FY27 Membership & Belonging
National Guild for Community Arts Education
For nearly 90 years, the National Guild for Community Arts Education has connected and supported individuals and organizations committed to arts learning across the country. The field is navigating real challenges right now, with shifting funding, workforce pressures, and growing uncertainty. The Guild’s response is to strengthen the connections that help people do this work together.
Guild membership represents belonging to a national community committed to community arts education.
I’m a Teaching Artist. What do I get?
For $50 a year, membership connects you to a national community of teaching artists and the practical support that helps you grow and sustain your practice.
What’s included
- A Practice-Based Network for Teaching Artistry — a national community of peers organized around the work you actually do, where you share strategies, resources, and lived experience.
- A Regional Network — local relationships, partnerships, and peer support in your part of the country (Northeast, Southeast, Midwest, Mid-Atlantic, Southwest, or West Coast).
- Unlimited Guild Essentials — virtual learning sessions on real field needs like teaching artistry, equity-centered practice, financial sustainability, and community engagement. Non-members pay $45 per session; you get them all.
- Full Resource Library access — webinar recordings, research, tools, and professional learning materials available year-round.
- Discounted Regional Convenings — in-person gatherings in Philadelphia, the Bay Area, and Chicago, plus a national virtual option. Members save roughly half on registration.
To sum it up: A single session or convening can cost as much as your whole annual membership. Joining pays for itself the first time you participate, and connects you to people who do what you do.
I’m an Arts Ally — administrator or consultant. Why join?
For $90 a year, membership plugs you into the relationships, knowledge, and leadership development that make your work more effective and connected.
Why it’s worth it
- National communities of practice — join Practice-Based Networks across areas like Creative Aging, Creative Youth Development, Community Music, Community Schools, and emerging areas, organized around shared work and leadership roles.
- Regional relationships and advocacy — connect with leaders and organizations in your region for partnership, collaboration, and a shared voice in arts education advocacy.
- Professional learning that meets the moment — unlimited Guild Essentials on fundraising, board governance, strategic planning, financial sustainability, and equity-centered leadership.
- Affiliate and partner benefits — shared resources through partnerships with Americans for the Arts, Arts Education Partnership, Arts Schools Network, state arts agencies, and other national service organizations.
- Leadership development — priority access, coaching, mentoring, and national peer cohorts through the CAELII leadership pathway.
Membership is a low-cost way to stay current, expand your network, and access leadership development that would cost far more à la carte — while helping shape where the field goes next.
I’m planning professional development for my team. How does this help?
Organizational membership gives your whole team a year-round, relevant professional development while minimizing the cost and logistics of building it yourself.
Annual organizational rates
| Organization Type | Annual Rate |
|---|---|
| Organizations under $250,000 budget | $175 |
| Organizations over $250,000 budget | $500 |
How it meets your PD goals
- Ready-made, ongoing learning — unlimited Guild Essentials sessions cover the real challenges your team faces: fundraising, governance, sustainability, community engagement, and equity-centered leadership. Guild Essentials sessions come with interactive nuts-and-bolts workshops and a follow-up knowledge package with the recorded workshop and resources.
- Relevant and current — programming is designed around real-time field needs, so your team is learning what matters now, not generic content.
- Peer connection for every role — staff can plug into Practice-Based Networks and Regional Networks aligned to their work, extending learning beyond any single session.
- Discounted convenings for the team — send people to regional gatherings at member rates, including group registration rates.
- Leadership pipeline — develop emerging leaders on your team through CAELII priority access and scholarships.
- A library that works year-round — recordings, tools, and resources your team can draw on anytime, not just during live sessions.
One organizational membership turns into professional development for your entire staff. These trainings are practical, relevant, and far more cost-effective than assembling it piece by piece.
Member vs. Non-Member at a Glance
| Benefit | Members | Non-Members |
|---|---|---|
| Regional Networks | Included | Not available |
| Practice-Based Networks | Included | Not available |
| Guild Essentials | Included | Pay per session |
| Resource Library | Included | Limited access |
| Regional Convenings | Discounted | Full price |
| Affiliate Partner Benefits | Included | Not available |
| Leadership Opportunities | Included | Limited access |
| CAELII Priority Access | Discounted | Additional cost |
Program Pricing
Guild Essentials
| Access | Cost |
|---|---|
| Members | Included |
| Non-members | $45 / session or $150 seasonal package |
Regional Convenings
| Registration | Member | Non-Member |
|---|---|---|
| Early Bird | $75 | $155 |
| Regular | $95 | $185 |
| Group Rate (3 participants) | $180 | $420 |
National Virtual Convening
| Member | Non-Member |
|---|---|
| $35 | $85 |
CAELII
| Member | Non-Member |
|---|---|
| $2,500 | $3,200 (includes membership) |
A Note on Pricing
FY27 rates were benchmarked against peer national service organizations, including Americans for the Arts, Arts Schools Network, Dance/USA, Chorus America, and the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable. Across every category, Guild rates are at or below comparable national organizations. That’s intentional — FY27 is a trust-building year, and we want this membership to act as an invitation to share with us your challenges, needs, and aspirations.
These rates will be reviewed throughout FY27 as we gather member feedback and assess long-term sustainability.
Support the Guild Beyond Membership
Membership connects you to the network. Sponsorship helps sustain membership and meaningful programming. Sponsorships directly support network leadership, Guild Essentials, regional convenings, CAELII scholarships, teaching artist resources, and communications infrastructure.
| Sponsorship Level | Annual Contribution |
|---|---|
| Supporting Partner | $250+ |
| Leadership Partner | $1,000+ |
| Community Impact Partner | $2,500+ |
| Stabilization Partner | $5,000+ |
| Visionary Partner | $10,000+ |