2018 Conference Highlights Arts Partnerships For Diverse Learning Needs

As part of National Arts-in-Education Week, the Houston Arts Partners Conference will be held on Sept. 14 and 15, 2018, at the Klein Multipurpose Center. Through this annual arts-in-education conference, public school districts and Houston's outstanding arts organizations provide arts advocacy tools and arts integration strategies to K-12 educators, district leaders, teaching artists, and parents.

The conference focus this year is Synergy: Highlighting Arts Partnerships for Students with Diverse Learning Needs - specifically students with learning differences and disabilities, English Language Learners, and Gifted & Talented students. For more information or online registration, please visit www.HAPconference.org.

Though the 2017 Conference was canceled due to Hurricane Harvey, the event has regularly attracted more than 1,000 educators annually. This year's conference is co-chaired by Monte Mast, Fine Arts Director for Klein ISD, and Adrienne Shearer, Education Specialist at A.D. Players. The event will be held at the Klein Multipurpose Center, 7500 Farm to Market 2920, Klein, Texas 77379.

The conference features over 40 hands-on, interactive presentations spotlighting strategies for bringing creativity into every classroom and using the arts to reach all students. In addition to presentations from arts organization and district partners, the Conference welcomes the following keynote speakers:

• Mickey Rowe, an actor and advocate for inclusion in the arts and arts education. Mickey is the first actor on the autism spectrum to portray Christopher, a character who also has autism, in the play The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time.
• Ted Fujimoto, a systems change leader and public education advocate. Ted will lead large-scale and small-group interactive discussions with attendees and campus leadership teams to create a sustainable environment that allows the arts and arts education to flourish.
• Mana Hashimoto, a New York-based dancer and choreographer originally from Tokyo. Mana is blind and finds disability to be a source of inspiration in creating dance and educating dancers.
• Tony Diaz, a Houston writer, activist, and professor, who is the lead writer and editor for The Mexican American Studies Toolkit and an advocate for arts and education that reflect the diversity of Houston.
• Statewide arts and advocacy organizations VSA Texas, The Texas Commission on the Arts, Texas Lawyers and Accountants for the Arts, Texans for the Arts, and Texas Coalition for a Quality Arts Education.

About the Houston Arts Partners Coalition: Houston Arts Partners is a collaborative partnership whose members initiate, facilitate, and foster partnerships between area schools and Houston's non-profit, professional arts organizations. Young Audiences of Houston, a 501(c)3 organization, is the managing partner and fiscal agent for the Houston Arts Partners Coalition.

Coalition Members: A.D. Players, Alief ISD, Alvin ISD, Art League Houston, Artist Boat, Asia Society Texas Center, Aurora Picture Show, Brazosport ISD, Contemporary Arts Museum Houston, Da Camera, The Ensemble Theatre, Express Children's Theatre, FotoFest, Galena Park ISD, Hobby Center, Holocaust Museum Houston, Houston Ballet, Houston Center for Contemporary Craft, Houston Grand Opera, Houston ISD, Klein ISD, Lamar Consolidated ISD, Main Street Theater, MECA - Multicultural Education and Counseling through the Arts, Mercury, METdance, Musiqa, New Caney ISD, Pasadena ISD, Sheldon ISD, Society for the Performing Arts, Spring Branch ISD, Spring ISD, Texan-French Alliance for the Arts, Theatre Under The Stars, Tomball ISD, Young Audiences of Houston

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