Iowa Alliance for Arts Education

06/02/2026

🎶 Join Us at Making Music Cedar Falls! 🎶
We’ll be at the Cedar Falls Farmers Market on Saturday, June 20, from 8:30–10:30 a.m. We will also be at River Place Plaza in downtown Cedar Falls from 1–8 p.m. Please stop by our booth to say hello, learn more about our work, and support the future of arts education.

Every donation made at the event will help fund our Mentorship Program, providing valuable guidance and support for beginning fine arts teachers.

Learn more about Making Music Cedar Falls at the Hearst Center for the Arts:
https://www.thehearst.org/makingmusiccedarfalls

04/28/2026

~You've Got This! Keys To Effective Advocacy~
Presented by Leon Kuehner

Whether you are speaking to your students, your administration, your school board or legislators, you need to able to effectively state your case. This session will break down the components of an effective advocacy message.

Leon Kuehner received his Bachelor of Arts and Master of Arts Degrees in Music Education from the University of Northern Iowa. He has been president of the IBA, state chair of ASBDA, chair of the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education, and is a past president of the Executive Board of the Iowa High School Music Association. He has served a Co-Administrator of the Iowa Alliance for Arts Education “Model of Excellence” mentoring program since 2006. He was the instrumental music chair of the Iowa Fine Arts Standards Adoption Team for the Iowa Department of Education. In 2012, he was named the national winner of the National Federation of High School Association’s Citation for contributions to music education. He is the recipient of the Karl King Distinguished Service Awards for both and active retired members of the Iowa Bandmasters Association. He has also been named a “Distinguished Alumnus” of the University of Northern Iowa School of Music. In 2023, he was awarded the Governor’s Arts Education Award by the Iowa Arts Council. He currently teaches music education classes for North Iowa Area Community College and the University of Iowa.

04/09/2026

Keeping the Arts Alive!
The IAAE “Model of Excellence” mentoring program will be featured at the Education Commission of the States 2026 National Forum on Education Policy Conference in Washington D.C. in July. The session will be moderated by Amanda Karhuse, assistant Executive Director for advocacy and public policy at NAFME. The title of the session is: “Keeping the Arts Alive: Recruiting and Retaining Music and Arts Educators.” Leon Kuehner, IAAE Executive Director, will be discussing the IAAE mentoring program’s efforts to assist and retain beginning fine arts teachers in Iowa.

For more information about the conference, visit https://2026nationalforum.vfairs.com

03/30/2026

Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer, who appears in the accompanying photos, presided at the event. She met with the students whose work was selected to be on display at the State Capitol as part of the Governor's Arts Show and Youth Art Month. These events are sponsored by the Art Educators of Iowa.

03/28/2026

Thanks so much to IAAE members, and the members of the Iowa Bandmasters Association, Iowa Choral Directors Association, Iowa Music Educators Association, Iowa String Teachers Association and Iowa Thespians who contacted their legislators on the consequences of this legislation on fine arts programs in Iowa schools.

03/10/2026

Thank you to all who have contacted your House Representative advocating on this House File. HF2508 was not debated yesterday and is delayed. It is important that our voices are continued to be heard. Please consider sending a message to your legislators to keep the momentum going.

HF2058 link below:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ncHlvdaMT6vLsPbRgiNkSo2GwaDdIpqH/view?usp=sharing

Link below for the directory of all Iowa House members:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/house

03/06/2026

Action Needed on HF2508
HF2508 will be discussed on Monday, and there is hope that we can stop any momentum from building to move the bill forward. If you have emailed legislators previously, please consider sending another message. Continued communication is important.
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/docs/publications/LGI/91/HF2508.pdf

When you email legislators, please copy Speaker Pat Grassley, [email protected], and Majority Leader Bobby Kaufmann, [email protected], so House leadership can better understand the impact this legislation could have.

For your convenience here is a link for the directory of all Iowa House members:
https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislators/house

Please contact your legislator this weekend!

01/23/2026

The lowa Alliance for Arts Education held its annual Arts Education Advocacy Day on Wednesday, January 21 at the lowa State Capitol, co-sponsored by NAMM Foundation. Advocates from every arts discipline joined together to talk with our legislators about why access to arts education and the IAAE mentoring program matter for every student in every school.

It was a great day for arts education in Iowa!

01/21/2026

Good Morning!

As we look ahead to a vibrant year of creativity and cultural growth, I wanted to share a few key resources that can help you stay connected to the arts ecosystem shaping Iowa’s future. These opportunities and organizations play a vital role in nurturing the artistic spirit that strengthens our communities:

Iowa Arts Council - Iowa Arts & Culture
https://opportunityiowa.gov/community/arts-culture

Arts Midwest
https://artsmidwest.org/

While many public and private partners support the arts, these two organizations consistently illuminate the heartbeat of creativity across our state. I encourage you to explore their offerings, stay engaged, and participate in programs and events that enrich Iowa’s cultural landscape and fuel our state’s economic vitality through the arts.

The Iowa Arts Council is also inviting Iowans to share their voices through a brief 10‑minute survey designed to help shape future programming. Your insights will guide the Council’s priorities and ensure that arts opportunities continue to grow and serve communities statewide. The survey will remain open until Friday, January 30, 2026. https://s.alchemer.com/s3/Iowa-Strategic-Planning-Survey-draft

As we continue connecting communities with resources, education, and one another, we strengthen Iowa’s ability to attract and retain people and businesses that value a thriving cultural environment. This work—collective, intentional, and community‑driven—helps cultivate a more vibrant Iowa for generations to come.

The essence of the “Iowan community” is sustained through participation, curiosity, and openness. Every arts organization—whether rooted in performance, sculpture, puppetry, dance, or any other creative expression—has the power to uplift us and shape a brighter, more connected Iowa.

Frank Sposeto III
Iowa Arts Council

Iowa Strategic Planning Survey.

01/21/2026

Arts Education Advocacy Day 2026 is under way at the Iowa State Capitol today. We’re thankful to have so much support from our advocates!