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NYC Arts in Education Roundtable

Roundtable Update

  • It Starts With the Arts 2026 Campaign Breakdown

    By law, city government officials needed to pass a balanced budget by June 30th for the upcoming fiscal year (July 1, 2026 – June 30, 2027). With support from our partners at CMW Strategies, we wanted to uplift some top-line arts education-related highlights and updates: Update on Campaign Priorities City Council Initiatives Coalition for Equitable Education Funding The Roundtable is proud to be one of the 120 organizations who are part of the Coalition for Equitable Education Funding – advocating for the resources needed to ensure every student receives a high-quality education, with a focus on those who need the…

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  • Become a Face to Face 2027 Sponsor

    What is Face to Face? Virtual Dates: Tuesdays, March 30 – April 20, 2027In-Person Dates: April 28 – 29, 2027Location: Shepard Hall, City College of New York (160 Convent Ave, New York, NY 10031) The Face to Face Arts in Education Conference is the largest, most comprehensive arts education convening in New York State. In 2027, our annual flagship conference will start with a month of virtual professional learning workshops and conclude with a two-day conference expected to serve more than 600 arts educators and administrators. Conference Sponsors will have a direct impact on our ability to bring together arts…

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  • Request for Proposals: Face to Face 2027

    The New York City Arts in Education Roundtable is accepting proposals for workshops and panels for Face to Face 2027 as of July 8. The 2027 conference will be a hybrid experience with both virtual and in-person offerings. The in-person conference will take place April 28 & 29, 2027 at Shepard Hall, City College of New York, 160 Convent Ave, New York, NY 10031. The virtual conference sessions will be scheduled once weekly during the four weeks leading up to the in-person conference (see exact dates in table below). The virtual conference will be hosted on Zoom. Key Dates Session…

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  • Roundtable Announces 2026 Cohort for the New York State Teaching Artist Mentorship Program

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE New York, NY – The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is proud to announce our 2026 cohort of the New York State Teaching Artist Mentorship Program. This program pairs 22 mid-career Teaching Artists from across the state with mentors to help them develop the networks, skills, and increased capacities necessary to support career advancement. In addition to mentorship, participants will also attend professional development programs focused on the business of teaching artistry and complete field hours exploring multiple arts education settings. The NYS Teaching Artist Mentorship Program is made possible by the New York State Council on the…

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  • Sign-On Letter for Fair Compensation and Contracting Processes

    Join our letter to Council Member Dinowitz & Council Member Restler for fair compensation and contracting processes. The Roundtable is committed to advocating for fair compensation and employment practices for the arts education workforce. Part of this advocacy includes calling for reforms within the city’s MTAC contracting process with NYC Public Schools to demand transparency, timely payments and contract awards, as well as investment in teaching artist compensation and stability. Join us in this advocacy by signing on to our letter to Council Member Eric Dinowitz (Chair of Education Committee) and Council Member Lincoln Restler (Chair of Contracts Committee) calling on our city…

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  • NYC Arts in Education Roundtable Applauds Mamdani Admin for Arts and Education Support

    NEW YORK, NY (05/14/2026) — This week, the Mamdani Administration released the Executive Budget for Fiscal Year 2027, which includes a $10 million baseline investment in the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA) and an additional $122 million to hire 1,000 new teachers. In response, Kimberly Olsen, Executive Director of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable issued the following statement: “The arts are essential for New Yorkers across the five boroughs. Dance, music, theater, creative writing, film, and the visual arts help students to grow both in and out of the classroom, develop awareness, broaden their perspectives, and pursue their passions. But without…

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  • Announcing the 2026 “It Starts With the Arts” Student Artists & Poets

    As we continue this year’s “It Starts With the Arts” Campaign, the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is thrilled to announce the selected artists from our citywide visual art and poetry competition to recognize and celebrate the talent of New York City students. All entries were inspired by the question, “Why do the arts matter?” We received art and poetry from students across the five boroughs. Winning artists were selected by members of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable’s Advocacy Committee made up of educators, teaching artists, and cultural workers. Winners for this competition have had their artwork printed on “It Starts…

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  • Op-Ed in NY Daily News: NYC should expand support for teaching artists

    On February 10, 2026, NYC Arts in Education Roundtable Executive Director had the following op-ed published in the NY Daily News. Take a look at the op-ed below! Interested in other coverage from the Roundtable’s advocacy work? You can check out the latest “It Starts With the Arts” news over at our advocacy hub.

