October is a busy month for arts education in New Jersey, and there are plenty of ways to connect with us. Our Legal One workshop with FEA Professional Learning happens tomorrow, and this Saturday Jace will be at Newark Arts Festival Kids with a creative activity for young people and advocacy resources for adults. Later this month, find us at the NJSBA Workshop, where Kira and Mary Reece from NJPSA will present on charting your district's path to inclusive arts education.
Looking ahead to November, join an information session on the Inclusion Guide for Arts Education. You'll also find upcoming opportunities from our partners, a webinar recording to help you prepare for next year's budget cycle, a new policy brief on arts education and wellbeing, and the latest news.
Happening Tomorrow!
Workshop: Legal One: Arts Education & The Law
Oct. 8, 2026; 9 am - 3 pm at FEA, 12 Centre Drive, Monroe Township, NJ 08831 Fee: $195 Members/Non-Members (breakfast and lunch included)
In Partnership with FEA Professional Learning and Arts Ed NJ
It’s not too late to sign up! Come join us for an invigorating day that will help you build your case to protect and grow Arts Education in your district.
This one-day workshop gives school and district leaders practical guidance on the legal, policy, and programmatic issues that shape arts education, from standards and student access to special education, multilingual and gifted learners, funding, SEL, and sustaining strong programs. Designed for superintendents, principals, supervisors, curriculum and special education leaders, and other district decision-makers. You will walk away with practical tools to advocate for more arts in a way that matters to decision makers.
In this introductory session, you'll learn what's inside the Inclusion Guide for Arts Education, how to use it, and actions you can take to advance inclusive arts education in your school community, whether you're a parent, student, teacher, administrator, Child Study Team member, or community partner. Created by Arts Ed NJ with All In for Inclusive Education and the New Jersey Principals and Supervisors Association, the guide helps ensure students with disabilities are fully included in arts education. If you haven't seen it yet, head to our website and download the guide before the session.
Meet Us at Newark Arts Festival Kids
Saturday, October 10th, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Location: Newark Vocational High School Parking Lot
301 West Kinney Street, Newark, NJ 07103
Arts Ed NJ's Program and Communications Associate Jace will be at Newark Arts Festival Kids! Come and say hi and join us in a creative activation for youth, while adults can learn the ways in which to advocate for arts education in your community.
About Newark Arts Festival Kids:
NAF Kids brings together art, music, performance and hands-on creative activities for kids, tweens and teens in grades K–12. Young festivalgoers can make something of their own, experience live performances, explore new forms of creative expression and take part in the festival alongside family and friends.The day will also feature the Newark Public Schools Youth Art Exhibition, celebrating the creativity and artistic voices of Newark students and giving young artists a chance to see their work showcased as part of Newark Arts Festival.Designed for young people to participate, not just watch, NAF Kids is a day of creativity, discovery and fun for the next generation.
The Arts Ed NJ team is excited to attend New Jersey School Board Association's annual Workshop from October 19th to the 21st. On Monday, October 19th at 11:00 a.m., Kira is presenting a session titled, Inclusive Arts Education: Charting Your District’s Path, alongside Mary Reece from NJPSA.
In the session, they will explore the Inclusion Guide for Arts Educationto inform decision-making and collaborative planning for students receiving IEP services. Jace will be tabling at our Student Art Gallery, located in the Exhibitor Hall C next to the Keynote Theater, on Tuesday and Wednesday. Make sure you come by to see some amazing student artwork and see what else Arts Ed NJ is working on!
Believe it or not, it's already time to start thinking about next year's school budget. Music IS Education recently hosted a webinar on Understanding the School Budget Cycle and Advocating With Your System. Watch the recording for practical ideas on communicating the value of your program and engaging in the budget process.
Participation in the arts has been linked to positive mental, emotional, physical, and social health outcomes, from supporting emotional regulation to fostering social connection. In this policy brief from the Arts Education Partnership, author Daizha Brown examines arts education as a strategy for improving the wellbeing of young people and the adults around them, with research, policy, and program examples. It's a useful read for policy leaders, educators, and community members exploring how state policies and local programs can strengthen these efforts.
The New Jersey State Council on the Arts invites artists and organizations working in, or interested in entering, the arts and health field to its virtual Fall Arts & Health Roundtable, focused on creative aging. The session features brief presentations from Pamela Weichmann of WheatonArts and Margaret Mellett of the William E. Dermody Free Public Library, along with time to network, share resources, and explore partnerships. Participation is free, but registration is required, and the session will not be recorded.
Fall Spotlight Series: Ballet Now With Daphne Marcelle Lee
Date: Thursday, November 12, 2026 | 9:30am - 2:30pm
Venue: Paramus High School, Paramus, NJ
The day will consist of engaging movement, lecture workshops, and valuable opportunities to connect with fellow professionals in the field. View the full agenda here.
Professional development credit for these workshops is available upon request. Please contact Kerri-Ann Munoz at kerriann.dancenj@gmail.com with questions regarding this event.
