ArtsEd Washington

Mission

Making arts education accessible for all K-12 students in Washington! 

A well-rounded education including dance, music, media art, theatre, and visual art increases academic success and overall wellbeing, and all students deserve to experience that regardless of their location or background. ArtsEd Washington delivers virtual and in-person programming throughout the state by teaching student workshops, collaborating with arts educators, and advocating with decision makers for more equitable arts access in the education system.

Description 

Washington State has 1.1 million students in 295 school districts, 16 public charter schools, and 8 State-Tribal Compact Schools. All with their own unique needs and opportunities--across 70,303 square miles of land! And although the arts have tremendous benefits for students and are a required core academic subject under state law, chronic under resourcing has caused inconsistent and sparse arts access for many students.

Since needs and opportunities vary by community, ArtsEd Washington staff lead alongside their Washington-wide Board of Directors and Community Ambassador cohort to offer programming throughout the state. Through our core values of Equity, Advocacy, and Collaboration, we work with leaders across the state to shape state arts standards, gather essential data, and provide professional development to educators and administrators, and deliver supplemental arts education to students. 

In 2024, our services were requested by collaborators at Inspire Washington, Washington Art Education Association, Washington Music Educators Association, Washington State Thespians, and Washington State School Directors’ Association. With a surprisingly small staff and a Washington-wide roster of volunteers, we provided professional development, advocacy trainings, and free downloadable resources to over 500 educators, and more than 1,200 students across nearly half of Washington’s 39 counties. 

In the 2025-2026 school year, we aim to sustain this high quality programming while increasing our reach to even more students, staff, and counties. The need is clear, and our momentum is growing, but collective impact at this level takes time, continued resources, and dedicated supporters who want to expand our impact. We would be honored to have your support as we advance arts education for all of Washington's K-12 students!

Recognition

Supporting ArtsEd Washington means lightening the load for arts educators, uplifting the voices of arts students, and helping create longterm sustainable support for arts in ALL of Washington's schools. Thank you for your dedication to arts education, and for your support of ArtsEd Washington!