THE ARTS IN EDUCATION
Arts in Education Programs Reach Far & Wide at Brooklyn Arts Council
By Carol Sterling
Brooklyn Arts Council’s Arts in Education program has over a 25-year track record of providing arts education programs for people of all ages, in particular at-risk youth. Originally conceived as a way to create jobs for artists, our Arts in Education programs now play a critical role in keeping the arts alive in New York City public schools. We reach over 27,000 students, teachers, parents, and seniors at close to 100 schools, after-school programs and senior/community centers around New York City annually. Our skilled cadre of over 200 teaching artists lead programs in the visual, literary, performing, and media arts for different school audiences in four main formats: eight-to-16 week in-school/after-school workshops/classes, in-school performance/assembly programs, professional development programs for teachers, and parent/family involvement sessions.
All programs are aligned to assist students in meeting the principles of the New York State Learning Standards for the Arts and the New York City Blueprint for Teaching and Learning in the Arts. By meeting the state and city standards as a foundation for all programming, we strive to offer engaging, instructive, and enthusiastic experiences that enhance learning and appreciation for the arts for everyone involved — students, teachers, administrators, parents and community members. Our programs can also accommodate gifted and talented, at-risk and special-needs students.
All programs involve a collaborative process that allow for personalized programming, enriching hands-on experiences, and enhanced depth of understanding. We instill skills and positive attitudes about the arts that are designed to be retained for a lifetime.
The scope and breadth of programming offerings are as diverse at New York City. From literary enhancement to theater arts to the painting of a mural depicting a school’s mission, our programs expand appreciation and knowledge of the arts and enhance the academic experience in all curricula areas. We are committed to presenting the highest quality arts programming possible, and welcome an opportunity to explore how BAC’s Arts in Education team can help educators and community members to bring their plans to life.
Student workshops are adaptable to specific classroom curricular goals; including English Language Arts, English as a Second Language, Social Studies, Math, Science and/or Health. Career connections can also be integrated by any of our teaching artists. The Brooklyn Arts Council’s Arts in Education team welcomes an opportunity to collaborate with our colleagues to define a program that is perfect for each educational and community setting.
Digital media and Technology offerings include broadcasting, computer arts, digital photography and video. Literary Arts offerings include book arts, story writing, poetry, creating a class and/or school publication/newspaper and more.
Performing Arts offerings include dance, music, theater arts, puppetry, and more.
Visual arts offerings include ceramics, drawing, painting, collage and printmaking, fabric arts, folk arts, mixed media, photography, publications, public art (mosaics, murals), puppetry and sculpture, and 3-D design.
Brooklyn Arts Council’s Arts in Education program offers assembly programs that educate and entertain through performance, narration, and student/audience participation. We offer over 35 different contemporary, historical and folk arts performances.
In addition to working with New York City’s students, we also strive to make learning in the arts available to other community members, from classroom teachers to parents and caregivers as well as senior citizens. Our programs extend into senior centers, nursing homes, shelters and community centers as individual or ongoing workshops and assembly programs. From jewelry making that creates revenue for the senior artist to the mosaic installation produced and installed by the resident of a shelter that inspires pride in their home, the benefits to the individual participants and to the community at large are immense.
Our wide array of movement and dance programs stimulate physical and mental well-being as do our programs that teach participants to document their life stories and present them in oral and written forms to family and friends. All workshops are taught by caring and gifted teaching artists whose compassion and kindness are only surpassed by their expertise and love of working with older adults. #
We invite you to visit our Web site at www.brooklynartscouncil.org and then click on Arts in Education to see a comprehensive overview of all program offerings. Please feel free to contact us directly. Our staff loves to design programs that uniquely meet the needs of our various constituencies.
Carol Sterling, the Arts in Education Director, can be reached at clsterling@brooklynartscouncil.org or by calling 718-625-0080.
