From the Executive Director’s Desk:

A couple of weeks ago, I had the opportunity to attend the Young Audiences National Conference, Telling Our Stories, in Washington, DC. Alongside a city in full bloom with cherry blossoms, it was deeply heartening to be in community with people from across the country who are committed to bringing arts learning to children and communities.

It had been seven or eight years since I last attended, back when I was on staff at Young Audiences/Arts for Learning. This time, something felt different. It took me a moment to name it: teaching artists and practitioners were centered. And when teaching artists are centered, the lived experiences of children are centered too. Many of the executive directors in the room, like me, had come up through teaching artistry or education, grounding leadership in direct experience with young people. The gathering crystallized something essential for me—our north star must always be the stories of impact we witness every day in classrooms and communities.

That experience felt especially meaningful given that Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici, a steadfast champion for arts education, delivered the conference keynote. We are incredibly fortunate here in Oregon to have one of the strongest advocates for arts education in Congress representing our communities.

That sense of connection carried into a visit earlier this week to Atfalati Ridge Elementary School, where I joined Congresswoman Bonamici for a Right Brain residency. In a 5th grade classroom, we watched students working with master teaching artist Jan Abramowitz, exploring the connection between brain health and rhythm. In a 6th grade class, a student shared how they collaborate to solve complex math problems. When I asked if working together made things faster, they replied, “No—but we come up with ideas we’d never find on our own.”

Working together is rarely easier. But it is where new ideas emerge—ideas our children need and deserve. Together, we can imagine and create new possibilities—and bring them to life.

And right now, that collective effort is more urgent than ever. Children’s access to a full, creative education is increasingly at risk, and the opportunities for self-expression and connection that the arts provide cannot be taken for granted. 

We will not meet this moment in isolation. It will take all of us—educators, teaching artists, advocates, families, and community members—working together, raising our voices, and taking action to ensure that every child has access to the transformative power of the arts.

In appreciation and solidarity,

Briana