Arts Access Initiative (AAI)

Arts Access Initiative (AAI) is a school-community partnership program that provides substantial increases in arts educational experiences to elementary and middle school students in Houston Independent School District. The program serves students in grades 3-8, particularly those in schools with the lowest levels of arts resources. AAI provides arts experiences through teaching-artist residencies (33% of experiences), in-school professional artist performances (31%), field trips to cultural institutions (27%), and afterschool programs (9%). The arts disciplines include theatre (54% of experiences), music (18%), visual arts (16%), and dance (12%). Schools commit to a monetary match ($1-$10 per student), which is matched 1:1 by the Houston Endowment, resulting in an average annual budget of $14.67 per student. Participating schools must designate a campus arts liaison, engage in strategic arts planning, participate in teacher and principal arts-integration professional development, and attend peer-network mentoring sessions. The AAI director and staff work with principals to select diverse arts programs aligned with school goals.