The E. Desmond Lee Fine Arts Education Collaborative has enlisted the efforts of an expanded community, including teachers, administrators, university faculty, professional musicians, visual artists, thespians and dancers. The primary objective of the collaborative is to support fine arts teachers in the delivery and promotion of arts curricula by providing high quality experiences in the arts. This program is unusual in that it does not charge students or schools where money is already a problem.

Currently, the collaborative provides services for 122 schools from 16 districts. Approximately 7,500 students from Collaborative schools attend in-school  programs annually.  More than Nearly 20,000 Collaborative students attend classical concerts, opera, dance performances, jazz concerts, and tour art museums each year. Ensembles (band, orchestra, choir) are formed each year, providing unique opportunities for students to perform on stage at Powell Symphony Hall and the Blanche M. Touhill Performing Arts Center.  The Collaborative also provides professional development for teachers in such areas as curriculum development, coaching by professionals in the classroom, lesson planning for in school presentations, and the arts in general education.  Director of the Collaborative is Robert W. Nordman, E. Desmond Lee Endowed Professor of Music Education, 316 Music Building, UMSL, One University Boulevard, St. Louis, MO& 63121-4499,  This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or  314-516-5365.

The Des Lee Fine Arts Education Collaborative won an Arts and Education Council "2014 St. Louis Arts Award" (presented the evening of January 20 at the Chase Park Plaza).