TAA Talks is a project of the Tennessee Arts Academy Alumni Association leadership team, which includes its president and three statewide regional representatives. The TAA Talks podcasts seek to amplify the voices of the Tennessee Arts Academy community. Since 1986, the Tennessee Arts Academy has been America’s longest-running premier summer program for arts-based professional development in art, music, theatre and dance, and arts leadership. The Academy is held annually for six days in July on the campus of Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee. Eligible participants include K–12 arts specialists, classroom teachers, and administrators from all 95 Tennessee counties. Spaces are also available for out-of-state participants, artists, college professors and pre-service teachers. The mission of the Tennessee Arts Academy is to provide exceptional quality professional development that includes training and access to cutting edge methodologies and resources, as well as support and encouragement through community and renewal. For more information you can visit the website at www.tnartsacademy.org or call the TAA office at 615-460-5451. The Tennessee Arts Academy Alumni Association was established by the Tennessee Arts Academy Foundation in 2009. The Tennessee Arts Academy Foundation is a 501c3 organization whose mission is to aid and assist in the Tennessee Arts Academy's growth and expansion. The Alumni Association’s president serves on the Tennessee Arts Academy Foundation Board of Directors.