The present study posed two research questions. Because of limited research regarding leadership in arts and culture organizations, the background question to contextualize the study was: How do nonprofit arts and culture leaders in the Jacksonville, Florida, metropolitan area perceive their roles within their organizations? The foreground question was: How do leaders of nonprofit arts and culture organizations in the Jacksonville, Florida, metropolitan area understand their roles in providing underserved K-12 students access to and opportunity for arts education? The research questions warranted a qualitative research design using semi-structured, in-depth interviews. The review of the literature documented the importance of arts education for all and how school policy mandates have led to a reduction in access to and opportunity for arts education, especially in schools with high poverty rates and students of color. Interview data were collected from 11 leaders of nonprofit arts and culture organizations. Data analysis involved identifying five typologies that organized the description and interpretation dimensions of Eisner’s process of educational criticism (1998): arts education, programs, and services; advocacy and engagement for the arts; challenges to providing access to and opportunities for arts education; the role of partnerships; and nonprofit arts and culture organizational development. Data analysis corroborated that the problems of inequitable arts education is still pervasive in K-12 education. The participants perceived their missions as focused on arts education for all and as contributing to filling the gap in providing equitable access to and opportunities for arts education for underserved K-12 students. The present study concluded that nonprofit arts and culture organizations can provide a unique set of contributions, such as programs for K-12 students, arts leadership development, and partnerships with schools and with each other in delivering equitable access to and opportunities for arts education for underserved K-12 students.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:unf.edu/oai:digitalcommons.unf.edu:etd-1853 |
| Date | 01 January 2018 |
| Creators | Gibbs, Alarie A |
| Publisher | UNF Digital Commons |
| Source Sets | University of North Florida |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | UNF Graduate Theses and Dissertations |
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