Visual art is a form of communication; it has the power to teach and be used as a tool for change. In other words, art can be used for advocacy. While it can look the same or similar, advocacy at the various education levels is different. As a secondary art educator, especially during challenging times, it has clearly been important to advocate for my program and students. Why should we advocate? Consider this quote by Ernest Boyer, president of the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Learning: “Art is humanity’s most essential, most universal language. Now more than ever, all people need to see clearly, hear acutely, and feel sensitivity through the arts…”
Art teachers advocate for their programs, their students, and themselves. Young students foster positivity and intergenerational connection through mandala displays, elementary students collaborate with a local artist to problem-solve and construct papier-mâché houses, middle-school students create illustrated dictionary pages to share with the community, high-school photography club students use their voices to advocate for a full class, and more.
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