The NAEA Equity, Diversity, & Inclusion (ED&I) Commission invites nominations from the NAEA membership for four positions:  

• Elementary
• Middle
• Higher Education 
• Preservice 

Duties of ED&I Commissioners:
 

• Be passionate about ED&I work and exercising emerging or sustaining leadership in the field; 
• Be able and willing to initiate impactful projects related to implementing the final recommendations of the ED&I Task Force; 
• Be able and willing to serve for at least 2 years and participate at an in-person summer convening with the ED&I Commission each year (travel costs covered by NAEA);
• Assist in prioritizing ED&I-related themes, issues, or questions as submitted to the ED&I Commission; 
• Assist in exploring funding sources to support the efforts of the working groups and the ED&I Commission; 
• Assist in identifying exemplary ED&I work and/or reporting on this work and initiating recommended actions to serve our field; 
• Act as a public representative of the ED&I community in the field of visual arts education; and 
• Assist in identifying candidates and in selecting a slate of candidates for Chair of the ED&I Commission, Associate Chair, and Commissioners to be submitted to the NAEA Board of Directors for approval. 

Qualifications for ED&I Commissioners:
 

• ED&I-related experience at the represented level; 
• Be a passionate advocate for the ED&I needs of members within the represented Division; 
•  Experience with ED&I work within their community and/or organization; 
• Ability to demonstrate strong organizational and administrative capabilities;  
• Emerging or sustaining leadership within NAEA or comparable organization or institution at the state and national levels; 
• Act as a representative of the ED&I community within the visual arts education field; 
• Hold current NAEA membership in good standing; and 
• Ability to serve for 2 years as a Commissioner. 

Nomination Process:
Submit your nomination (self-nominations encouraged) online before 11:59 pm ET on November 17, 2025. 

Members may only be considered for one NAEA Commission per nomination period. Please do not nominate or self-nominate for the ED&I Commission if this person is also being nominated for the Research Commission. 

• Nominee CV or resume;
• Two letters of support that address the nominee's qualifications for meeting the required criteria for serving  on the ED&I Commission (pdf file preferred). 
• Responses from the nominee to the following: 

 A statement of interest for serving on the ED&I Commission. Responses should be provided through the lens of equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility. The statement should also incorporate your personal qualifications. 

An overview of your experience, service, scholarship, and leadership in the work of establishing greater equity, diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility. 

Address how you have increased your knowledge and awareness of issues surrounding equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility.

Explain how your background, knowledge, and skills support your ability to contribute to diverse perspectives. 

List questions, challenges, and issues you believe need to be addressed in the work of establishing greater equity, diversity, inclusivity, and accessibility. 

Nomination deadline: November 17, 2025

 
Questions? 

Contact Ray Yang, NAEA Director of ED&I and Special Initiatives, at ryang@arteducators.org 

Nomination deadline: November 17, 2025 

The NAEA Research Commission invites nominations from the NAEA membership for the following three positions:

• Associate Chair
• At-Large Commissioner
• Higher Education Commissioner
• Preservice Commissioner
• Supervision and Administration Commissioner 

The NAEA Research Commission, established by the NAEA Board of Directors in 2011, promotes a vibrant culture of research that encourages NAEA members and the broader educational community to understand, utilize, and value research as a means for improving art education theory, practice, advocacy, and policy. The Commission also helps NAEA members develop their interactive experiences with research practices and products, enhance their own skills and understandings as researchers, and locate and apply research findings to their professional practices. 

Nominees for Division Representative Commissioners should be passionate advocates for the research needs of members within the Division to be served, and either be a member of the Division of interest or have significant research experience in this area. Commissioner nominees must be willing to serve for 2 years. The position is renewable for one additional 2-year term.
 

Qualifications and Duties:

All nominees for Research Commission service must hold current NAEA membership in good standing. Terms of service for newly elected Commissioners begin at the close of the 2026 NAEA National Convention(Convention takes place March 5–7, 2026). The qualifications and duties of all Research Commissioners are as follows:

• Have research experience as demonstrated through publications, service on research initiatives, and participation in research projects;
• Have demonstrated successful organizational, administrative, and leadership capacities;
• Have demonstrated successful leadership within NAEA or at a comparable organization or institution at the state and national levels;
• Act as a public representative of the research community within the art education field.
• Commissioners coordinate and communicate about research that relates to the needs of practitioners and stakeholders who are concerned with understanding critical questions of importance to the field in order to provide the highest quality visual arts education possible in our schools and educational institutions.

