Don't Just Do Arts and Crafts: Exploring Quality Art Education in Afterschool

Afterschool programs have a positive impact on youth, families and communities. Afterschool programs allow youth to have expanded learning opportunities in academics and enrichment activities. With art education losing the battle for classroom time during the school day and STEM education being the focus of economic growth in our society, art education tends to be valueless. However, afterschool program can be the model for increasing art education experiences for youth. Programs building partnerships with the Utah Afterschool Network and Utah art organizations can be the start of increasing quality art programming. UAN can improve training efforts for afterschool staff to foster and sustain art partnerships while gathering tools and resources for programs to increase quality art education to build creative positive experiences for youth.