Grant Date: 2012
Total Program Cost: $ 30,000+
ACE Grant: $30,000
WHAT:
ACE welcomes this timely and important initiative that seeks to enrich the school experience of our young people by inviting skilled, professional artists to be directly involved in the making, sharing and interpreting of a wide range of arts experiences. This grant is part of a group of grants from ACE to support the fine arts in the Andover Public Schools.
The Visiting Artist Program is designed to bring trained, knowledgeable, and practicing artists into the school setting where they can share the benefits of the creative process with students. The visiting artists, teachers, and students would work together to create arts experiences that support the core educational mission of the school.
HOW:
A visiting artist would engage the students in a curriculum-based art project (dance, music, theatre, storytelling, or visual art) developed and conducted after careful collaboration with art teachers and classroom teachers.
WHY:
The School Administration established a Fine Arts Task Force this year. Members of this task force considered various ways in which the fine arts program could be made stronger. One of their recommendations was to establish an artist in residence or a visiting artist program.
A visiting artist program is a great way to add a stimulating new element to an arts education curriculum that promotes cross-curricular engagement.
The students’ engagement in a concentrated ‘arts experience’ provides exciting, direct learning opportunities and leads to further learning through subsequent reflection and action.
It assists the students’ wider development by allowing them to engage – sometimes as audience and sometimes as creator – in the practice of art. When such concentrated experience is accompanied by appropriate classroom preparation and follow-up, or by ongoing engagement with the artists, there can be lasting cognitive, emotional and social benefits.
By observing the visiting Artists immersing themselves in a creative project from beginning to end, students recognize the importance of focus and rigor required to excel in any discipline. This focus and rigor can in time permeate other areas of academic life and lead to improved performance and satisfaction.
Teachers get exposed to alternative ways of engaging students by exploring the creative process.
Many children might never have the experience of engaging with practicing artists without the collaboration of schools and artists provided within the Visiting Artist Program.
WHERE:
In all Andover schools
Visiting Artist Events planned for Spring 2014
CIVIL WAR ARTS
Dudley and Jacqueline Laufman, renowned fiddlers and callers from New Hampshire, are teaching 5th graders at High Plain barn dances related to the Civil War era.
Workshops are on April 3, 10, 17. (9-9:40; 9:40-10:25; 11:20-12:05)
On April 17 at 1:30-2:15 there will be a WONDERFUL culmination event where students will dance and exhibit their hand-made quilts
Funded by ACE and Massachusetts Cultural Council (MCC).
ORCHESTRA MASTER CLASS
Rhett Price, renowned contemporary musician from Boston, will be working with ALL our Orchestra students on April 15. Students from all three levels of the Andover schools will be working at the Collins Center.
ALL STRINGS CONCERT on May 14 at 7:00 pm.
Students will be performing with and without Rhett Price, Rhett’s band will also perform, and a visual presentation documenting the process of the Master Class will be shown.
Funded by ACE.
SHAKESPEARE & COMPANY
At AHS, Theatre and English students will be working with artist-in-residence Shakespeare & Company from Lenox, MA for 6-weeks.
Workshops will occur during the day and a Shakespearean play will also be developed after school.
Tentative dates for play are May 8, 9, 10.
Funded by ACE, MCC, AFE, Andona, ACC.
