Dear Friends and Supporters,

On behalf of the Board of Directors, we are delighted to present the Annual Report for 2022/2023 reflecting the incredible achievements and impact of Art in Action. As Co-Chairs, it is both a privilege and a responsibility to share with you the highlights of our journey in serving our mission. Over the past year, we have continued to witness the unwavering dedication and commitment of our staff, volunteers, and donors in bringing positive change to the lives of the communities we serve. Through our collective efforts, we have made substantial progress in our key focus areas, including bringing art to over 76,000 students in 2,433 classrooms in 26 states and across the globe.

Highlights from 2022/2023 include:
1. Programs expansion including Art in STEAM, Emerging Artists, Latinx lessons.
2. 48% of the schools we serve are Title 1 or under-resourced schools in low-income communities.
3. Strengthening the organizational infrastructure to support a strategic growth trajectory.

None of these accomplishments would have been possible without the generous support from our donors and partners. We are immensely grateful for their trust in our mission and their continuous contributions. At the forefront of this is our founder, Judy Sleeth. Judy’s generosity and continued support of our organization inspires us to push boundaries and explore new avenues for growth and impact.

As we grow and expand our programs, we aim to foster stronger relationships with both existing and new supporters, uniting our efforts to make an even greater difference in the lives of those we serve. While we celebrate these successes, we are also mindful of the challenges that lie ahead. The need for our programs remains constant, and the ever-changing educational landscape requires us to adapt and innovate. As Co-Chairs, we are committed to ensuring that Art in Action remains at the helm of positive change by embracing new technologies for our lessons, refining our strategies, and maintaining the highest level of transparency and accountability.

We also wish to express our deepest gratitude to our staff and volunteers. Their dedication and passion drive our organization forward, and their hard work on the ground ensures that our programs have a tangible impact.

We recognize and value their contributions, and we are fortunate to have such a dedicated team working tirelessly towards our shared vision.

Finally, we extend our heartfelt thanks to our beneficiaries—the parents, teachers, docents, schools, and youth programs in our communities who use our programs to enrich their children’s learning and development. As we look to the future, we are excited about the potential that lies ahead.

We remain steadfast in our commitment to creating lasting change and building a better, more equitable world by Empowering Children Through Arts Education. With your continued support, we know that our collective efforts will lead to even more significant achievements in the coming year.

Thank you for being an essential part of our journey. Together, we are transforming children’s lives through art and creating a brighter future.

With warmest regards,
Willow Bechtel, Co-Chair, Board of Directors
Susan Ball, Co-Chair, Board of Directors

“I cannot put a value on this program. It is important and essential for growing minds that they are exposed to different art processes and techniques and helps the students grow in being able to communicate through art. I am excited to have this program in our school!”
-Holly Stotts, teacher at Allen Elementary School in San Bruno, CA

“With Art in Action, my students mature due to their confidence and style in their art. Art in Action has also helped behavior issues. For example, I have an overactive student who is calm and focused for the entire hour of art!”
-3rd grade teacher at Selma Olinder Elementary in the San Jose, CA

“Cureton is a VAPA school, but because of our low-income area- students aren't always exposed to art as they should be. Art in Action helps to bridge this gap. Students need art in their lives to help them become well-rounded individuals.”
-Kelsey, 5th-grade teacher at Horace Cureton Elementary in San Jose, CA

“During the past two years, covid impacted us in many ways. We unfortunately, struggled financially and our art budget was cut. Art in Action provided us with supplies and curriculum to teach our students. Thank you so much. We are so grateful for this wonderful program.”
-Beth, Principal at St. Pius X in Nueces, Texas

Art in Action aims to provide students with an engaging curriculum that encourages observation, dialogue, and creativity. We've been reviewing and enhancing our program over the past year, focusing on modernizing and diversifying it. Our recent initiatives include two new programs and a wider selection of featured artists.

The Emerging Artist Series showcases contemporary artists through filmed interviews where they discuss their school experiences, artistic processes, and inspirations, addressing questions that K-8 students might have.

One of our new lessons features the artist Frida Kahlo. Third graders explore the art genre of magic realism and how Kahlo represents her identity using objects and symbols in her paintings. Students then create self-portraits that incorporate colors, symbols, and objects reflecting their own culture and identity.

To better support our diverse student body, including many Spanish-speaking families, we now offer English and Spanish handouts for our K-8 students when working on their art projects. For example, we have "How to Draw a Face - Primary" handouts available in both English and Spanish as "Cómo Dibujar un Rostro: Primaria."

We've introduced these new program offerings in the field, collecting feedback along the way. In May, we organized an event where bilingual students and their native-speaking parents/guardians participated in the new Kahlo lesson. With the lesson and handouts available in Spanish, everyone understood the instructions, resulting in fantastic art pieces reflecting their culture. The feedback has overwhelmingly supported the new curriculum.

In a world where budget constraints often leave creative subjects like art and music neglected in schools, one woman's passion for art education has sparked a global movement that is changing the lives of thousands of students. Meet our founder Judy Sleeth, with her help we have been making a significant impact on the lives of young learners for over four decades.

Judy's journey began when she discovered a shocking lack of art teachers in her community, even in a well-to-do neighborhood like Menlo Park. Troubled by the absence of creative outlets for children, she decided to take matters into her own hands. At the request of her daughter's kindergarten teacher, Judy taught an art lesson, which turned out to be the catalyst for something extraordinary.

For schools where nearly half the students come from low-income backgrounds, Art in Action has been a game changer. Assistant Superintendent Dr. Leticia Bhatia notes that art provides a universal language that transcends cultural barriers, thus fostering inclusivity and leveling the playing field for students of diverse backgrounds.

Judy Sleeth's dedication to nurturing creativity and art education does not stop there. Upon her retirement as Art in Action's executive director, she established a scholarship program in 2016. This program has since funded art education in 40 schools across 19 states, ensuring that those lacking the financial means can access art curriculum and supplies.

In recognition of her tireless efforts and unwavering commitment to art education, Judy Sleeth was recently honored with the prestigious Jefferson Award in the Bay Area. Her visionary approach to integrating art into classrooms has not only enriched the lives of countless students but has also set an example for educators worldwide.

As Art in Action continues to touch the lives of young minds across the globe, let us extend our heartfelt gratitude to Judy Sleeth for her remarkable work in bringing art to the forefront of education, empowering the next generation with creativity, expression, and boundless imagination. Her legacy will undoubtedly continue to inspire generations to come.

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