk to a Teacher: Listen to what educators have said about the impact of arts in education on their students.
Meet the YA Network: See the work that Young Audiences affiliates are doing around the country to promote arts in education
Take time for an Art to Heart: Reflect upon the past year by sharing highlights from YALA Art to Heart, a series dedicating to supporting social and emotional learning in young children.
Learn How the Arts Raised Us: Discover the past and present connections between YALA team members and the arts. They will also share how it has impacted their journey.
Celebrate the arts with Simply Arts: Join us as we celebrate the arts by spotlighting more amazing teaching artists through our art skill-building workshop series, Simply Arts.
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 of Louisiana
Young Audiences of Louisiana (YALA) is the leading provider of arts education and integration programs in the state of Louisiana. Founded in 1962 to bring chamber musicians into local classrooms, YALA has adapted and evolved to meet the ever-changing needs of youth throughout the state through our mission of “inspiring, empowering, and uniting children and communities through education, arts, and culture.” YALA offers a comprehensive and creative approach to educating young minds. Fortified with years of experience, YALA draws upon New Orleans’s strong arts culture to provide young people with tools to impact their worlds using art. Through school performances, arts-integrated residencies, extended learning programs and community workshops YALA not only impacts the children of New Orleans, but make intentional contact with the influential adults in their lives.
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