ABSTRACT: LGBTQ youth narratives have for decades marked arts spaces as their spaces of safe retreat within the schools. However, there is no research exploring the arts classroom as a supportive environment for LGBTQ students. This study will explore the experiences of arts educators with LGBTQ youth, their awareness of the presence of LGBTQ young people in their classrooms, the environments they create for youth, and their preparedness to support LGBTQ young people.
Data collection to begin late Fall 2010.