This study examined the changes in perception toward systemic racism of twenty-six first-year students at a mid-sized university in central New Jersey. All were members of the first-year choir and, with their conductor, participated in a three-week workshop called 'No Justice, No Peace.' The goal was to examine social justice issues and systemic…

High-stakes statewide testing, low levels of knowledge surrounding the benefits of arts integration, and fiscal challenges have led to schools cutting arts programs in servitude toward higher test scores. This phenomenon has affected the existence and level of arts integration present in non-arts courses. The purpose of this dissertation was to…

The process of entering prison as a civilian is such … sign in … send stuff through x-ray … walk through metal detector … get patted down by officer … show badge, get buzzed through steel door … get buzzed through another steel door … get buzzed through another steel door … show badge to officer, get buzzed through steel door. Enter the yard and…

This eight-week action research project examined how art can be a possible intervention to memory loss. Five octogenarians with dementia participated in a qualitative phenomenological case study exploring the connections between memory and making art. Various methods of data collection were employed, including survey, interview, artifacts,…

This article explores the use of art as a form of communication and meaning-making in participatory action research (PAR). The authors, researchers and educators, contemplate this concept through a pedagogical lens, and consider the role that visual and performing arts can play in social action. Based on the work of a youth-adult participatory…

This action research study served to help students suffering from anxiety or anxiety related issues by using Art as a means of improving focus and fostering self control. The student participants in this study were a group of 25 sophomore and junior high school students, both male and female, ranging between the ages of 15-17. The participants…

In this article, the author shares the success of her fun and engaging eco-art project for elementary students. Not only did she want to provide students with an engaging project, she also wanted to raise awareness surrounding several key issues, including changes in natural habitats, the sustainable balance of humans and nature, and our role as…

What happens when teams from 57 cities building afterschool systems gather to discuss two key system responsibilities--improving afterschool programs and using data for informed decision-making? Lots of rich discussion. This report covers a national afterschool conference held in February 2013. It details what mayors, program providers, system…

Plainfield, New Jersey has been a pathway from the Hudson to the Delaware Rivers for Native Americans, a settlement for early settlers, a source for industrial workers, and a residence for homeowners of a wide variety of incomes. The town's architecture recalls its social history. A need was seen to build community through recognition of the…

The program description and curriculum for Art Partners, a Cranford, New Jersey, after-school program to meet the needs of artistically talented children in grades 3-6, are provided. The program description includes information on: a suggested sequence of activities for 38 sessions, program organization, the artist-in-residence component, area art…

This report examines arts participation in the ten largest metropolitan areas in the United States using data from the 2002 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts. These data indicate that, in general, these metropolitan regions tend to be more alike than different with respect to arts participation patterns. Analysis reveals that while…

This guide contains a collection of activities which are designed to provide opportunities for 4-H voluteers and youth in New Jersey to get involved in learning about the marine environment. The guide is divided into five sections which deal with habitats, organisms, career exploration, community involvement, and additional marine activities. Each…

This report examines arts engagement in ten key states in the U.S. by analyzing data from the 2002 Survey of Public Participation in the Arts (SPPA). It is organized into ten state profiles that summarize key demographic characteristics, the arts landscape, and public participation in the arts. Because the regions profiled here are not a random…

There is a general demand for information in regard to the condition of drawing and art in the elementary and secondary schools of this and other countries. In partial response to this demand Mr. Royal Bailey Farnum, specialist in drawing and handwork in the New York State Education Department, has prepared this manuscript showing the status of…