January 30, 2012
Have you heard about the great developments taking place in Chicago to facilitate the use of arts in K-12 curriculum? Recent collaborations involving Arts Alliance Illinois, Ingenuity Incorporated and Chicago Public Schools, along with other partners, have resulted in new tools available to help arts organizations match their educational programming to the needs of educators.
The Arts & Education Exchange
The Arts & Education Exchange is a free online service created for educators and arts organizations in Illinois. Arts Alliance Illinois – with the support of Ingenuity Incorporated, Chicago Public Schools, and many more – launched the Arts & Education Exchange to connect arts organizations with educators who are looking to enhance their curriculum with arts-related programming. Such programming can give students additional access to the arts and enhance their learning through the use of the arts to supplement and complement the existing curriculum. The Exchange can be your introduction to area schools and teachers and can help you bring your programs to schools that don't have access to arts programming.
By the using the Exchange, arts organizations can:
- Create a profile of their organization and their programming including audio and video examples.
- Review requests by educators for specific programming for their classrooms. By collaborating directly with educators you can craft the ideal program for that educator's students.
- Learn about programming that other organizations have created.
- Participate in the Forum on the Exchange to engage in ongoing discussions about arts education.
It can be difficult to connect with schools where you do not know anyone. The Exchange can be your introduction to area schools and teachers and will help you bring your programs to schools that are looking to enhance their students learning opportunities.
Join the Arts & Education Exchange
ArtLook - CPS ARTS MAP
Ingenuity Incorporated, in partnership with the CPS Office of Arts Education, has launched an online mapping system of CPS arts programming. ArtLook, the interactive mapping system will allow users to search the entire Chicago Public Schools district for arts programming.
Arts Organizations, and others, can use ArtLook to:
- Identify, on a school by school basis, the presence of Certified Arts Instructors on staff at each CPS school.
- Locate all existing community arts partnerships by neighborhood, area, zip code, and by type of art program.
- Research the kind of arts being taught in the city’s elementary and high schools.
- Check to see that your arts partnerships have been listed on the map.
The Arts & Education Exchange and ArtLook mapping system are important new tools available to arts organizations serving Chicago’s communities. Through their use, organizations can identify arts education opportunities within the Chicago Public Schools and in doing so, can extend their own mission and reach while helping to provide access to quality arts experiences for students throughout Chicago.