AEP is a national coalition of more than 100 education, arts, business, cultural, government, and philanthropic organizations. AEP was established in 1995 by the National Endowment for the Arts, the U.S. Department of Education, the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO), and the National Assembly of State Arts Agencies (NASAA).

AEP serves as the nation’s hub for individuals and organizations committed to making high-quality arts education accessible to all U.S. students, improving arts education practice, and researching how art influences and strengthens American education. We serve our Partner Organizations by providing priority access to research and information, and creating opportunities for communication and collaboration between arts disciplines and across sectors on key education issues, which benefits their work with their constituents in schools and communities nationwide.

Research and policy: AEP is widely recognized as the leading source of objective and nonpartisan information about current and emerging arts education research, policies, issues, and activities of national significance. In collaboration with key Partners, AEP gathers, analyzes and disseminates evidence on how the arts contribute to student success. (Learn more about AEP's research)

Advance critical dialogue: AEP serves as the nation’s hub for communicating and promoting reliable arts-based best practices that improve teaching and learning in and out of school. AEP’s twice-yearly National Forums convene over 500 leaders from around the country. National Forums foster collaboration and action that helps secure the role of arts education in the curriculum (Learn more about AEP National Forums)

Improve policy and practice: AEP Partners and their constituents do the on-the-ground work every day of making the case for arts education as a critical component of a complete education. AEP strives to make that job easier by providing accessible, easy-to-read language that is supported by evidence from the latest research. (Access the ArtsEdSearch database here)