Advocacy is Storytelling

We talk a lot about advocacy in Arts Education. It is essential, but also can feel esoteric, or inaccessible. I've seen people recoil at the mention of it; the word has political undertones that some just don't want to touch. 

I find it helps to think of advocacy as storytelling. The synonyms for the word seem to support that idea. After all, advocating for our work is simply supporting, championing, and (more simply) sharing what that work is and what it does.

I've found support in the blogs, books, and podcasts of people like Chase Jarvis, Seth Godin, and Dr. Brené Brown. Their suggestions to make a habit of the process of creating and sharing work, to "ship" the product, and to be "awkward, brave, and kind" have helped me formulate a direction for my advocacy. To me, theatre education provides the opportunity for students to create and perform, yes, but also to explore, experiment, interpret, collaborate, and develop a disciplined work ethic. Advocating these aspects meant documenting students' experiences in rehearsals, behind the scenes, and in between performances via social media, press releases, news articles, and email communications sent directly to the students, teachers, and parents within the school community. This opened up aspects of the work that our audience doesn't always see, or understand. We saw an increase in "outside" support (people volunteering their time and materials) and - although I don't have numbers to compare it to as we did not perform last year - I believe there was an increase in attendance during the performances. Seeing the students engaged in the process gave a tangible example of the importance of what we do in ways that my words just can't.

In summary, we encourage students to tell their stories through their artwork. As artists, educators, and organizations, it is important that we do the same by taking control of the narrative of what that work means. After all, if we don't tell our story the way we want it to be told, someone else will surely tell it in their own way.

How do you advocate for your work in arts education? Please share your ideas in comments, or engage with me on social media. I look forward to hearing from you!