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  • Seeking Student Artists: “It Starts With the Arts” Art & Poetry Competition

    The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is back with our “It Starts With the Arts” Campaign. This year, we are hosting our fourth annual citywide art competition to recognize and celebrate the talent of New York City students. For the first time, this competition will accept both visual art and poetry submissions. We are seeking student work to be featured on “It Starts With the Arts” campaign materials that will be circulated to government officials and the general public in support of improved policy and access to arts education. The Roundtable will select three visual art winners and three poetry winners who,…

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  • Now Accepting Applications: 2026 New York State Teaching Artist Mentorship Program

    The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is proud to launch the fifth cohort of the New York State Teaching Artist Mentorship Program. This regrant opportunity seeks to proactively help mid-career Teaching Artists from across the state develop the networks, skills, and increased capacities necessary to support career advancement and sustainability. The program connects at least 22 mid-career Teaching Artists with a mentor educator or arts leader for 7 months. This program is dedicated to providing funds, mentorship and connections to artist educators across New York State working in and with communities that have been systemically marginalized in the arts education field. Each participating Teaching…

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  • Help Us Plan for the Next Five Years: Complete Our Arts Education Sector Survey

    Survey Deadline: January 7, 2026 The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is currently writing a strategic plan for the coming five years! We are proud to build on our work to support our constituents through the pandemic, increase our city and state advocacy, and maintain our commitment to equity and inclusion.  To plan for the future, we need to hear from YOU. Please take 10-15 minutes to complete this anonymous survey administered by our Strategic Planning partners at Webb Mgmt. Responses will inform the Roundtable’s goals and priorities for 2026-2030. We hope to capture as many perspectives as possible, both within and beyond…

  • Celebrating the Life & Legacy of Polly Kahn Newland

    The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable remembers and honors the legacy of Polly Kahn Newland, who passed away on Tuesday, October 14, 2025. Polly Kahn was a brilliant, wise, and unwaveringly kind leader in arts education, consistently serving as a trusted mentor, confidante, and friend to countless colleagues throughout her career. Her boundless energy, intellectual curiosity, and generous spirit left an indelible mark on organizations like the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable, where she served as a Founding Board Member.  The Roundtable plans to share a tribute to Polly at our upcoming Face to Face Conference taking place at Shepard…

  • Face to Face 2025 Report

    In 2025, the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable hosted the 32nd annual Face to Face Conference. The Roundtable continues its efforts to evaluate and document the participation in, experience with, and outcomes of the annual conference. This report summarizes data, comments and suggestions obtained from various evaluation instruments, including: Read the report by clicking on the view link or by reading it in PDF form below.

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  • The Roundtable Releases FY 2025 Annual Report

    On behalf of our staff and Board of Directors, the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is thrilled to release our FY 2025 Annual Report. This extensive report features year-end highlights, insight into our audience and Board, a sneak peek into what’s ahead, and much more. We are so proud to share this with you and continue our service to New York’s intrepid arts education community. Scroll down to view the complete report as a PDF or browse it digitally at the link below.

