American Art Summer Institute and American Art Partner Residencies

In conjunction with the Terra Foundation for American Art, the Ryan Education Center at the Art Institute of Chicago, and the Polk Bros. Foundation, the American Art Summer Institute and American Art Partner Residencies deliver a comprehensive teacher development and art residency program spanning the summer and fall of 2009. With a summer institute for thirty teachers from six Chicago elementary schools, teachers have a hands-on opportunity to become proficient in integrating American art into their classroom lessons.  The Institute is led by artists from Art Resources in Teaching (A.R.T.), and these artists will also deliver an American Art Partner 7-session residency to each teacher’s classroom in the fall of 2009.
 
A.R.T. has worked closely with the Terra Foundation for American Art and the Education Department of the Art Institute of Chicago to develop this program and connect in-class instruction through an A.R.T. residency with a field trip to the museum for the students.  Each residency connects to the Illinois State Goals for the Fine Arts and at least one other state goal in the academic areas of social studies or language arts. During the in-school residency, A.R.T. Artists deliver a unique program which strikes a balance between student curriculum, image discussion, and art appreciation with related hands-on activities.
 
Each artist’s curriculum will explore historical and cultural concepts evident in American art and how they reflect the customs and people of the times. The accompanying field trip to the Art Institute will further reinforce each student’s  understanding of American art by including a full museum experience with a docent-led tour of American art galleries and a studio art activity led by their A.R.T. artist and assisted by a museum volunteer. For many students this is their first venture, not only to the Art Institute, but outside of their neighborhood.