Proactive, community-based interest and support for music education in schools is vital to sustain and grow quality programs and support highly qualified teachers. Local citizens - parents, grandparents, community leaders, business leaders – all of us – have enormous influence that must be used to assure that music and arts education are available to all children in our local schools.
The SMART Foundation is a member of SupportMusic.com, a public service initiative that supports efforts for music education in local communities around the United States and abroad. This advocacy effort now unites national, regional and international organizations comprised of parents and community leaders seeking to improve access and opportunity in music and arts learning. Tens of thousands of concerned citizens visit the website every month and use its resources to keep music education strong in their schools and communities.
THE SUPPORTMUSIC COALITION is building a proactive and unified approach to federal, state and local level advocacy for music education as a core academic subject in schools. The coalition is united in its support of a complete education that includes music and arts instruction for all children.
SupportMusic.com helps concerned citizens and advocates 'build their case' for their local programs by providing successful approaches and relevant research that substantiate the importance of music and the arts as part of learning. Currently, 300 affiliate organizations participate in the coalition to discuss and act on issues of mutual concern.
Affiliates gather regularly via monthly conference call to discuss local, state and federal challenges in promoting, sustaining and defending school music programs, offering each other strategies for success. Coalition affiliates relay upcoming advocacy efforts and follow up together on opportunities where collective advocacy is needed. Each call introduces new affiliates and offers all groups time to promote particular programs of interest.
This group considers itself a 'learning community', recognizing that effective advocacy requires targeted strategies and solutions designed for long-term success and that by sharing local advocacy efforts, the success of the mission expands.
An important feature of the website is the SupportMusic Community Action Kit, and a downloadable brochure, "Keep Music Education Strong', featuring relevant arguments in both English and Spanish for music education's vital role in a quality education. Additional 'how to' materials are also available and regularly updated.
The coalition invites individuals and all interested arts, education, civic engagement and youth-serving organizations to become affiliates, and encourages affiliate organizations to actively participate via task force efforts, dissemination of pertinent information to constituents and members, and by adding tools and materials to www.supportmusic.com that advance the advocacy mission and messages.
To join the SupportMusic.com mobile list TEXT MUSIC TO 27138 and get monthly music education advocacy news.
To join the SupportMusic Coalition and have your company listed as an official affiliate, email SupportMusic@namm.org.
Tuesday, July 10, 2012
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