The Guggenheim Museum, an innovative partner committed to promoting education in the arts
Since the 1970s, the Guggenheim Museum in New York has placed practicing artists in the city’s public schools through artists’ residencies. Today the program is active in ten elementary schools in which over 83% of schoolchildren come from disadvantaged backgrounds. This initiative enables students to receive a rich and diverse education with a strong artistic dimension. It also contributes to taking a different approach to learning traditional subjects, so that students rediscover their enthusiasm for school. By giving them novel means of expression, the program also helps young participants gain self-confidence.
The Guggenheim’s Education Division has developed a teaching program in partnership with a number of artists in order to cover a wide range of artistic practices. Each teaching artist selected to take part in the program is assigned to one class for one year. The Museum acts as intermediary between the artists in residence and the teachers, providing the necessary materials to teach the class, share work and follow up on interactions.
This approach to art is designed to be inclusive and involves the school community as well as families. The Guggenheim opens its doors to students and their parents several times during the school year for museum visits and organizes a final exhibition of students' artwork. This program contributes to a greater understanding of art while promoting a modern, diversified and pragmatic approach to education.
> Guggenheim Museum New York: www.guggenheim.org/
> Learning Through Art Program: www.learningthroughart.org/