The CMA Foundation Announces Expansion of 'Unified Voices For Music Education'

The CMA Foundation, the philanthropic arm of the Country Music Association (CMA), has announced the expansion of its awareness and advocacy efforts, "Unified Voices for Music Education." All efforts focus on supporting music educators and students ahead of the 2020-2021 school year in what will undoubtedly be one of the most challenging academic years ever faced due to the current health pandemic. A leader and advocate for equitable music education in the United States, the CMA Foundation is now introducing new initiatives to provide resources and awareness for the challenges teachers, students and parents will encounter in the coming weeks and months.

"Music education continues to be a driving force when reaching students, especially as they shoulder the difficulties of the pandemic," says Tiffany Kerns, CMA Foundation Executive Director. "Music teachers are positioned perfectly to respond to the needs of students during these uncertain times. They remain the greatest examples of resilience simply by teaching music, a content area often under budget scrutiny. Music teachers will help us foster the resilience in our students while providing a safe place for them emotionally and psychologically."

Today, the CMA Foundation launches a powerful new visual tool titled "We Will." "Our world has been turned upside down," the video begins, as educators share bold statements of promise: "We will adapt." "We will reimagine." "We will be creative." "We will listen." "We will include." "We will teach." We will use music to grow, laugh, inspire, love, heal." The visual tool, which can be viewed HERE, is currently being shared by music teachers and their communities on social media platforms with words of encouragement for educators around the country. The video serves as a reminder for educators, parents and their communities at large to utilize music teachers and keep the music playing for our students during this critical time.

Earlier this month, the CMA Foundation announced the launch of "Unified Voices for Music Education," outlining details of an online collective that brings music educators together through a teacher-led forum where they can share resources and connect with each other virtually, from focus groups to sharing lesson plans and other creative ideas. Teachers who are experts in various areas of music education-such as choral, orchestral and technology-can create future teaching practices to provide creative ideas for lesson plans. To join the collective, music educators can visit CMAfoundation.org/voicesformusiced.

Additionally, the CMA Foundation is hosting a series of webinars created specifically for music educators that will take place weekly through mid-August.

• Building Your Brand Beyond the Classroom (Wednesday, July 22) - Eric Jimenez and Justin McLean from "The Score Podcast: An Urban Music Education Podcast," dive into what it takes to pursue a brand beyond your classroom, sharing helpful tips on creating a podcast, promoting your program and amplifying your voice in an organic and meaningful way. A recording of this webinar can be viewed HERE.
• Your Non-Profit Marketing, Messaging And Appeals For Support (Wednesday, July 29 from 2:30-3:30 PM/CT) - SmithGeiger, an international research and consulting company working with many leading brands and a range of non-profits, has partnered with the CMA Foundation to identify six marketing themes for non-profits and making appeals to donors during this time. Register HERE.
• Get Visitors to your Website...and Give Them What They Need (Thursday, August 6 from 2:30-3:30 PM/CT) - Websites should guide and inform your audience, but most importantly, your website should make your life easier. John Mlynczak will share helpful tips for designing and organizing a website, choosing a website platform, and setting measurable goals. Register HERE.
• Creating a Marketing and Communication Plan Around Your Business (Tuesday, August 11 from 10:00-11:00 AM/CT) - Whether you are making plans for an organization or for your classroom, you are running a business. The CMA marketing team will talk through how to create a proper marketing plan for individuals and organizations that want to speak about their business, providing tactics, methods and best practices. Register HERE.

The CMA Foundation advocates publicly for the importance of music in a student's life. Music education has been proven to be an essential element of a well-rounded education, giving students the ability to be part of a creative and social activity while helping to boost brain development and build foundational math and reading skills. Research continues to show us that music education is not only critical in shaping a student, but that it helps to create leaders, team builders and problem solvers.

In May, as policymakers and school administrators reviewed school reopening options for the 2020-2021 school year, the CMA Foundation partnered with the National Association for Music Education and 53 national education organizations in a unified statement to advocate for an arts education for all students. In the statement, "Arts Education Is Essential," the signing organizations conveyed that the arts have already played a pivotal and uplifting role during the current health crisis, adding that arts education can help all students-including those who are traditionally underrepresented groups-as students return to school this fall.

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