Nomination Process:

The Research Commission will accept nominations for Commission members by any NAEA member who wishes to nominate a suitable candidate. Please check with the individual nominated to ensure they accept the nomination. The Research Commission will also accept nominations from NAEA members who self-nominate for the positions. 

Members may only be considered for one NAEA Commission per nomination period. Please do not nominate or self-nominate for the Research Commission if this person is also being nominated for the ED&I Commission. 

Nominees for all positions must submit the following materials:

• Nominee CV or resume (4 pages maximum). Should include published work.
• Responses from the nominee to the following: A summary of your research experience and expertise, Roles you have played in conducting research, Research questions you think need to be addressed in art education. 

Questions? Contact Laura Grundler, Director of Learning and Program Development at lgrundler@arteducators.org  

This form is to be submitted ONLY by a State/Province Association President or Awards Coordinator  to notify the NAEA Awards Coordinator of who has been selected by the State/Province to receive  recognition as the 2025 “State/Province Art Educator.”  THIS IS NOT A NOMINATION FORM.  If this form is not submitted by the State/Province Association President or Awards Coordinator as specified above, it will not be considered valid.

This form is due by 5:00 PM ET on October 31, 2024. 

Committed to supporting art educators in their quest to excel as leaders, NAEA has designed a 21st-century flagship program: School for Art Leaders at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.

The Program

Committed to supporting art educators in their quest to excel as leaders, NAEA has designed a 21st-century flagship program: School for Art Leaders at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art.
The Program
Since 1947, art educators representing all states, regions, and work contexts have provided volunteer leadership service that has shaped the field of art education and positioned the National Art Education Association (NAEA) as the premier professional community for art educators. Committed to supporting art educators in their quest to excel as leaders, NAEA has designed a 21st-century flagship program: School for Art Leaders. Utilizing experiential action learning modules and in-depth conversations with expert leaders, this program provides participants with needed learning experiences and skills to successfully lead in any environment.
The program design is geared specifically for art educators and is based on the work and recommendations of the NAEA Leadership Development Task Force. Seven different leadership models provide a strong basis for the content of the work, with specific individual and group exercises woven throughout the experience.
 

• The NAEA Art Educator Competency Model (developed by the Leadership Development Task Force) 
• Thurber–Zimmerman Empowerment/Leadership Model 
• Mindful Leadership 
• Total Leadership 
• Emotional Intelligence 
• Storytelling  
• Strategies to Support Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in Leadership 

Those selected for each annual class will contribute to the development of an extraordinary community cohort committed to leadership excellence. Upon successful completion, participants become members of the national School for Art Leaders network and are positioned to excel as leaders in education, the arts, and advocacy. 

Eligibility and Qualifications 

Art education professionals who are new to leadership as well as those who have a range of leadership experience and are looking to enhance their skills are encouraged to apply. Successful applicants will:
 

• Have 5 years or more of professional practice and currently working as an art educator (school/school district, museum, college/university, local or state agency, community organization, or other work context). 
• Commit to fully participating in the 10-month program, including possible inclusion in a longitudinal study on leadership impact in art education upon completion of the program. 
• Have organizational support from a state association and/or your school/institution. 

NAEA expects that program graduates will actively apply their leadership skills in ways that will enhance their institutions and/or NAEA and its affiliates, and contribute a positive impact on the field of art education. 

2026 Program Commitment 

The purpose of the School for Art Leaders at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art is to provide an experience that both inspires and prepares art educators to become active leaders of positive change in the field of art education. 

A cohort of no more than 25 participants annually will form a learning community throughout this 10-month program. Participants will meet in a kickoff orientation in preparation for a 5-day intensive experience, taking place at Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas. Following the intensive experience, participants will continue to learn and support one another through application of leadership experiments and debriefing sessions through coaching and mentoring for the next 9 months.  

Selection Process 

Each annual class is limited to 25 individuals. Each application is carefully read and scored by a minimum of three reviewers to determine an average score, and all final decisions are made by a Selection Committee. The reviewers consist of a diverse group of SAL Alumni, and the Selection Committee is made up of a diverse group of active NAEA leaders. Both reviewers and the Selection Committee remain anonymous throughout the selection process. The reviewers and Selection Committee are committed to NAEA’s goal of supporting the leadership development of art educators toward creating a pool of leader-ready individuals to advance the profession and the field. Selection will be based on the committee’s evaluation of the readiness for experience and application of leadership skills. The selection will also ensure diverse professional experience, volunteer service, geographic designation, ethnicity, and other indications of leadership potential. 

