2025 NAEA National Convention

Holly Bess Kincaid is an experienced and passionate art educator with over 30 years of teaching experience, currently inspiring middle school students in West Virginia. She is the past president of the Virginia Art Education Association (VAEA) and currently serves as the Youth Art Month Chair for the West Virginia Art Education Association (WVAEA). A dedicated advocate for arts education, she has mentored over 20 educators and received multiple awards, including Teacher of the Year in three schools, the VAEA Middle Division Educator of the Year, and the NAEA SE Middle Division Awardee. Holly is committed to fostering student creativity through choice-based learning, integrating both traditional and digital media. She frequently presents at national and state conferences on topics such as sustainability in art, integrating technology, and engaging students through meaningful creative expression. Beyond the classroom, Holly actively works to elevate the arts in her community through Youth Art Month initiatives, advocacy efforts, and professional development for fellow educators. She is also developing a makerspace program that blends contemporary craft with emerging technologies, empowering students to explore art as both a form of personal expression and a pathway to future careers. Her motto, “Rooted in Tradition, Bridging Heritage and Innovation—Empowering Visual Voices, Creating Futures,” reflects her mission to inspire the next generation of creative thinkers and changemakers through the arts.