Tennessee
The Coalition on Coalitions (CoCs) supports NAMM members and their networks working on state-level music and arts education advocacy efforts. The Tennessee network provides tactics, resources and best practices to move and improve state-level policies, funding and advocacy for music and arts education.
State Profile
To customize your state profile to reflect the current education advocacy partnerships in your state, please contact Jessica Cortez.
Updates
ArtsEd Tennessee, the state’s leading music and arts education advocacy organization, is working to keep arts education professionals and arts education advocates informed prior to the upcoming elections in November. Our coalition has prepared a brief candidate survey asking about their background in the arts, and how they would support music and arts education if elected. Our survey was sent to every candidate for state office in Tennessee, and the results of this survey, which will be completed in early October, will be disseminated to the entire ArtsEd Tennessee network of arts educators, arts advocates, and arts-related businesses.
ArtsEd Tennessee sees an additional benefit of this survey beyond the information that we will gather and share with our coalition members. By directly contacting the candidates, we remind them that those who support arts education are active politically, and that we have a strong network of support.
Background on ArtsEd Tennessee:
ArtsEd Tennessee is a music and arts education coalition formed in January 2017, with a membership that includes all of the major arts education associations in Tennessee; arts education advocates; arts professionals; and retail businesses who serve the arts education community. Our coalition seeks to become a statewide leader in ensuring that every Tennessee student has access to a sequential high-quality arts education, provided during the school day as a part of the core curriculum by a certified arts education professional. Since its creation, ArtsEd Tennessee has proven to be a leading advocate for music and the arts in the state legislature.
The initial steering committee set up the coalition structure and developed the vision statement, purpose and mission statement, and a three-year plan of outcomes. This initial steering committee was made up of representatives from the Tennessee Music Education Association, the Country Music Association, the Tennessee Arts Academy Foundation, Nashville Metro Schools, and KHS America, representing the state’s NAMM members.
ArtsEd Tennessee has developed a cooperative relationship with state education policy-makers, including members of the Tennessee General Assembly, the Department of Education, and the State Board of Education, with the goal of monitoring and influencing decisions that will directly impact arts education. Currently, our database has over 7,000 names from across the state, including over 100 parent booster groups, as well as music and arts education professionals. Our goal is to develop grassroots support and arts education advocates in every legislative district in the state.
Our coalition successfully lobbied against an attempt to increase the state graduation requirements from 22 credits to 23; most schools in Tennessee have the possibility of a maximum of 24 credits during high school. This legislative victory helped ensure that students are able to take up to four years of arts courses if they so desire.
Moving forward, ArtsEd Tennessee plans to enlarge our coalition to be inclusive of all who value quality arts education in the schools, such as the state’s music and arts retailers, arts and culture nonprofits, and arts professionals, including classical and genre specific musicians and ensembles, dance and theatre artists and companies, visual artists, galleries and museums, parents, and business and community leaders.
NAMM Member Contact
Tabor Stamper
CEO, KHS America
tabor.stamper@khsmusic.com
Rick Dejonge
Artist and Education Relations Manager, KHS America
rick.dejonge@khsmusic.com
State Music & Arts Organizations
Tennessee Music Education Association
Tennessee Art Education Association
Educational Theatre Association, Tennessee chapter
Tennessee Association of Dance
Tennessee Bandmasters Association
Americans for the Arts, Arts Services Directory for Tennessee