Art // Art Educators Conference In Detroit!

The Michigan Art Education Association is such a wonderful resource for art educators. Their yearly conference is a great way for art teachers around the state of Michigan to stay connected, engage in new techniques, and learn from one another. We were so lucky this year to have the conference held right here in Detroit! Having the conference in Detroit was such a cool experience, because it gave me the opportunity to not only brag about all the cool stuff that is happening in our city but also share resources with other art educators that are not from around here.

Another really exciting part about the MAEA conference is that art teachers get the chance to find local resources to help support their programs. These resources include everything from gift cards, art supplies, information about local art organizations, and even opportunities for artists and teachers to apply for grants and giveaways.

However I would have to say that the best thing about the conference is getting to register for all the amazing lectures, workshops, and activities. This years conference offered four days worth of activities and events in and around the city. I was able to attend many different participatory seminars that showed me new techniques such as sgraffito which is a combination of drawing and ceramics. I gathered many new ideas that I can’t wait to use in class, these ideas will help me promote a better sense of curiosity and creativity within all our crews at DAA. Mrs. Erin from Detroit Prep was also an excellent presenter this year (Go Mrs. Erin!!). She shared her vision for how to successfully connect elementary art and social studies using the theme of a road trip and making authentic connections to geography and social studies incorporating a focus on Detroit-based and Michigan-based artists. We also enjoyed running into many of our friends and colleagues from around the city and beyond, we even found Mrs. Maddens!