Andrea E. Allen, PhD
CONTACT
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Assistant Professor Tenure-Stream, Art Education, 2024 - present
Department of Art, Art History, and Design
Michigan State University
EDUCATION
Ph.D., Curriculum & Instruction, Art Education
University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 2023
Dissertation: Making the Invisible Visible: A Qualitative Study Examining the Experiences of Latina Art Teachers Navigating Issues of Racism and Oppression in K-12 Classrooms
M.Ed., Curriculum & Instruction, Art Education
University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 2016
B.A., Broadcast Journalism with a minor in Art History
University of Houston, Houston, Texas, 2014
PUBLICATIONS: PEER REVIEWED ARTICLES
Allen, A.E., X. M., Contreras, A. (2026). Building collective action through plática. Stories of communiy, resistance, and identity in art education. Art Education, 78(6), 63-68.
Allen, A.E. (2026). Grappling with grief: Preservice art teachers’ responses to U.S. DOE January 2025 press release. Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education, 42(2), 10-25.
Allen, A.E. (2025). Freedom to create, freedom to teach: Lessons from a liberatory artmaking practice. International Journal of Lifelong Learning in Art Education. Volume 8, 13-26.
Allen, A.E. (2025). Chicana feminist epistemology and pláticas in understanding Latina art teachers' experiences of racism and oppression. Studies in Art Education, 66(2), 214-229.
Chung, S.K. & Allen, A.E. (2023). Talking back with the work of Aram Han Sifurentes. Art Education. 76(6), 40-47.
PUBLICATIONS: BOOK CHAPTERS
Allen, A.E. (Conditionally Accepted, January 22, 2026). Making Art, Making Community: A Service-Learning Model for Art Teacher Education. Chapter Proposal for Community-Engaged Approaches to Teacher Education Eds. Laxmi Prasad Ojha, Zhongfeng Tian, Jennifer Burton. (Submitted December 15, 2025)
Allen, A.E., Koo, S. (Conditionally Accepted, December 23, 2025). Learning through making: Arts-based approaches to art teacher education. For inclusion in Signature Pedagogies Redux: Navigating the Shift in Preservice Art Educational Programming Eds. Laura Hetrick & Justin Sutters. (Submitted on November 18, 2025)
Allen, A.E. (2023). We are all language teachers: Lessons learned from a Japanese bilingual program. In Esmail, A. (Eds.) Social Justice Perspectives on English Language Learners. 109-114. Hamilton Books.
INVITED LECTURES
Allen, A.E. (October 13, 2025). Putting the pieces together: Developing a justice-oriented research agenda rooted in reflection and community. Art and Visual Culture Education at the University of Arizona. Visiting Scholar Lecture.
CONFERENCE PRESENTATIONS
Allen, A.E., Invited Lecture, Annual Meeting of the Review Board for the Journal of Cultural Research in Art Education, [Research Presentation] National Art Education Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, March 5-7, 2026.
Allen, A.E., Liberatory art education: Lessons from Iranian artist Mahbube Parnian, [Research Presentation] National Art Education Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, March 5-7, 2026.
Allen, A.E., Speaking up: Critical dialogue and DEI in art teacher preparation, [Research Presentation] National Art Education Association Annual Conference, Chicago, IL, March 5-7, 2026.
Allen, A.E., Creative connections: Centering identity, choice, and community through art, [Workshop Presentation] Michigan Art Education Association Annual Conference, Traverse City, MI, November 13-16, 2025.
Kim, S., Allen, A.E., Nurturing artist-teacher identities: Fostering studio practice in art education, [Research Presentation] National Art Education Association Annual Conference, Louisville, KY, March 20-22, 2025.
Dewhurst, M., Allen, A.E., Koo, S., Black, C., McCullough, S., Cultivating identity awareness through critical reflection: Research and strategies, [Research Presentation] National Art Education Association Annual Conference, Louisville, KY, March 20-22, 2025.
Allen, A.E., Collins, M., Fresh ideas for centering student voice in visual art lessons, [Workshop Presentation] Michigan Art Education Association Annual Conference, Lansing, MI, November 9-12, 2024.
Allen, A.E., Talking back with the work of Aram Han Sifuentes, [Workshop Presentation] Michigan Art Education Association Annual Conference, Lansing, MI, November 9-12, 2024.
Dewhurst, M., Allen, A.E., Koo, S., Black, C., McCullough, S., Cultivating art teachers’ identity awareness through critical reflection: Perceptions, context, and positionality in art education, [Working Group Roundtable] American Educational Research Association, Philadelphia, PA, April 11-14, 2024.
Allen, A.E., Making the invisible visible, [Roundtable Presentation] American Educational Studies Association Fall Conference, Louisville, KY, November 8-12, 2023.
Allen, A.E., Conversation with the authors: Social justice perspectives on English Language Learners, [Invited Authors Panel] National Association of Multicultural Education, Montgomery, AL, November 15-19, 2023.
Allen, A.E., Classroom stories of latina art teachers, [Virtual Workshop Presentation] National Art Education Association Annual Conference, San Antonio, TX, April 13-15, 2023.
