Arts In Schools/Teaching Artists
Each school system in the Triangle offers programs that provide or supplement arts education to students by inviting artists into the schools to teach or perform. It can be confusing, however, for artists interested in participating in these Artists in the Schools programs to figure out each program’s objectives, guidelines, and application procedures.
This resource page contains information for central NC programs and will be expanded to include programs from around the Southeast. We strive to keep this information up to date, but as changes can be swift or subtle, please check with each school district for current information. The information provided below should only be used as a guide and reference. As always, if you have any changes, additions, or corrections to this information, send us an email!
For NC specific statewide resources, please scroll to the bottom of this page.
CHATHAM COUNTY
Coordinating Organization
Chatham County Arts Council
Email Website
General Information:
Since the 2015-2016 school year, Chatham Arts Council’s Chatham Artists-in-Schools Initiative has brought professional artists into schools to support math, science, language, and history curricula. Through interactive, engaging workshops taught by theatre actors, performance artists, dancers, mural painters, African drummers, and strings musicians, students have unique opportunities for a deeper engagement with learning objectives.
DURHAM COUNTY
Coordinating Organization: Durham Arts Council
120 Morris Street, Durham, NC 27701 Website
Contact Information: Aubrey Wellfare, Director, Creative Arts in the Schools (CAPS) Email
General Program Description
Creative Arts in the Public/Private Schools (CAPS) is a partnership between Durham Arts Council and Durham Public Schools that places professional artists in public and private classrooms throughout Durham, Orange, and Granville counties. The CAPS program consists of curriculum reinforcing arts integrated school programs and community programs.
Arts Integrated School Programs are workshops, residencies and school assemblies intended for K-12 learning environments. CAPS Teaching Artists develop programs that utilize the arts to reinforce science, math, social studies, language arts and personal development using the North Carolina Curriculum Standards as a guide. Lesson planning, successful artist-teacher collaboration, and assessment of student learning ensure for successful programs in schools.
Community Programs are intended for community settings, such as after-school programs, festivals, corporate professional development or assemblies, libraries, and programs with Preschool, Senior and other special populations.
Application information
The application process for Durham Arts Council’s CAPS program takes places every two years. Practicing teaching artists, education staff members at local cultural organizations, as well as arts organizations are eligible to apply.
Applications are accepted in the following disciplines: Literary Arts, Dance, Cultural Arts, Folk Arts, Visual Arts, Multidisciplinary Arts, Film, Design, Animation, Music, Theatre, and Storytelling.
Applications are accepted for performances, residencies, and workshops.
Artists selected for the CAPS program are included in the CAPS Program Guidebook, which is published every two years and in an online directory.
Key Points about the application process:
The application will be available online beginning, usually around October.
Durham Arts Council offers workshops during the application period to assist artists in completing their applications and to provide professional development.
Applicants must submit a sample of their professional artistic work, and if applicable, a video and/or references that demonstrate their prior work with K-12 students.
Durham Arts Council provides lesson plan templates on its website to assist teaching artists in integrating their programs with the students’ educational curricula.
JOHNSTON COUNTY
Coordinating Organization
Johnston County Arts Council
Physical Address:
1115 Outlet Center Drive
Smithfield, NC 27577
Mailing Address:
PO Box 2019
Smithfield, NC 27577
Website
Contact person:
Darlene Williford, Executive Director
Email
General Program Description
The Johnston County Artists in the Schools program is a partnership between the Johnston County Arts Council and the Johnston County Schools. The Johnston County Artists-in-the-Schools Program is modeled on the Artists in the Schools (AIS) program of the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County and is supported in part by services provided by United Arts. Artists are selected for the program from the Directory of Artists created by United Arts, so artists interested in participating in the Johnston County Artists in Schools program should submit applications to the United Arts Council AIS program (see Wake County entry below).
ORANGE COUNTY.
Orange County Arts Commission
Arts Educator Professional Development Grant Program
Small grants to aid visual and performing arts teachers in Orange County Public Schools and Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools seeking creative or professional development.
Grant limit: $250
The ArtsCenterThe ArtsCenter in Carrboro employs teaching artists in a number of programs. Watch the Job Openings page for calls for teaching artists.
The ArtsCenter Artist in Residence programOverview:Each year The ArtsCenter’s Artist-In-Residence (AIR) Program provides four Title One Orange County schools with an artist residency. All grade levels are given the experience to have a professional teaching artist work with the students in the classroom for five days. All grade levels are also given the opportunity to go on a field trip to see a school show performance at The Arts Center. In addition, The ArtsCenter offers Arts-In-Education residencies, to both public and private schools, upon request from the school. All artist residencies integrate the arts into the school curriculum enhancing students learning through creative educational experiences.
