Art Advocacy Ideas for winter days!

Long winter days need some special events built in to move them along.  This week's ideas lend themselves perfectly to classroom curriculum, build the concept of teamwork and planning, and can become great advocacy PR pieces for the local newspaper.  The old saying "You have to be a hero in your community first" is so true in art advocacy!

1

Valentine's Day excitement have you feeling blue rather than red?  Create a school-wide UNITY event based on the work of Jim Dine and his Hearts series in multiple media for K-5.  Tie right in with PE, as many schools celebrate Heart Month with different event challenges.  Dovetail with classroom teachers talking about the need for good nutrition and organize a healthy snack day for all.  Need ideas?  Check out Pinterest under Jim Dine for exciting lessons.
 
2
 Hungry for more?  Older students (grades 6-12) can do the Empty Bowls project and join forces with community food banks in raising money.  Tie in a nutrition study with Family and Consumer Science classes and have local grocery stores donate dried soup ingredients to package up in Ziploc bags to be auctioned off with bowls (if you cannot do the actual meal event).  More info at: 
http://www.emptybowls.net/about

3
Partner with neighboring school districts and set up a traveling art show of 5-6 pieces that move from school to school.  Great way to collaborate for the arts, and showcase not only your students, but those in your area.

4
Plan a statewide postcard exchange with another school, or create artist trading cards to swap.  Consider too... a postcard campaign to state legislators about the value of art education.  Perfect way to use our this year's YAM theme of Take a Journey Through Art!