The Arts Schools Network (ASN) is a collective group of arts education leaders from K-12 arts schools, universities, colleges, and other organizations across the country. It empowers educators by connecting them with peers throughout the world to create and support the next generation of artists.
The ASN hosts an annual conference that brings together these global arts leaders. The conference features keynote speakers and performers and offers numerous presentations and workshops to inspire best practices in every area of arts education. A different school hosts it every year, often in some of the largest cities in the nation, including New York, Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Las Vegas, Seattle, and Washington, DC. However, the 2023 ASN Conference takes place in a smaller city: Birmingham, Ala. Specifically, it is hosted by ASFA!
Historically, ASFA has been very involved in the ASN and its artistic programs. In 1983, ASFA was a founding institution of the ASN and hosted one of its first conferences. Additionally, Dr. Brad Hill, Director of Curriculum & Instruction, is on the Board of Directors of the ASN and leads ASFA faculty and staff at the annual conventions. He tells The Star, “ASFA has an impressive history and national reputation as one of the best specialty schools in the nation, and people want to come see what we do and how we do it.” The 2023 conference already has more registrants than most of the host cities from the past decade!
This year, the theme of the convention is Teaching Anti-Racism and Equity Through the Arts. Keynote speakers include Ashley M. Jones, the current Alabama Poet Laureate and former faculty member of the Creative Writing department; Byronn Bain, a multi-faceted artist, prison activist, and professor at the University of California at Los Angeles; and Harvey Young, an award-winning scholar and Dean of the College of Fine Arts at Boston University. Birmingham’s cultural and historical significance makes it the perfect city to host this convention. Taking place during the 60th anniversary of the birth of the civil rights movement, the ASN and ASFA partnered with the Birmingham Museum of Arts, Birmingham Civil Rights Institute, 16th St. Baptist Church, and the Sidewalk Film Center + Cinema to create emotional and reflective programs. The full program can be viewed at this link.
Despite ASFA’s involvement in the conference, daily campus life will not be disrupted to a great extent. Wednesday and Friday are Focus schedule days and follow special schedules, and a few homerooms will be displaced throughout the week. Guests will be on campus on Monday and Thursday, and while they will not interact with classes, Dr. Hill says students should still “show them great courtesy and respect while, most importantly, being their usual wonderful selves.” Some students are even directly involved with the conference, with 125 student performers and ASFA Ambassadors participating in supporting events.
On Wednesday, all ASFA students have the opportunity to attend a performance of Lyrics From Lockdown from 12:45-2:45 p.m. in the DJD Theater. This showcase is a theatrical hip-hop multimedia production by renowned artist and activist Bryonn Bain about his life-changing encounter with law enforcement. Additionally, most ASFA students will attend a special performance showcase for ASN conference attendees on Thursday (10/26) from 2:30-3:45 p.m. The production features students in Music, Dance, Theatre Arts, and Creative Writing, with a new student exhibit in the Visual Arts Gallery.
The 2023 ASN Conference is an amazing opportunity to showcase the magic of Birmingham to distinguished visitors, and the ASFA community is excited to present everything that makes ASFA the preeminent public specialty school in the country!
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