Application Information
The ArtsCenter maintains a core of teaching artists for in-class residencies and teacher workshops.
For more information contact Virginia Queen Danford, Artist- In-Residence Coordinator.
After-School Arts Immersion Residency programs – The ArtsCenter accepts residency proposals from teaching artists on a rolling basis throughout the school year. A “residency” is a two-week teaching session that runs Monday-Friday, 3:15-6:00 PM. This allows for about 15 minutes of set-up time prior to teaching, and 15 minutes of clean-up time afterwards. Artists work with three different groups each day for 45 minutes according to a weekly schedule. During the residency, one of our full time AfterSchool staff will be able to assist in the classroom to prepare materials, work one on one with students and assist with classroom management. Artists are welcome to propose a residency for the Grade K-2 program “Creative Learners” and/or Grades 3-5 “Studio Makers”.
ArtsCamps – ArtsCamps at the ArtsCenter provide opportunities for students entering grades K-12 to explore their creative ideas and develop new artistic skills. ArtCenter relies on a team of more than 50 professional teaching artists in a variety of visual and performing art specializations to make our camps a success each summer. New instructors must attend a paid 1-hour training session in May which includes a tour of the building, an overview of ArtsCamp procedures and suggestions for classroom management and inclusivity.
WAKE COUNTY
Coordinating Organization:
United Arts Council of Raleigh & Wake County
Website
Contact Person:
Julia Mastropaolo: Arts Education Coordinator
Email
General Program Description
The Artists in the Schools (AIS) Program is a collaboration among the United Arts Council of Raleigh and Wake County, the Wake County Public School System, and local schools. For more than 30 years, the AIS Program has placed teaching artists in public, private, and charter schools in Wake County. These artists and arts organizations work as creative educational resources with faculty, students, and cultural arts representatives to implement curriculum-based arts in education programs.
Application information:
Applications from artists interested in participating in the Artists in the Schools (AIS) Program for the upcoming school year are accepted each spring. Check the website for deadlines.
Individual artists, ensembles, and arts organizations are eligible to apply.
Applications are accepted in the following disciplines: dance, literary arts, multi-disciplinary arts, music, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), storytelling, theatre, visual arts.
Applications are accepted for programs that include performances, workshops, or residencies.
Applicants should submit proposals that meet the North Carolina Curriculum Standards and/or Common Core Curriculum for students in grades K-12.
Artists are selected through a competitive application process and are evaluated by a panel comprised of arts education specialists, professional artists, parents, and United Arts Council staff.
Artists chosen for the United Arts AIS program are featured in the Directory of Artists, a catalog of teaching artists that the schools use to select artists for programs. This online searchable database is updated annually.
Key points about the application process:
The application is online.
United Arts Council offers workshops in early spring to assist artists in completing the application process.
Artists may submit multiple applications for different programs and/or grade levels.
Artists must provide lesson plans as part of their application.
Applicants must provide a 10 minute video that shows the artists working with students.
Individual Wake County schools book artists by using the Artist Directory and, often, with the help of grants provided by United Arts. Booking is done by school Cultural Arts Representatives, which can be parents/PTA members or school staff. For more on the Cultural Arts Representative side of booking artists, see here. United Arts holds a Cultural Arts Booking Fair, usually in August, where artists can promote their work through performance or information booths. This Cultural Arts Booking Fair is often attended by other organizations or municipal agencies in the Region interested in booking artists/performers, so can be a great opportunity to have your work seen by a variety of people.
STATEWIDE RESOURCES AND LINKS
NC ARTS COUNCIL TAPS PROGRAM
TAPS (Traditional Arts Programs for Students) provides community organizations (arts centers, schools, community centers) with funding for after-school programs that unite North Carolina elementary and middle school students with local traditional artists.
NCCU TRAINING PROGRAM
Based in the NCCU College of Arts and Sciences, the Teaching Artist Certificate is a 16-credit program equipping artists of all disciplines with a comprehensive foundation to plan, design and implement a vast array of arts experiences for all ages. Distinctly separate from teaching licensure programs, the Teaching Artist Certificate prepares performing and visual artists with the job-readiness tools to create auditorium performances, school residencies and arts experiences for schools and community-based organizations.
TEACHING ARTISTS CONNECT - TAC NC
Teaching Artists Connect provides creative, experiential professional development workshops and intensives for teaching artists, educators, and administrators of all disciplines that inspire and uplift participants.
