Leadership Academy

Each year, between 12 and 15 arts educators from the region are selected by application to participate in the Arts Education Collaborative's Leadership Academy (LA) – a year-long intensive professional development experience like no other.

Initial Five-Day Workshop

Participating educators attend a five-day interactive workshop where they

• expand their creative potential in studio exercises,
• engage in content-rich workshops that focus on teaching and learning, and
• identify and learn their own unique leadership style.

Action Plans

The intensive week-long workshop results in the creation of an action plan by each participant that focuses on an identified school, district, or organizational need. (Click here to see the action plans of Leadership Academy graduates.) LA participants work with a seasoned mentor to help identify individual professional goals and turn action plans into reality – reality that has direct impact on their schools, organizations, and communities.

Support and Further Learning

Participants receive additional support and guidance from the AEC as they work to implement their action plans and participate in five additional Leadership Seminars throughout the school year.

Click here to view a list of Leadership Academy Graduates.

The application for the 2013 Leadership Academy is open. Visit the "How to Apply" page for application information.

Why Participate?

Participants learn valuable teaching skills and acquire confidence needed to increase the visibility and credibility of arts programs in their schools, districts, or organizations. Additionally, they develop their own artistic skills, collaborate, and share effective practices with other educators from across the region. Participants design an action plan for their own learning.

School districts gain arts educators who are knowledgeable in applying the Pennsylvania Academic Standards for the Arts and Humanities and are engaged in comprehensive professional learning that will increase their ability to function as teacher leaders in their schools and school districts.

Students benefit from energized and empowered teachers who are a part of a continuous learning community that focuses on student achievement.

Arts and cultural organizations gain increased access to committed educators who recognize the value of cultural programs, events, and products.

Contact Kathleen Dean at deank@artsedcollaborative.org or 412-201-7431 with questions.