Allen, A.E., Making the invisible visible, [Workshop Presentation] Texas Art Education Association Annual Conference, McAllen, TX, November 9-12, 2022.
Allen, A.E., Teach ‘em to talk back, [Workshop Presentation] Texas Art Education Association Annual Conference, McAllen, TX, November 9-12, 2022.
Allen, A.E., In a class of her own: Experiences of chicana art teachers, [Poster Presentation] National Association for Multicultural Education, Virtual, March 11-13, 2022.
Allen, A.E., How hi(stories) shape value, [Paper Presentation] Midwest Art History Society Annual Conference, Houston, TX, March 10-12, 2022.
Allen, A.E., Defining beauty: Reflections on social justice art education, [Workshop Presentation] Texas Art Education Association Annual Conference, Round Rock, TX, November 4-6, 2021.
Allen, A.E., High expectations versus no expectations: Balancing the roles of researcher and practitioner in the art classroom, [Research Presentation] National Art Education Association; Research Preconference, Virtual, February 23-24, 2021.
Allen, A.E., Toward a culturally responsive art museum, [Poster Presentation] National Association for Multicultural Education Annual Conference, October 8-10, 2020.
GRANT ACTIVITY
Education Grant, $500, 2023/24
Applied on behalf of the Art Education Program at UH for professional development, Awarded Summer 2023
Texas Art Education Foundation
Seed Grant, $5,000, 2022/23
Applied on behalf of Performing Arts Houston for school programming, Awarded Fall 2022
Arts Connect Houston
Seed Grant, $1,000, 2021/22
Applied on behalf of Performing Arts Houston for school programming, Awarded Fall 2021
Arts Connect Houston
Travel Grant, $200, Fall 2021
University of Houston, College of Education
AWARDS AND FELLOWSHIPS
School for Arts Leaders, 2026 Cohort
National Art Education Association
Epistemic Justice Fellowship, $500, 2025
Incorporating Students’ Home and Community Knowledge in Teaching and Learning Program
Michigan State University
Sheng Kuan Chung Art Education Scholarship, $1,500, 2022-2023
University of Houston, College of Education
Graduate Tuition Fellowship, $3,981/semester 2019-2023
University of Houston, College of Education
Richard D. Strahan Educational Law Endowment Scholarship, $1,200, 2020-2022
University of Houston, College of Education
Charles D. Cuttler Student Travel Stipend, $150, 2020
Midwest Art History Society
CREATIVE WORK: CURATION
Patchwork: Reclaiming Space, January 12-February 13, 2026
Union Art Gallery, Michigan State University
Reflecting Toward: An Art Education BFA Student Exhibition, November 17-21, 2025
Kresge Art Center Gallery, Michigan State University
Reflecting Toward: Art Education BFA Student Exhibition, November 17-21, 2025, Kresge Art Center Galleries 101 & 114, East Lansing, MI
Saturday Morning Art (SmART) Student Exhibition, April 5, 2025
Broad Art Museum, Michigan State University
Press:https://art.msu.edu/2025/09/15/msus-smart-program-expands-community-art-access-while-giving-art-education-majors-teaching-experience/
Reclaiming Space, January 13-February 15, 2025
Union Art Gallery, Michigan State University
Press:https://art.msu.edu/2025/01/14/exhibit-invites-public-to-participate-in-creation-of-community-art-projects/
CREATIVE WORK: STUDIO
Folklore & Collage Residency, Winter 2025
Kolaj Institute, New Orleans, Louisiana
4-week virtual workshop
Art Educator Summer Institute, Summer 2025
Montserrat College of Art and Design, Beverly, MA
1-week workshop attended; Acrylic painting focus
Contemporary Watercolor, Spring 2023
Brown School of Art, Auckland, New Zealand
8-week workshop attended
Vitalize: New Faculty Exhibit, October 25-November 22, 2024
SceneMetrospace, East Lansing, MI
Group Show, Three paintings included
Cheap Date, October 1, 2021
Insomnia Gallery
Hardy and Nance Studios, Houston, TX
Group Show, Six paintings included
The Abstract Art Show, September 4, 2021
Hardy and Nance Studios, Houston, TX
Juried by Tommy Taylor
Group Show, One painting included and sold
10x10 Art Show, January 10, 2020
Hardy and Nance Studios, Houston, TX
Group Show, One painting included and sold
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Research Analyst, Metis Associates, 2023/24
Major Projects: National Art Education Association Art Teacher Recruitment and Retention Task Force Survey; Young Audiences-Arts for Learning Responsive Arts in School Education (RAISE); National Art Education Association Connected Arts Network (CAN)
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Houston, Fall 2021-Spring 2023
Advisor: Dr. Sheng Kuan Chung
Graduate Research Assistant, University of Houston, 2019/20
Advisor: Dr. Mimi Lee
TEACHING EXPERIENCE: HIGHER EDUCATION
Assistant Professor, Michigan State University, Fall 2024-present
