KID smART hosts second biennial Arts & Education Conference

Written By Alicia Vial

Three-day conference brings together artists and educators from across the region to share strategies and innovations

NEW ORLEANS – KID smART is hosting its second biennial Arts & Education Conference: The Art of Building Together June 24-26 at the KID smART Center for Arts & Education in New Orleans. This three-day conference will spotlight KID smART’s leadership in arts education, arts-integrated learning, and bring together artists and educators to share strategies and innovations in arts education.

“We are extremely excited to once again host this conference, welcoming more than one hundred K-12 teachers from across our region,” said Elise Gallinot Goldman, executive director of KID smART. “This conference is a regional gathering, connecting a diverse group of artists and educators. It allows educators to gain insights, strategies and innovations in successful arts-integrated learning through curated learning cohorts led by experts in the field.”

The Arts & Education Conference will feature breakout sessions and panel discussions led by local and national arts partners. Liz Byron Loya, author of Art for All: Planning for Variability in the Visuals Arts, will be the conference keynote speaker. Loya’s keynote address will illustrate the importance of creating learning environments that meet the needs of all students.

With five distinct tracks to choose from, educators can delve deep into areas that specifically resonate with them, ensuring a fulfilling and enriching conference experience. The five tracks will be: Arts Integration 101, Art for ALL: Accessibility and Arts Integration, Exploration through STEAM, Under the Night Sky: Integrating Science, Literacy and the Arts, and Everyday People: Social Emotional Learning in the Social Studies Classroom.

General admission for the three-day conference is $225. For information about KID smART’s Arts & Education Conference and to purchase tickets, visit kidsmart.org. 

Sponsorship opportunities are available and help provide Greater New Orleans area teachers access to KID smART’s high-quality continuing education. For more information on sponsorships, please visit KIDsmART.org/aec.

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About KID smART:
Over the last two decades, KID smART has collaborated with more than 40 New Orleans public schools to blend the arts into academic lessons to make classrooms more effective and joyful places to learn. Through full-year artist residencies, students in KID smART Creative Schools prove to grow academically, artistically and emotionally. KID smART also partners with national thought leaders, including Harvard's Project Zero Classroom, to incorporate best practices in arts and education into its program model.

Alicia Vial

Alicia Vial is a New Orleans native with more than a decade of experience elevating client stories and leading crisis response. As the senior director of strategy, Alicia acts as a leader within the Gambel Communications team ensuring each agency team member is positioned to deliver strategic public relations services that meet the highest standards of the industry. In addition to supporting the agency’s long-term business growth and development, she coordinates day-to-day account services and oversees strategic direction while staying abreast of best practices and industry trends to provide innovative solutions to meet client’s needs.

Before joining Gambel Communications, Alicia served as the communications director for the Louisiana SPCA, the oldest and largest animal welfare organization in Louisiana that impacts more than 74,000 animals per year. During her nearly eight-year tenure, Alicia oversaw numerous crises, served on national communication taskforces, oversaw all aspects of internal and external relations and worked alongside the development department to raise critical funding. Prior to that, she worked in the fast-paced New Orleans hospitality industry focusing on digital public relations for multiple hotels.

Alicia is a member of the Public Relations Association of Louisiana (PRAL), Southern Public Relations Federation (SPRF), a board member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) New Orleans Chapter and a member of the New Orleans Regional Leadership Institute. An accredited public relations practitioner (APR), Alicia is also certified in crisis communications, organizational leadership, content marketing and social media.

A well respected and trusted public relations practitioner, Alicia has been recognized by SPRF as a ‘Senior Practitioner of the Year’. Dubbed early on in her career as one to watch, she also received the ‘Rising Star’ award by PRAL and was profiled in St. Charles Avenue Magazine as part of their Young Bloods series. Most recently, she was recognized at PRSA’s annual Fleurish Awards and received four Awards of Excellence for her work along with the ‘Plate Spinner’ award for her efforts on the board of directors for the chapter.

An LSU graduate, Alicia received a bachelor's degree in mass communications with a concentration in public relations and minors in business administration and leadership development. She is a frequent speaker and presenter on public relations topics, most recently presenting at the Jefferson Economic Development Commission and SPRF annual conference.

When Alicia is not at work, you can find her at the ballpark with her three boys or cheering on the Tigers in Death Valley.

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