  • Creative Compass: Mapping Arts Education in NYC Public Schools – Vendor Information Form

    RESPONSES NOW DUE: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 19, 2025 Calling all NYC Public Schools arts vendors! The Roundtable requests your participation to create a database of arts and cultural partners via “Creative Compass: Mapping Arts Education in NYC Public Schools.” KEY INFORMATION Survey Open Date: Wednesday, November 5, 2025Survey Close Date: Extended to Friday, December 19, 2025 Note: Due to staff and system capacity, there will be one opportunity annually to update this information — exact time of year to be confirmed. The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is proud to partner with The Arnhold Foundation, Quadrant Research and NYC Public Schools…

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  • Become a Face to Face 2026 Sponsor

    What is Face to Face? Virtual Dates: March 30 – April 2, 2026In-Person Dates: April 8 – 9, 2026Location: Shepard Hall, City College of New York (160 Convent Ave, New York, NY 10031) The Face to Face Arts in Education Conference is the largest, most comprehensive arts education convening in New York State. In 2026, our annual flagship conference will start with a week of virtual professional learning workshops and conclude with a two-day conference expected to serve more than 600 arts educators and administrators. Conference Sponsors will have a direct impact on our ability to bring together arts education…

  • It Starts With the Arts 2025 Campaign Breakdown

    By law, city government officials needed to pass a balanced budget by June 30th for the upcoming fiscal year (July 1, 2025 – June 30, 2026). With support from our partners at CMW Strategies, we wanted to uplift some top-line arts education-related highlights and updates: Update on Campaign Priorities City Council Initiatives We thank our representatives in government, especially Speaker Adrienne Adams as well as CM Justin Brannan, Keith Powers, Rita Joseph, and Carlina Rivera, for their recognition of the importance of arts education in our schools and communities. The Roundtable looks forward to working with you and our partners…

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  • The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable Elects Two New Board Members

    FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Kimberly Olsen, kolsen@nycaieroundtable.org NEW YORK, NY – The New York City Arts in Education Roundtable is pleased to announce the election of two new members to the Board of Directors: Nancy Kleaver and Jolene Wang. Board Co-Chair Traci Lester welcomes newly elected Board Members, “We are excited to welcome Nancy and Jolene to the NYCAIER Board of Directors. During this unprecedented time when the arts education sector is fighting for its survival, bringing these two experienced leaders onto the Board is a vital step in the organization’s ongoing growth and sustainability.” “We’re thrilled to welcome Nancy and Jolene to the…

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  • Call for Proposals: Face to Face 2026

    The New York City Arts in Education Roundtable is now accepting proposals for sessions and panels for Face to Face 2026. The conference is scheduled to take place between March 30 – April 9, 2026. The 2026 conference will be a hybrid experience with both virtual and in-person offerings. The in-person conference venue is Shepard Hall, City College of New York, 160 Convent Ave, New York, NY 10031. Key Dates This RFP seeks proposals for 90-minute conference sessions to be formatted as: All conference presenters will be offered a $100 honorarium and full registration to the conference (virtual and in-person).…

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  • Artist Salon Request for Proposals: Gathering for Good Trouble

    CALL FOR ARTISTS – PAID OPPORTUNITY The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable’s Task Force on Equity & Inclusion (TEI) is soliciting applications from artists of all disciplines and genres to share artwork that addresses the themes of gathering and/or good trouble for our upcoming Artist Salon: Gathering for Good Trouble on Thursday, December 11 at El Puente Brooklyn. This event is an opportunity for members of the greater arts in education community to share their artistic work in a supportive, welcoming setting and engage in meaningful exchange and dialogue with one another. Selected artists will be compensated at a rate…

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  • Announcing the 2025 “It Starts With the Arts” Student Artists

    As we continue this year’s “It Starts With the Arts” Campaign, the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable is thrilled to announce the selected artists from our citywide visual art competition to recognize and celebrate the talent of New York City students. All entries were inspired by the title “It Starts With the Arts”. We received nearly 100 pieces of art from students across the City in a variety of mediums: photography, sculpture, digital art, and more! Winning artists were selected by members of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable’s Advocacy Committee made up of educators, teaching artists, and cultural workers. Winners for…

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