STA310: Clinical Experience in Visual Arts Education I
STA411: Seminar in Visual Arts Education I
STA412: Seminar in Visual Arts Education II
Oversee curriculum and instruction for STA410: Clinical Experiences in Visual Arts Education II and STA413: Internship in Visual Arts Education
Assistant Professor, Adjunct, City College of New York, Spring 2024
ART 15500: Introduction to Art Education
Teaching Fellow (Instructor of Record), University of Houston, Spring 2022-Spring 2023
ARED 3305: Art in Elementary Schools
Teaching Fellow (Instructor of Record), University of Houston, Fall 2021
ARED 4365/6365: Integrative Art Teaching
Teaching Assistant, University of Houston, Fall 2019-Spring 2020
CUIN 8372: Intro to Qualitative Research
Instructor of Record: Dr. Mimi Lee
TEACHING EXPERIENCE: K-12
Art Teacher, Glen Rose Junior High School, Glen Rose, TX, Fall 2020
Visual Art (Grades 6-8)
Teacher (Multiple Subjects), Katoh Gakuen Gyoshu, Numazu, Japan, 2017-2019
Visual & Performing Arts (Grades 7-12)
Theory of Knowledge (Grade 11)
English Language and Literature (Grades 10-12)
Teacher (Multiple Subjects), Northside High School, Houston, TX, Spring 2017
English as a Second Language (Grades 9-12)
Language Arts & Readings (Grades 9-12)
Debate, Debate Honors (Grades 9-12)
Teacher (Multiple Subjects), Harmony School of Science High, Houston, TX, 2015/16
Language Arts & Readings (Grade 10)
Print/Broadcast Journalism (Grades 9-12)
Reading Interventionist (Grades 7-12)
Reading Interventionist, O’Donnell Middle School, Houston, TX, Spring 2015
Language Arts & Readings (Grade 7)
TEACHING EXPERIENCE: COMMUNITY-BASED
Schools and Learning Intern, Auckland Art Gallery Toi o Tāmaki, Auckland, NZ, Spring 2023
Education Specialist, Performing Arts Houston, Houston, TX, 2021/22
Teacher (Summer Camp), Houston Museum of Natural Science , Houston, TX, Summer 2022
Teaching Artist, Performing Arts Houston, Houston, TX, Spring 2020
Administrative Assistant, Lawndale Art and Performance Center, Houston, TX, 2019-2021
Teaching Artist, Houston Center for Photography, Houston, TX Spring 2017
STEAM Educator, Children’s Museum of Houston, Houston, TX, Summer 2015/16
Teaching Artist, Artmix Creative Learning Center, Houston, TX, 2014/15
UNIVERSITY SERVICE
Department Advisory Committee, 2025/26
Fixed Term and Un-Tenured Tenure Stream Faculty Representative
Department of Art, Art History, and Design
Michigan State University
Undergraduate Program Coordinator, Art Education, 2024-present
Department of Art, Art History, and Design
Michigan State University
Saturday Morning Art (SmART) Coordinator, 2024-present
Department of Art, Art History, and Design
Michigan State University
Educational Policies Committee, 2024-present
Department of Art, Art History, and Design
Michigan State University
Licensure Area Leader, K-12 Visual Art Education, 2024-present
College of Education
Michigan State University
Program Lead, K-12 Visual Art Education, 2024-present
Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation (CAEP)
College of Education
Michigan State University
PROFESSIONAL SERVICE
Program Chair, 2025-present
Executive Committee for Arts and Inquiry in the Visual and Performing Arts SIG
American Education Research Association
District 8 Liaison, 2024/25
Michigan Art Education Association
PEER REVIEW
Editorial Review Board Member, 2026-2029
Journal for Cultural Research in Art Education
[Invited position]
Editorial Review Board Member, 2024-present
Midwest Journal of Education
Ad Hoc Reviewer, Journal of Aesthetic Education
Journal of Aesthetic Education, 2024-present
VOLUNTEER AND COMMUNITY SERVICE
Faculty Mentor, 2024
Women of Color Initiatives (WOCI) Fall Writing Retreat, Michigan State University
Committee Member, 2023/24
Race Equity Committee, Metis Associates, New York, NY
Leadership Team, 2022-23
Curriculum & Instruction Doctoral Student Association
Department of Curriculum and Instruction, University of Houston
Faculty Mentor, 2022/23
Las Comadres Mentor Program, University of Houston
Founding Member and Social Media Coordinator, 2021/22
Feminist Bird Club, Houston Chapter
TEACHING CREDENTIALS
Art (Early Childhood-12), Texas Education Agency, 2016-present
English Language Arts (Grades 7-12), Texas Education Agency, 2016-present
English as a Second Language, Texas Education Agency, 2017-present
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
Michigan Art Education Association, 2024-present
American Educational Research Association, 2023-present
American Educational Studies Association, 2023-present
National Art Education Association, 2019-present
Texas Art Education Association, 2019-2023
National Association for Multicultural Education, 2020-2023
Midwest Art History Society, 2020-2022