I discovered a number of great resources and educational series while preparing a presentation for Career Day at a local elementary school.
It was my first-time visiting Arlington Elementary – a small elementary school in Stroudsburg with a colorful mural on its facade. All the presenters were welcomed warmly and directed to our stations for the day. There were firefighters, military personnel, scientists, bakers, EMTs, police officers, and me. After a brief reception, I was directed to cheerful classroom marked “Artist.”
I might not be as flashy (I did not arrive in a firetruck or have sirens) but I shared with the kids that as an arts administrator I get to be around art and artists of all kinds on a daily basis. Then I shared a long (though not exhaustive list) of careers in the arts with them.
2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders have interesting and insightful ideas about what it means to be an artist – and more foundationally, what “art” is. If there are kids in your life, I encourage you to start a conversation about the arts with them.
The message I made sure to share with each group? “You don’t have to wait to be an artist… in fact, you are artists right now!” Oh, the way their faces lit up! I am so grateful the kids asked to hear about being an artist. And that their teachers reached out to Pocono Arts Council to present. Truly a highlight of my year.
I’m sharing this experience because arts education is extremely important for our development and well-being at all stages of life. More importantly, education doesn’t have to be formal to be impactful! We can learn through experimentation, workshops, videos… it can be through conversation and demonstration. The possibilities are endless and ageless.
Here’s the presentation I shared with the kiddos, and some resources you can have fun exploring and discussing together. A few are specifically related to arts careers – others are simply fun!
- The Art Career Project: A List of Careers
- Art Happens Here with John Lithgow
- Amazon: Art Books (K-5)
- Mr. Rogers Celebrates the Arts
- Wonderopolis: Art
- PBS Learning Media: The Arts
- The librarians at your school and the public library can help you find even more!
Remember: Explore art in all of its many forms no matter what other title you wear. A student, a mechanic, a salesperson, a doctor, a teacher, a conservationist, a lawyer – or the President of the United States – can also be an artist (of any kind). Yes, at the same time! As a matter of fact, YOU can be an artist right now – there is no need to wait!
Photo by Steve Johnson