In this month’s region highlight, Pearl Schaeffer, CEO of the Philadelphia Art in Education Partnership, shares her experience running an affiliate network for the past two years.

The Philadelphia Arts in Education Partnership has been part of the affiliate network for two years. What inspired us to become an affiliate is the opportunity to bring such a remarkable program to middle and high school students in southeastern Pennsylvania. The Alliance for Young Artists & Writers has a fabulous and longstanding reputation in the education community nationally, and we are proud to be a network affiliate.

While I did not personally participate in the program as a teen (because I was studying dance at the time), a number of my cousins who were very interested in the program and showed talent in the visual arts did participate. I believe one of my relatives even received honorable mention for a submission. One of the most rewarding experiences as an affiliate with the program was being able to send our American Vision awardee with his teacher to New York City to participate in the Carnegie Hall Awards Ceremony. This was the student’s first visit to New York City; what a great experience for him! Of course, the other incredibly rewarding aspect is being able to encourage students to pursue their talents in the arts through this highly visible program.

Each year we select a new panel of jurors. All of our jurors are professionals and include artists working in the specific art form being juried, art educators at the high school and university level, and museum curators. All of these professionals find the experience as a juror rewarding and an opportunity for to nurture the next generation of artists.