Community arts education providers partner with K–12 schools, other arts organizations, colleges and universities, social and human service agencies, community-based organizations, and public agencies. These linkages strengthen bonds to the community and, in a broader sense, integrate the arts into other community arenas. Artistic expression can help communities address areas of common concern or need; working with partners can help community arts education providers develop a deeper understanding of and relationship with their community. Partnerships may also offer access to audiences, expertise or skills, or resources such as funding, facilities, and equipment.
A partnership is a relationship between individuals or groups that is characterized by mutual cooperation and responsibility for the achievement of a specified goal—a definition borrowed from Jane Remer, author of Beyond Enrichment: Building Effective Arts Partnerships with Schools and Your Community (Americans for the Arts). “Partnership” implies a formal, structured relationship, while collaboration, coordination, or cooperation are more informal relationships. Of course, collaboration is essential to an effective partnership.
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