‘Arts Educators Save the World’ Podcast Celebrates Arts Teachers
Industry: Education
The work of great artists can change our lives. But first, someone changes theirs. On the new podcast, ARTS EDUCATORS SAVE THE WORLD, artists talk with host Erica Halverson alongside their teachers and mentors about how those collaborations made them who they are today, conversation with the mentors who shaped them. The first two episodes feature Lin-Manuel Miranda ("Hamilton") and Robert Lopez ("Frozen") talking with their elementary school arts teacher.
Los Angeles, CA (PRUnderground) August 29th, 2022
In today’s political climate, where arts education is always on the chopping block, it’s important to reflect on the power of arts educators to change lives. In the new podcast “Arts Educators Save the World,” launched today, artists talk with author and professor Erica Halverson alongside their teachers and mentors about how early arts education and mentorship set them on their career — and life — trajectories.
In the first two episodes, released today, Lin-Manuel Miranda, creator of “Hamilton,” and Robert Lopez, a double EGOT winner whose credits include “The Book of Mormon,” “Avenue Q” and “Frozen” — sit down with their elementary school music teacher Barbara Ames. Both artists credit her for guiding them toward their life’s work.
The show’s host is Erica Halverson, is a professor and department chair at the University of Wisconsin-Madison and author of How the Arts Can Save Education, a blueprint for how the arts can transform education. With “Arts Educators Save the World,” she offers origin stories that remind us of the critical importance of arts education in a time when the arts have been devalued and defunded at an alarming rate. Guests share personal narratives about the mentors who harnessed the power of creativity and helped them not just understand art, but life itself.
“Arts Educators Save the World” is executive produced by the Story Pirates, a nationally renowned group of top comedians, musicians, best-selling authors, and incredible teachers with fifteen years of experience creating content that celebrates the imaginations of kids. Their award-winning podcast for kids has won numerous awards and has been downloaded more than 60 million times.
Upcoming episodes of Arts Educators Save the World will include conversations educator/mentors and the artists Josh Radnor, Annaleigh Ashford, Sharif Bay, (MacArthur Genius award recipient) Bill Strickland, Faisal Abdu’Allah, Fraser James, Kate Baldwin. Alek Lev (“Meeting Tom Cruise”) and Doug Matejka (“Whistleblower”) are producing the weekly shows, with sound designer Justin Asher (“Levar Burton Reads”).
Arts Educators Saves the World is available on all major podcast platforms. More information is available at www.artseducatorspodcast.com.
About Story Pirates
The Story Pirates are a nationally renowned group of top comedians, musicians, best-selling authors and incredible teachers with 17 years of experience creating content that celebrates the imaginations of kids. Winner of both the 2020 and 2022 iHeartRadio Award and the Webby Award for Best Kids and Family Podcast, The Story Pirates Podcast is one of the top three kids and family podcasts in the world. Downloaded more than 50 million times and featuring songs and sketches based on stories written by kids, their special guests include top talent like Billy Eichner, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Dax Shepard, Bowen Yang, Claire Danes, John Oliver, and Lake Bell. The Pirates have released three critically acclaimed middle-grade books with Random House Children’s Books and several award-winning albums, all based on ideas from kids around the world. The Creator Club, their subscription service, features activities, live-streamed classes, a weekend radio show, and videos to entertain and encourage creativity for kids at home.
