Are you or someone you know passionate about sharing strategies to foster arts education for young children? Educational Service District 123 is thrilled to partner with ArtsWA and Washington State Wolf Trap to offer early childhood educators a seven-week artist residency program. Performing artists from diverse backgrounds are encouraged to apply for school-based residencies through Washington State Wolf Trap. Applications are open now through November 27th at https://tinyurl.com/4jf7sett.
ArtsWA is a new affiliate of Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts. Since 2019, ArtsWA has awarded ESD 123 a Creative Start grant. For the 2023-24 year, ESD 123 was selected to pilot the Washington State Wolf Trap residency program. Through Washington State Wolf Trap, ESD 123 will integrate resident artists into twelve preschool classrooms over seven weeks. Wolf Trap uses arts integration to create joyful, active learning experiences that engage children in ways that can increase academic and social emotional development for all learners.
We are looking for experienced teaching artists who:
- are musicians, dancers, actors, storytellers, or puppeteers.
- are excited to work with early learning educators, their students, and families.
- live in the Eastern or Central regions of Washington State.
The seven-week residency through ESD 123’s ECEAP preschools program will launch in Pasco and Walla Walla, and branch out to surrounding communities in the following academic years. Priority for this opportunity will be given to teaching artists residing in the Eastern and Central regions of Washington State. The artist residency will include observation, collaborative planning meetings, and in-class sessions. During a classroom residency, a Washington State Wolf Trap Teaching Artist partners with an early childhood educator to design performing arts strategies that meet the instructional goals and objectives of the teacher and the classroom curriculum. Within this collaboration, early childhood educators (the ECEAP preschool teachers and staff) gain an understanding of the important connection between the performing arts and a child’s learning process. After the completion of the classroom residency, the teacher has acquired the skills necessary to embed arts strategies within daily practices and apply them in current and future classes to further the success of children.
Selected artists will:
- Be paid contractors with ArtsWA, with work spanning mid-February through early-June 2024.
- Receive paid training from Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts.
- Provide early learning classroom residencies and lead professional development workshops in Spring 2024.
Artists experienced in theatre, music, puppetry, dance/movement, and storytelling are encouraged to apply for the Wolf Trap Teaching Artist residency by the November 27 deadline. For more information, contact A.R.T.S. Coordinator Lisa Brouwer-Thompson at
[email protected] or 509-391-0364.