Project RENAISSANCE to support the establishment of the three program requirements: (1) Professional development for arts educators, teachers, and principals through Innovative Art Academies that offer workshops for 375 (75 per year for 5 years) veteran and new teachers to strengthen their knowledge of Art Content; (2) Development and dissemination of accessible instructional materials and arts-based educational programming, including online resources, in multiple arts discipline through partnerships with local and state institutions; and 3) Provide community and national outreach activities that strengthen and expand partnerships among schools, LEAs, communities, or centers for the arts, including national centers for the arts. During Summer Innovative Art Institutes and experiential onsite activities, RENAISSANCE will increase awareness of nature, a revival of classical learning, and a more individualistic view of the arts.

Project Goals

• Goal 1: To increase arts teachers’ and other participating teachers’ knowledge in the arts (i.e., music, dance, theater, and visual arts, including folk arts)

• Goal 2: To increase student achievement and student engagement in arts education

• Goal 3: To cultivate collaboration among participating teachers and artists, academic art historians, and/or art therapists

• Goal 4: To increase principals’ content knowledge of and/or instructional insight for observing art education lessons

• Goal 5: To improve participating teachers’ knowledge and skills to use art therapy for the purpose of improving Social and Emotional Learning (SEL)