Our First Photo Shoot
Thank you to our fabulous photographer Henry Huey in Round Rock, TX
FYI... @artsparents is our twitter handle that we stopped monitoring
Our Story
Parents for Arts Education was founded by Central Texas parents, educators, and administrators who had seen firsthand how participation in fine arts programs helps students thrive. Like hundreds of families in our communities, we watched our children grow in confidence, creativity, and resilience through music, theatre, dance, and visual arts. At the same time, a growing body of research was confirming what parents already knew: fine arts education improves academic outcomes, supports social and emotional learning, increases graduation rates, and builds the uniquely human skills that technology can never replace. We knew it was time to act.
Founded in 2021, Parents for Arts Education is a Texas-based nonprofit created to unite parents, students, and educators to encourage, support, and advocate for strong fine arts education in our schools and communities. During our first three years, we focused on listening, learning, and adapting to a rapidly changing education landscape while ensuring parent voices were represented at legislative and advocacy events.
As we worked alongside teacher organizations and the Texas Arts Education Campaign, one thing became clear: parents needed a distinct, organized voice to complement the efforts of teachers and administrators. Just as importantly, we recognized a gap in year-round outreach to younger parents—many of whom are unaware of the long-term benefits of arts education or unsure how to advocate for these programs. By educating parents and increasing enrollment, we help ensure sustained demand for fine arts programs while partner organizations focus on teacher pipelines and course quality.
In 2023, we began building strategic collaborations and a framework to reach parents more effectively. One example is our partnership with Texas PTA and the Texas Cultural Trust. Our founder, Trina Martin, worked with both organizations to create Arts in Education, a “Connect” meeting made available to PTAs across Texas in 2024. That same year, Parents for Arts Education became an official 501(c)(3) nonprofit and began pursuing funding to establish a sustainable structure—recruiting and training volunteers to lead local awareness and advocacy efforts in their own communities.
In 2025, we expanded our work by joining statewide and national arts education advocacy efforts and launching Students for Arts Education, a program designed to give current and former students leadership and volunteer opportunities to advocate for the programs that shaped their lives.
Looking Ahead
As we move into the 2025–2026 school year, Parents for Arts Education is focused on grassroots growth. We are promoting the use of our parent advocacy toolkit and launching pilot programs at the local level, while also developing regional Students for Arts Education chapters for high school and university students.
Our goal is to create a sustainable, scalable framework that educates and mobilizes parents, students, and alumni with accurate, actionable information tailored to their local needs. By aligning tools, messaging, and outreach, we aim to shift the narrative around fine arts education—from a “nice to have” to an essential part of true college, career, and military readiness. This approach ensures long-term demand for fine arts programs while we continue advocating for strong policies and funding at the state and national levels.
Our Founder
Founder Trina Martin intentionally works outside the traditional arts advocacy “bubble,” reaching parents, educators, and community leaders who may not yet see fine arts education as essential or have the messaging and tools to fight for their program. In November, she was invited to speak at a TEDx conference in Round Rock, Texas, where she delivered her talk, “AI Can’t Replace This: Why Arts Education Matters.” The talk was released on YouTube in December of 2025 and is on our social media platforms. It will serve as a powerful tool for families, educators, and advocates to help spread the message about why fine arts education matters now more than ever.