American Art Therapy Association

The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit, non-partisan, professional, and educational organization dedicated to the growth and development of the art therapy profession. Founded in 1969, the American Art Therapy Association is one of the world’s leading art therapy membership organizations.
The American Art Therapy Association (AATA) is a professional association that represents approximately 4,500 art therapists across the United States and the globe. Our mission is to advance art therapy as a regulated mental health profession and build a community that supports art therapists throughout their careers.
Programs & Activities
The American Art Therapy Association offers monthly virtual continuing education for art therapists and hosts annual in-person conference which attracts over 1,000 art therapists and art therapy students, as well as an annual virtual conference for over 450 attendees. Additionally, the association works with state chapters and coalitions to advocate for the creation of art therapy licensure and publishes leading research, practice-based articles, and more, in its journal Art Therapy: Journal of the American Art Therapy Association.