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Champion the Arts with Your PTA

PTA believes all students of all grades deserve the opportunity to take part in the arts, both in school and in the community. The arts can positively affect entire school culture—especially student motivation, attitudes, and attendance—which encourages students to stay in school, succeed in school, succeed in work and succeed in life!

Help PTA ensure that every child has access to-and takes part in-high quality arts learning experiences. Use the tools below to grow family and community engagement for arts education at your school.

ArtsEd: What Can PTAs Do?

 

As school budgets for the arts and humanities continue to shrink, PTAs continue to serve as vital champions of creativity, culture, and student well-being.
 

Celebrate the Arts

By participating in a national arts celebration, your PTA has the opportunity to amplify its local impact on a national stage—showcasing how your support for the arts transforms student lives and strengthens school communities.

October 2025: National Arts and Humanities Month

This year, during National Arts and Humanities Month, National PTA is celebrating our 2024-2025 Reflections winners and elevating their artistry on social media and PTA.org to show how the arts and humanities enrich our lives. 

Join the celebration with these ideas to get involved:

  • Follow along on our social media and repost student spotlights to your audiences. Use the hashtag #ReflectionsShowcase to join the conversation.
  • Encourage your network to check out our talented student artists. We have included a sample promotion blurb below.
  • Mark your calendars for Reflections Week: Oct. 19-25, when we’ll be turning up the spotlight on student creativity even more!
Join a National Movement: 50 Stories, 50 States
In honor of National Arts & Humanities Month, Americans for the Arts is launching 50 Stories, 50 States, a national storytelling campaign inviting Americans everywhere to share how the arts and humanities have shaped their life, community, or identity.

Here's how you can take part:

  • Spread the Word: Download this Toolkit to share the campaign with your community. Using the sample posts, letters and graphics, you can help showcase the real impact of arts and humanities in our communities.
  • Take Action: Record and submit your own video message telling us why the arts and humanities matter to you and your community. Your story will help ensure these vital creative fields continue to inspire, heal, and unite America.

How Your PTA Can Join National Arts Celebrations

These celebration times are the perfect opportunity to:

  • Promote the ways arts education boosts academic success: Students involved in the arts show improved performance in math, reading, and critical thinking.
  • Storytelling builds student voice: Celebrating student artists in your community gives young people a platform to express themselves, build confidence, and connect with their peers.
  • Local stories, national spotlight: Your PTA’s efforts deserve recognition. Participating in a national campaign elevates your work, connects you with other changemakers, and inspires broader support.
  • Arts shape school culture: From murals to music, the arts foster inclusion, empathy, and pride—making schools more vibrant and welcoming for all.

There’s no one way to celebrate—these ideas are just a starting point to spark your PTA’s creativity and help you find what works best for your school community.

Celebrations to Join
  • National Arts in Education Week: Beginning the second Sunday of September, National Arts in Education Week is an annual celebration brings attention and recognition to the transformative power of the arts in education.
  • National Arts and Humanities Month: Every October, National Arts and Humanities Month provides opportunity to celebrate the value of arts and humanities in shaping our lives, communities, and country.  
  • Youth Arts Month: Typically in March, Youth Arts Month is an annual event that focuses on elevating the value to children from participating in visual art education.
  • Advocacy & YA Week: Typically in Spring, Advocacy & YA Week is an annual advocacy and awareness initiative that aims to ensure the arts remain an integral element of a well-rounded education for all students.

 

