Classrooms that celebrate the arts are safe and joyful learning environments. When teachers combine the arts with other subjects, they create vivid and exciting experiences that enhance learning.
A national leader in arts education for more than 30 years, ArtsWestchester is committed to keeping the arts in our schools. Whether you are interested in a short-term artist residency or a long-term district-wide program, ArtsWestchester is ready to partner with you to harness the power of the arts to achieve your curriculum goals.
Learn more about our:
- School Artist Residencies
- School Case Studies
- Teaching Artists Program and How to Apply
- Educator Resources & Blogs
- Mount Vernon AEMDD Partnership
The arts are about more than concerts in concert halls and paintings in museums; they can be tools for teaching and cultural expression. ArtsWestchester can connect you to the power of the arts with our Artist Residency Program. This program is designed to enhance the work you are doing by integrating the arts into a variety of school and human service settings. From classrooms to after school programs, day care centers to shelters, the arts can make a tremendous difference in reaching and teaching.
The Artist Residency Program will:
- Help you match a professional teaching artist with your site or school’s need to design an artist residency that weaves the arts into the curriculum addressing NYS Learning Standards to achieve educational goals, or into your existing community programs to achieve social or behavioral goals
- Provide you with technical assistance and integrated arts program development at your school and site
- Enable you to engage professional artists at reasonable affordable rates…no negotiating necessary!
- Free you from back office work, such as issuing contracts and payments, troubleshooting, etc.
- Entitle you to free or affordable admission to ArtsWestchester professional development workshops and free ArtsNews Subscription
The Artist Residency Program has worked for hundreds of schools and organizations throughout Westchester.
Public Art-making Residency
Site: Sleepy Hollow MS, Tarrytown, NY
Artist: Pedro Nel Ospina, Nancy Maloy, John Rizzo and Marie McCann-Barab
Participants: 7th & 8th graders
Duration: 46 weeks
Project Description: 200 students participated in a series of visual, performing and literary art residencies that culminated in the creation of site specific public art pieces. Students learned to plan, create and discuss their work. The goal of this residency was to reinforce the ELA and Science Core Standards and unite students of different backgrounds and culture through the arts.
Additional Info: http://shmsscienceart.weebly.com/science-concepts.html
Book-Making Residency 
Site: School 5, Yonkers, NY
Artist: Susan Rowe Harrison
Participants: Kindergarten students
Duration: 10 weeks
Project Description: Inspired by children’s book authors and illustrators such as Ezra Jack Keats, Mo Willems and Eric Carle, 90 students created their own books consisting of images and short stories. This residency encouraged individual creativity and enhanced fine motor skills, sensory development and self-esteem.
Quilt-Making Residency 
Site: Graham ES, Mount Vernon, NY
Artist: Jill Parry
Participants: 4th Graders
Duration: 10 weeks
Project Description: 40 students participated in two hands-on, quilt-making projects that integrated science and math. The classroom lessons of fraction and geography was enhanced through the process of designing, cutting and sewing fabric.
Become our partner today and see the difference the arts can make!
To learn more about bringing a residency to your school contact website@artswestchester.org.
Interested in becoming a teaching artist? Please visit our Teaching Artist FAQ page.
Arts-in-Ed Countywide
Many of Westchester’s arts and cultural organizations also offer a variety of exceptional in-school, after school and on site programs. Visit our Affiliate Directory using the link below to find out about the availability of programs throughout the county. Once in the directory, search your category of interest and view organizational profiles to see Arts-in-Ed info.
Our Affiliates and their Arts-in-Ed offerings
MOUNT VERNON AEMDD PARTNERSHIP
The U.S. Department of Education awarded the Mount Vernon City School District, in partnership with ArtsWestchester, a four-year $1.2 million Arts-in-Education Model Development and Dissemination (AEMDD) grant to integrate standards-based arts education with core elementary school curricula in four elementary schools, grades first through sixth. The project focused on using the arts to teach science, technology, engineering, math (STEM subjects), and English language arts.
Mount Vernon CSD and ArtsWestchester implemented the project during the 2013-14 academic year in grades first through third at Grimes, Graham, Rebecca Turner (formerly Longfellow) and Edward Williams Elementary Schools. The grant concluded in 2017 having served approximately 750 students each year. To date arts and curriculum integration initiatives continue through ongoing Mount Vernon CSD and ArtsWestchester programs.
Check out highlights from the partnership below!