During my search for community-based art information, I
stumbled upon an interesting program called Project ARTS (Arts for Rural
Teachers and Students). The
purpose of this 3-year research and development program, which was implemented
in rural schools serving economically disadvantaged students of diverse
backgrounds, was to identify talented arts students, implement arts curricula
for several years, and evaluate the successes of these efforts. This type of project seemed to be
tailored for the student population that I currently teach.
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| Students make dye from idigo plants in Project ARTS. |
The
major concept of this program was to connect the students with the unique
cultures and heritages of their communities in an effort to develop a greater
understanding and appreciation of the traditions and customs that make their
culture distinctive. Clark and
Zimmerman (2000) describe how each of the seven participating schools created a
curricula that not only highlighted specific arts, histories and cultures of
the local community, but also encouraged the interaction of the students within
the community as they communicated with the locals and recorded
information.
We
in the art education field need to take note of the Project ARTS program, which
succeeded in utilizing the resources of the community in developing
appreciation and awareness of local art and history and creating a connection
between school and community.
For
a primer on community-based art, check out Community Art 101, that offers a lot
of information for novices in this area.
The information is broken down into 3 categories: arts disciplines, population, and
social context.
Clark, G. & Zimmerman, E. (2000). Greater understanding
of the local community: A community-based art-education program for rural
schools. Art Education, 53(2), 33-39.
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