Storytelling and Digital Media
  • Share Student Art Online: Encourage your community to post artwork and share how they have benefited from the arts using #ArtsEdWeek, #BecauseOfArtsEd, and #PTAReflections to spotlight the impact of arts education.
  • Showcase Student Creativity: Create a gallery online to celebrate student artists and their stories.
  • Host a Reflections Student Artist Spotlight: Feature a different student artist each day (like last year’s Reflections winners) on your PTA’s website or social media. Include a photo of their work and a short quote from their Reflections Artist Statement
  • Invite Guest Artists or Alumni: Bring in local artists or former students to share videos that highlight how they benefited from arts education. This inspires students and builds community connections.
  • Share Arts Facts & Stats: Post daily facts on social media about how arts education improves academic performance, mental health, and school engagement.
Art-Making and Activities
  • Send Home Family Art Activities: Partner with your school and teachers to share simple, fun arts-based activities that families can do together—building creativity and connection at home.
  • Offer Hands-On Art Experiences: Organize workshops or pop-up stations where students and families can try new art forms like painting, calligraphy, or collage.
  • Organize a Community Art Walk: Display student artwork in local businesses, libraries, or community centers. Create a walking map and invite families to explore and celebrate student creativity.
  • Create an “Arts Impact” Wall: Set up a bulletin board or digital wall where students and families can post notes, drawings, or photos showing how the arts have positively impacted their lives.
  • Launch a Mini Grant for Arts Projects: Offer small grants or supplies to teachers or students for classroom art projects. Announce winners during the week to highlight your PTA’s support.
 

Become an Arts Advocate

Your PTA can become an arts advocate by assessing your school’s arts education programs, applying improvement strategies, and building advocacy skills to engage school and district leaders in meaningful support for the arts.

Critically Assess the Arts in Your Community

Get started by using our ArtsEd Leader's Guide to assess the health of the arts programs, practices and policies at your school and how well families are engaged in arts education. Ask yourself these critical questions to ensure that your arts programming is rooted in the transformative family engagement.

Based on your assessment, Identify areas for improvement and develop a sustainable action plan to build or further develop arts education in your community. 

Advocate for the Arts in Your Community

Using a PTA Position Statement and Resolution, your PTA can show support for arts education in your community or state. For additional tools, templates and resources to support your PTA's arts advocacy efforts, check out this Arts Education Action Kit from Americans for the Arts.

 

Host Arts Education Programming

PTAs can host programs and events that highlight the benefits of the arts, while also engaging families and students in arts learning and skill-building. 

Creative Career Fairs

Invite families to learn about how artistic literacy translates into college and career readiness. Learn how using the PTA Creative Career Fair Guide.

National PTA Reflections Program

Spark creativity and celebrate participation and achievement in the arts. Learn more at PTA.org/Reflections/StartYourProgram.

PTA School of Excellence Program
Supports PTAs in strengthening family-school partnerships that support arts education. See how Schools of Excellence gained national recognition by using the program to expand arts programming in there school community here. Learn more at PTA.org/Excellence.

Support Creating Art At Home

Encourage families and your school community to use art-making activities to foster family engagement and fun! Check out the resources from the Kennedy Center around Getting Parents Involved in Arts Education.  

Reflections Art-Making Activities

Encourage families to share their creations with us using #PTAReflections.

Arts to Support Student Mental Health

Creating art at home can assist students in processing and exploring their emotions and experiences and raises mental health awareness. Use these journaling and drawing prompts from the "My Feelings Journaling Program” to aid in teaching children (TK-5) healthy ways of expression. 


ArtsEd: In their own words!

 

We asked our 2023-2024 PTA Reflections national winners why creating art is important to them. Here is what a few of them had to say:


"Art helps me use my brain in different ways than I usually do. It’s fun to express yourself without using words. Or if I don't use words when creating , I do it in a different way than I normally would. I feel and think in fun ways that don’t have any rules that I have to follow."—Mitchell Onken
"For me, art acts as a means of self-expression and exploration, fostering creativity and cultural understanding. In and outside school, it has a therapeutic effect and promotes mental well-being." —Aadya Rai

"First of all, I love to do it! It helps me think in a different way of things. To look in a new perspective! And second, it helps me express myself and my feelings and just be me! I find that secret passion within to keep going and keep trying to make my artworks improve!" —Vaishnavi Hemant

Check out Mitchell's piece:

Hope on a Boat

Check out Aadya's piece:

Ripples of Hope

Check out Vaishnavi's piece:

Together We Can


ArtsEd: Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Speak Up for Diversity in the Arts

 

National PTA believes that diversity, equity and inclusion enhances and deepens the impact of the arts in our communities. By supporting diversity in the arts and diverse artists, your PTA can educate and connect your community members while showcasing your PTA’s commitment to representing everyone in the PTA family.