Timeline 

• Application Open: Friday, August 1, 2025
• Application Close: Wednesday, October 1, 2025 
• Notification of Acceptance: Friday, November 21, 2025  
• Program Start: Thursday, June 4, 2026 
• Crystal Bridges Retreat: Monday, July 13, to Friday, July 17, 2026  
• Additional Key Program Dates: SAL 2026 Calendar 

To nominate a state/province association or interest group for a newsletter or website award, please complete this form no later than October 1, 2024. 

Questions? Please email Sydney Krieck at skrieck@arteducators.org

NAEA is seeking nominations for our 2026 National Awards program. 

Eligibility

Any current NAEA member may self-nominate or nominate a fellow NAEA member for a national award with the exception of the following individuals who are INELIGIBLE to receive an NAEA award:

• Current NAEA Board Members and Elects
• Current NAEA Regional Representatives (formerly called Regional Division Directors)
• State/Province Association Leadership who current serve as voting members of a state association board

All nominees must be a current member of NAEA at the time of nomination, with the exception of those self-nominating/nominating for:

• the Eisner Lifetime Achievement Award
• the Distinguished Service Outside of the Profession Award
• the COMC J. Eugene Grigsby, Jr. Award

About the Form

When submitting a nomination, you will be asked for information on the nominee’s activities, awards, published material, presentations, leadership positions, and more. We recommend having all of this information collected in advance to either upload or from which to copy and paste (requirements for each award vary) to be prepared. 

You can save your nomination form and complete it at any time before the November 1 deadline.

Are you nominating an individual for multiple awards? You may nominate an individual for up to 3 awards within the same nomination form.

Awards Program Booklet & Scoring Rubrics: Download the 2026 NAEA Awards Booklet and Scoring Rubrics.

Final Deadline: Friday, November 1, 2025 @ 11:59pm ET*

Other NAEA Awards Programs

NAEA also invites state/province associations and interest groups to self-nominate for a 2026 Newsletter/Website recognition. This is a separate form that can be accessed here. 

State/Province Art Educator of the Year Awardee Information is collected here. 

Questions? Contact NAEA Member Services at members@arteducators.org 

The NAEA Scholarship Fund supports art educators seeking further professional learning opportunities through the many programs and events offered by NAEA. These scholarships support innovators in visual arts, design, and media arts education, providing access to professional learning, leadership experience, and connectivity to the field.

Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion (ED&I) Scholarship

The NAEA ED&I Commission offers scholarships designed to increase equity, diversity, and inclusion in the field of visual arts, design, and media arts education by removing barriers to access for underserved and underrepresented individuals.

What it includes:

• Complimentary registration to the 2026 NAEA National Convention

• Up to three (3) nights of hotel accommodations in an NAEA-designated hotel

• A one-year NAEA national membership (not combined with state association membership)

Up to four recipients will be selected, with priority given to first-time NAEA National Convention participants and Preservice educators.

Eligibility: Open to all visual arts and design educators and preservice students

Deadline: November 26, 2025

For more information about this scholarship, click here.

First-Time Attendee Scholarship

This scholarship is designed to support visual arts educators attending their first NAEA National Convention.

What it includes:

• Complimentary registration to the 2026 NAEA National Convention

• Up to three (3) nights of hotel accommodations in an NAEA-designated hotel

• Travel stipend of up to $300 for transportation, meals, and incidentals

Up to four recipients will be selected for this scholarship award.

Eligibility:

• Must be an NAEA member

• Must spend at least 51% of professional work as a visual arts educator

• Must be a first-time in-person attendee (virtual-only participants are not eligible)

Deadline: November 26, 2025

For more information about this scholarship, click here.

Art Educator Scholarship

This scholarship supports art educators in continuing their professional learning through Convention participation.

What it includes:

• Complimentary registration to the 2026 NAEA National Convention

Up to 10 recipients will be selected for this scholarship award.

Eligibility:

• Must be an NAEA member

• Must spend at least 51% of professional work as a visual arts educator

Deadline: November 26, 2025

For more information about this scholarship, click here.