People come to arts education with different needs, perspectives, and experiences. Through the Artist to Artist network,  participants access tools, resources and exemplars that support and enhance the work and learning they do as part of a larger community of learners.
 
Professional learning communities may address complex work that is best understood within the context of a study group, a team of artists and teachers, a district-wide management team, or a community of learners in a workshop.

With the support of coaches and facilitators, professionals can deepen their work by embracing the concept of “critical friends”— people who meet—both virtually and face to face—to engage in an ongoing process of professional discussion and collaborative inquiry.

Artist to Artist uses various reflective protocols to create community because they allow practitioners to:

–build the skills and culture necessary for collaborative work
–create an environment that encourages respectful, non-judgmental dialogue
–ensure everyone present has a chance to contribute
–make the most of our time
–hold in-depth, insightful conversations about teaching and learning