Here are a few ways your PTA can begin furthering diversity in the arts in your community:

  • Celebrate diversity in the arts using our Diversity Arts Celebration Guide to offer students positive reinforcement for participation in arts programs, while also fostering inclusivity.

  • Take a diversity in the National PTA arts pledge to highlight your PTA's commitment to expanding diversity in your arts programming. You can also customize this version (en español).


  • Use best practices to welcome diverse perspectives into your arts programming and ensure your efforts are representative of everyone in your PTA.
  • Continue your learning around DEI with National PTA's DEI resources and learn how you can build a more diverse and inclusive PTA to enhance your arts programming.  

Elevate Diverse Student Voices 

 

National PTA believes that the arts are a great platform for our children and youth to elevate their voice. The 2020-2021 Reflections theme, I Matter Because…, reaffirmed this as it took on new meaning and allowed National PTA to connect with the thoughts and feelings of many of our Black and Brown children.

And so, we invited Reflections artists of color and their allies to share artwork that expresses and affirms their beliefs and identities—as well as the importance of Black lives. Check out some of the amazing pieces we received in this highlight video.


ArtsEd Resources

 

National Level Arts Education Resources
Arts Education Partnership (AEP) helps PTA to advance arts education and lead the way to student success with current research and policy insights. Make your case for arts education with the help of ArtsEdSearch, a research and policy database providing summaries on academic, cognitive, personal, social and civic outcomes for students of arts education.

Americans for the Arts envisions a country where everyone has access to-and takes part in-high quality and lifelong learning experiences in the arts, both in school and in the community. Browse these Arts Matter: State Fact Sheets to learn more about art policy in your state and grow your confidence as a PTA ArtsEd Leader.

Assistance for Arts Education Center provides evidence-based resources and arts education specific toolkits for to support high-quality arts programming and expand equitable access to arts education. Check out these grantee profiles to be inspired with new and exciting ways local organizations are supporting the arts.

Regional, State and Discipline-Focused Arts Education Resources
  • AEP's ArtScan is a clearinghouse of the latest state policies supporting arts education from all 50 states and the District of Columbia.


ArtsEd: Grant Opportunity

 

Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant

Sponsored by the Family of Mary Lou Anderson 

For over 50 years, the National PTA Reflections arts program has furthered the goals of the program founder, Mary Lou Anderson. Mary Lou Anderson believed in the power and importance of the arts and dreamed that Reflections would leave a lasting impact on children across the country – and it has! Reflections has helped millions of students explore their own thoughts, feelings and ideas, develop artistic literacy, increase confidence and find a love for learning that will help them become more successful in school and in life. To learn more about Mary Lou Anderson and the impact of her vision, visit our Reflections timeline.

National PTA is proud to continue Mary Lou Anderson's legacy of Reflections through the Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant. Through this grant opportunity, two local PTAs are awarded funds to administer innovative, student-centered programs that increase access to high quality arts learning experiences and provide new pathways for at-risk and underserved students to participate in arts education experiences, including National PTA’s Reflections program. If selected for this specific funding, PTAs must participate or have participated in the current year's Reflections program and must also meet the general requirements for National PTA grants. 

Congratulations to the 2025 Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grantees:

  • Niagara Falls Special Education PTA from Niagara Falls, New York

  • La Merced Academy PTA from Montebello, California

Curious how past grantees have used the grant funds? Read this Our Children article discussing the impact and successes of the 2024 Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grantees, Boca Raton Community High School PTSA (Florida) and Lake Myra Elementary PTA (North Carolina). 


Mary Lou Anderson Reflections Arts Enhancement Grant Survey


Share with National PTA

Invite your school community to provide feedback about the program at PTA.org/Survey. If you are providing printed, paper copies of this survey, please mail completed surveys to National PTA Programs at 1250 N. Pitt Street, Alexandria VA 22314 or scan and provide a shared link or attachment to Programs@PTA.org.

TAKE SURVEY




REFLECTIONS HOME

Encourage and celebrate student participation in arts education.


START YOUR PROGRAM

Find tools to run your Local PTA's Reflections program.


AWARDS

Learn about our winners, events and exhibits and see what you can win!