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2025 Tennessee Arts Academy Dates
July 13 – July 18
on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University
in Murfreesboro, Tennessee
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The TAA Story

The Tennessee Arts Academy (TAA) is the nation’s premier professional development program
for arts education. A project of the Tennessee Department of Education since 1986, TAA offers
a wide variety of year-round services to K-12 arts educators including workshops, master
classes, scholarships, award recognition programs and mentorships.

The Academy’s premier event, the TAA Summer Institute, is held on the campus of Middle
Tennessee State University. Led by a world class faculty and renowned artists and speakers, the
325 arts educators, classroom teachers, and school administrators who receive training during
the TAA Summer Institute directly impact more than 200,000 students the following school year
in classrooms all across the nation. Since 1986, the more than 7500 educators who have
participated in Academy programs have touched the lives of over 3 million students. TAA’s
advanced curriculum, cutting-edge methodology, and unique philosophical perspective
maximize learning at every level of involvement.

With renewed energy and knowledge, teachers trained in programs provided by the Tennessee
Arts Academy are poised to return to their classrooms better equipped to provide students
with the necessary skills and experiences to become creative and productive members of our
work force and society.
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The TAA Experience

The Tennessee Arts Academy consists of two divisions, one geared to elementary/lower middle school teachers (K–6) and the other designed for upper middle/high school teachers (7-12). Participants are grouped according to their specific teaching assignment into one of the three core TAA academic areas – music, theatre and dance, and visual art. The primary TAA participants include K–12 arts specialists, regular classroom teachers, librarians, and school and district level personnel.

A special session in Arts Leadership and Administration is provided for school administrators, supervisors, teacher-leaders, pre-service teachers, and university professors. Classroom teachers and librarians form the main constituency in the elementary theatre session, which focuses on techniques to enhance all subject areas across the curriculum through arts integration, creative drama, and movement. A unique Trio Track integrated arts session allows participants to attend daily individual classes in the three core areas of music, theatre, and visual art.

Two to three core classes a day are spent by participants in intensive study with a highly trained faculty of national and international scholars, professors, award-winning educators, and renowned artists assembled anew each year. Besides the core classes, there is an extraordinary daily array of world-renowned speakers, multiple artist performances, special mini-course choice sessions, networking opportunities, and social activities.  The “TAA Experience” is a week like none other!
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The TAA Foundation

The Tennessee Arts Academy Foundation is a 501 C-3 non-profit organization established to aid and assist in the growth and expansion of the Tennessee Arts Academy and Arts Academy America. The Foundation financially supports the goals and activities of the Academy through various programs and fundraising endeavors.

The TAA Foundation Board of Directors shares in the belief that educators trained at the Tennessee Arts Academy are better equipped and motivated to serve their students, significantly raise achievement levels, and effect positive and lasting change in classrooms throughout the state.

The board meets regularly and accepts both individual and corporate contributions.
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TAA MISSION STATEMENT


The mission of the Tennessee Arts Academy is to provide exceptional quality professional development, arts training, support, encouragement, information and renewal to K-12 teachers and to promote and honor the role of the arts in the lives of all Tennesseans.

The Tennessee Arts Academy is a project of the Tennessee Department of Education and is funded under a grant contract with the State of Tennessee.

The TAA Summer Institute is hosted by and in partnership with the College of Liberal Arts on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee.

Major corporate, organizational, and individual funding support for the Tennessee Arts Academy Foundation in 2024 is generously provided by:

Significant sponsorship, scholarship, and event support for the Tennessee Arts Academy Foundation in 2024 is generously provided by:

Madeline and David Bridges; Marion and Stephen Coleman; Rena Ellzy; Morel Enoch; Solie Fott; Bobby Jean Frost, in memory of Donna Frost; Dorothy M. Gillespie Foundation; HCA Healthcare/TriStar Health; Jim Holcomb; Patricia A. Hudson; Ron and Karen Meers; Michael Meise; Pinnacle Financial Partners; Amy Savell, in memory of Sara and Las Savell; J. Tabor Stamper; Tennessee Book Company; Theatrical Rights Worldwide; Jeanette and Bill Watkins; Watkins College of Art at Belmont University; and Talmage Watts.

The Tennessee Arts Academy is funded in part by Metro Arts / Nashville Office of Art + Culture.

Special thanks to the Robert K. & Anne H. Zelle Fund for the Fine and Performing Arts of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee for their funding support for the 2024 Tennessee Arts Academy.
Click here to see how you can help continue the Tennessee Arts Commission’s arts education grant funding by buying a Specialty License Plate! 
Tennessee Arts Academy • Tennessee Arts Academy Foundation
801 2nd Avenue North  • Suite 100 • Nashville, Tennessee 37201
615-988-6250 • [email protected]
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