Parents for Arts Education

10/07/2026

Wednesday Wisdom: Live music is what brings us together.
Our founder, Trina Martin, came home from a recent trip to Louisville with this reminder, and we couldn't agree more. Every concert needs performers, sound engineers and crews, and they all start in a fine arts classroom.
It's National Arts and Humanities Month. This week, find a free local event (Round Rock friends, Music on Main is tonight 🎶) and bring a student with you.
Fine Arts Builds Human Skills.Round Rock Arts and Culture

10/07/2026

10/04/2026

Future-ready does not mean knowing every answer.

It means knowing what to do when the answer is not obvious.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, 82% of employers look for problem-solving skills on a candidate’s résumé.

Fine Arts students practice those skills every day.

A musician adjusts balance, timing or technique.
A visual artist revises a composition that is not communicating clearly.
A dancer adapts movement to the space.
An actor rethinks a choice based on feedback.
A theatre technician troubleshoots a system before the curtain rises.

Across every discipline, students learn to:

• Identify what is not working
• Consider more than one possible solution
• Work within real limitations
• Test an idea and evaluate the result
• Respond to feedback
• Adjust and try again

These are not abstract “soft skills.” This is how productive people respond when circumstances change, systems fail, feedback arrives or a new challenge comes without an instruction sheet.

Fine Arts do not give students every answer.

They teach students how to find the next one.

09/27/2026

The ability to solve a problem begins with the ability to imagine that another answer is possible.

Fine Arts gives students consistent practice doing exactly that. They interpret, experiment, make decisions, respond to feedback and revise their work until an idea becomes something real.

Those habits extend far beyond the studio, stage or rehearsal room. The World Economic Forum identifies creative thinking as a skill expected to continue growing in importance through 2030. Here in Texas, nearly 960,000 people—1 in every 14 workers—are employed in creative careers.

But creative problem-solving is valuable in every field. Communities need people who can approach unfamiliar challenges with curiosity, adapt their thinking and create thoughtful paths forward.

When schools invest in Fine Arts, they are not simply developing artists. They are developing imaginative thinkers prepared to help shape what comes next.

Sources:
Texas Cultural Trust, 2025 State of the Arts Report: https://txculturaltrust.org/what-we-do/artcan/state-of-the-arts-report/
World Economic Forum, Future of Jobs Report 2025: https://www.weforum.org/publications/the-future-of-jobs-report-2025/

09/26/2026

The Rockin’ Longhorns are an amazing after school elementary percussion ensemble led by a dedicated teacher Staci Stokes Waites. Yes the 40+ kids every year are having a blast performing song like “Crazy Train” but they also build skills like collaboration and discipline (they manage, move and set up all of their own equipment.. yes 4th and 5th graders!). But as you see these kids go on to a variety of activities where they can apply these skills. Fine arts builds human skills!

09/25/2026

Fun to see this go viral! Dance teams work so hard to bring these performances to life. Let’s all work together to ensure these programs are valued at every level.

09/21/2026

This December, Klein Oak High School will welcome back Emmy Award-winning actor Jim Parsons for a special two-night fundraising event celebrating the lasting impact of arts education!

On December 11–12, 2026, Parsons will reunite with his former theatre director, Tony-nominated educator Rick Garcia, and fellow Klein Oak alumni—including Broadway performer Charlie Po***ck, producer Robyn Weiss, and psychotherapist Becky Dodds—for a very special theatrical experience.

The event will also bring together an impressive team of professional artists, designers, educators, and emerging Texas talent, including former Klein Oak Student and Emmy Nominated Scenic Designer and Art Director Sean Ryan Jennings, Klein Oak Class of 2004 (1923, Ozarks, Avengers End Game, and Infinity Awards) all coming together to celebrate where their artistic journeys began.

Proceeds will benefit the Maestro Arts Project (MAP), a nonprofit founded by Rick Garcia that provides resources, scholarships, training, and transformative opportunities for Texas fine arts educators and students.

From the Klein Oak stage to Broadway, Hollywood, and beyond—this is a celebration of the power of arts education and the lifelong impact of a great teacher!

Production title, ticket information, and additional event details will be announced soon.

09/20/2026