Learning opportunities can be found both in and out of the classroom, and arts field trip experiences can be an essential tool in expanding student learning. As stated in Highlights from the Arizona Arts Education Census Project, “Community resources are vital components of any high quality arts education program. From an opera company to a school of dance; a large art museum to a teaching artist specializing in a traditional craft; community resources offer Arizona schools opportunities to originate, strengthen and continue arts experiences with their students.”
In fact, the census results showed that Arizona public schools are providing frequent exposure to professional artists and arts events via field trips; 75% of all schools offered at least one field trip to arts exhibitions, performances or events within the past three years (academic years 2007-2009). However, the census also illuminated some of the barriers to participation in arts field trips, including lack of information and budget constraints.
One way Arizona arts and culture organizations are currently working with schools to address lack of information is through preview days. For example, the Phoenix Art Museum and Musical Instrument Museum will both offer free educator preview days at the end of August, and the Deer Valley Rock Art Center is offering free admission to Arizona teachers with a valid school ID throughout the month. Events like these offer a great opportunity for educators and administrators to get to know an organization and the educational programming available to them.
Many arts and culture organizations offer these kinds of opportunities for educators; don’t hesitate to contact the education staff at a museum or performing arts center near you to learn more about their education programs and school resources.
And though budget constraints are a very real barrier with no easy solution, there are some existing types of available support. Through the Target Field Trip Grant Program each Target store will award three field trip grants to K-12 schools nationwide, enabling one in 25 schools throughout the U.S. to send a classroom on a field trip. Registration is open now through October 3, 2011 for trips to be taken between January 1, 2012 and the end of the 2011-2012 academic year (May/June 2012). Another example is the Scottsdale Insurance/Nationwide Foundation Performances for Students Series at ASU Gammage. This program offers discount tickets to the student series’ performances and bus scholarships for eligible schools.
In addition, since launching the results of the Arizona Arts Education census last year at the Joint Arts Education Conference, the Arizona Commission on the Arts and the Arizona Department of Education, along with members of the Arts Education Census Committee, have been engaged in efforts to address the many recommendations laid out in the census publication.
To that end, the Arts Commission and Department of Education convened a group of school and arts and culture organization representatives in late June to begin discussing ways to address the following recommendations related to Community Resources:
- Develop better communication tools and strategies to connect arts and culture providers (teaching artists, cultural organizations and other community resources) with schools.
- Document existing high quality partnerships to share with schools, cultural organizations and teaching artists throughout the state.
Based on feedback from the group, the Arts Commission and the Department of Education will begin work shortly on new model programs and ideas for strengthening partnerships between schools and arts and culture resources. You can learn more about this convening by viewing the meeting notes and the word clouds created by the participants, and we look forward to keeping you updated on the progress of this work.
About the Arizona Arts Education Census
In the spring of 2009, Quadrant Arts Education Research, on behalf of the Arizona Arts Education Research Institute, began to study the level of arts education in Arizona public schools. Arizona K-12 public school principals were invited to participate in a survey about arts education in their schools. 409 school principals, representing 236,645 students, participated by reporting on their schools curriculum, instruction, funding and factors that contribute to the delivery of arts education.Download the summary publication and learn more at www.azarts.gov/artsedcensus.
