Veronica Talton
Meet Veronica Talton, a San Jose performing arts teacher and Arts Now leader whose career spans choir, piano, general music, and musical theater across grades 1–8. As an arts education consultant and longtime advocate at the local, state, and national levels, Veronica is passionate about making sure every child—regardless of their family’s resources—has access to a high-quality, well-rounded arts education.
In the interview below, she shares what drew her to advocacy, the challenges she’s working to address in Bay Area schools, and why this work has been so fulfilling.
Can you tell us a little about yourself and how you got involved with the Arts Now program?
I am a performing arts teacher who teaches grades 1-8 in San Jose. In my career I have taught choir, piano, general music, and musical theater. I’ve also been very active in teachers’ association actions at the local, state and national levels. As an arts education consultant, I engage in lots of advocacy for the fine arts, and I don’t recall exactly how I first learned about Create CA. I joined the Santa Clara cohort gaining additional knowledge and tools which have enhanced my legislative skills set and given me confidence to speak intelligently on topics within the field.
What drew you to arts education advocacy, and why is it important to you personally?
As a child, I was fortunate to have had both private and public school music instruction which allowed me to further develop as a creative and music maker. Every child’s family doesn’t have the means to support their private arts education, so it is essential that schools are equipped with adequate resources and can hire the staff to contribute to a well rounded arts education for all children that desire to participate. It is important to me as a public school performing arts teacher to make sure that students have a high quality arts education and are introduced to developing creativity and self expression in their lives. My consulting business focuses on just that, and I’ve been able to do what I love while helping provide arts access for future generations.
What issue or challenge in your school or community did you decide to address through your advocacy work?
I chose to address the lack of support for varied arts offerings in school districts, which are often primarily band. Choir, mariachi, orchestra, piano, dance, musical theater, digital art, and music production are becoming more widely accepted but elective courses and elementary arts classes are still dominated by band. My district has included the arts in its collective bargaining agreement, which attracted me to apply, but in many districts across the Bay Area, music and arts funding is cut when budget deficits arise. In spite of Prop 28 funding, the suggested arts courses above have been minimally staffed, and district leaders opt to increase the course load of an existing arts staff member rather than seek alternative ways. As often as I can, I remind leadership about the statistics that reveal the impact of arts courses upon students. Exploring less traditional arts courses might spark curiosity and completely alter a child’s life trajectory for the better.
How did the program support or guide you in your advocacy journey?
Not only have I received information and resources for sharing, Create CA staff have made themselves available to discuss my goals one on one as well as to problem solve any potential risks with achieving my assignment along the way. There are regular offerings with fellow Arts Now cohort leaders and arts advocates in a virtual setting and opportunities to network. There are templates and infographics which make sharing information with the public and community leaders, board members and philanthropists very manageable. It has been an honor to work on projects I’m passionate about while being compensated for my time spent learning. Being a county AN leader has given me tremendous pride and permitted me to organize with the backing of a reputable organization.
What do you think is still missing in your school or community when it comes to arts access?
A mindset to try different art forms is what I see lacking in general. It is comfortable to stick with the familiar, but I believe exposing students to ballet and tap dance, sculpting and photography, musical theater, and fashion design are valid and lend themselves to the possibilities of these subjects being future careers for students. There are fewer leaders speaking out for the arts or making time to do so, but many Californians appreciate the art forms. To imagine a world without the beauty that the arts brings would be less joyful, and I suspect society in general takes the arts for granted. The advocacy work that we engage in is making a difference, and I’m pleased to be one of the change agents involved.
What’s one word or phrase you’d use to describe your experience—and why?
FULFILLING!
As an Arts Now leader, I’m recognized for my efforts and motivated to continue the work because I’m passionate about the arts. Being connected with like minded leaders and feeling aligned with my purpose adds value and its own rewards.
