Hawai'i Arts Alliance

Hawai'i Arts Alliance, in partnership with Hawai'i Department of Education, and the State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, has been offering summer institutes since 1995 and professional development workshops in the arts since 2001 as part of ARTS FIRST. These classes are aligned with Hawai'i Content and Performance Standards and include creating, performing/exhibiting, and responding to art. ARTS FIRST formally came into existence when the Hawai`i State Legislature enacted ACT 80/99 in 1999. The enabling legislation named the arts as a core subject in Hawai`i prior to a national mandate. It also called for Hawai`i's major stakeholders in arts education to revise the State's Fine Arts standards and develop a strategic plan. In 2001, ACT 306/01 was passed into law formally naming the ARTS FIRST Partners and mandating the implementation of the strategic plan. The ARTS FIRST Partners are State Foundation on Culture and the Arts, Hawai'i Arts Alliance, Hawai'i Department of Education, Hawai'i Association of Independent Schools, University of Hawai'i College of Education, and University of Hawai'i College of Arts & Humanities. The vision of the ARTS FIRST Partners is Arts for Every Child. Click on the picture below to see the ARTS FIRST Honors Educators 2009 gallery!