During this episode of Why Change? co-hosts Karla and Jeff discuss the return to school and how policy can impact arts education in public schools. Karla interviews Jonathan VanderBrug about their work enacting an “arts indicator” in the State of Illinois to measure student access to the arts in schools. Karla and Jeff debrief the conversation thinking about the role of artists in activism, the potential of U.S. federal education policies, and the unusual champions who enable them.
In this episode you’ll learn:
About one state’s education policy focused on arts education access;
The role of artists in policy creation and activism; and
How non-arts people can champion arts-related policy change.
Check out some of the things mentioned during this podcast, including:
The ESSA Arts Indicator in Illinois: A Study in the Art of Policymaking
ESSA Arts Indicator: A Case Study in Systems Change" (video)
ESSA Arts Indicator: A Report and Recommendation to ISBE" (video)
Advocacy During COVID - The How & Why of Making your Case," advocacy training session (video)
Article: "14, 34, and 1,400: Updating Illinois Arts Standards Starts with Time”
Please download the transcript here.
ABOUT JONATHAN VANDERBRUG
Jonathan serves as Deputy Director-Civic Engagement for Arts Alliance Illinois, the statewide multidisciplinary organization advocating for arts, culture, and arts education. He coordinated the 18-month process of updating the state’s arts learning standards. He also co-led the three-year campaign that won the arts as a school quality indicator in Illinois’ ESSA school accountability system. Illinois is the only state to incorporate the arts so centrally.
He has also served as Calumet Community Educator for The Field Museum. In this role, he partnered with community groups to build grassroots support for conservation education on Chicago’s south side, in neighborhoods impacted by environmental injustice. Jonathan was also Founding Executive Director of Urban Produce, Inc. (Grand Rapids, MI), an urban gardening and job training initiative for youth.
This episode of Why Change? A Podcast for the Creative Generation was powered by Creative Generation. It was produced and edited by Daniel Stanley. Artwork by Bridget Woodbury. Music by Distant Cousins.