For over 70 years, Young Audiences Arts for Learning has dedicated itself to engaging young people in innovative arts learning experiences. We intend to foster creativity, self-expression, cultural understanding, and other skills for success in school, work, and beyond. We do this in part by co-creating professional development opportunities for Teaching Artists and program staff who are on the ground working with students via rich and nourishing art experiences.
Over the past four years, our teaching artists have been at the heart of RAISE—Responsive Arts in School Education—a groundbreaking, five-year, multi-state initiative funded by the Department of Education. This flagship program addresses the pressing needs of today’s young learners by pioneering a collaborative model for teaching artists and school support teams. Together, we’ve built dynamic, customized, and student-centered arts education experiences that are healing-focused, culturally responsive, and designed to sustain meaningful impact. Through residencies and professional learning opportunities, RAISE has become a space where creativity meets empowerment.
In our online RAISE learning community, teaching artists have shared vibrant conversations about their practices, collaborations, and intentions. These exchanges have sparked innovation, deep reflection, and a shared commitment to transforming the arts in education.
As a celebration of this journey, we are proud to introduce Artists Teaching Artists: A Conversation Series. In this podcast, we reconnect with our teaching artists to delve deeper into their artistry, exploring the philosophies and insights they’ve developed throughout RAISE. Together, we’ll discuss timely topics within our network, uncover lessons learned, and highlight the evolving role of arts education in shaping a brighter, more inclusive future.
Episodes
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Episode 1: Social Emotional Learning We know that social emotional learning (SEL) is a powerful tool for activating empathy, inclusivity, mindfulness, and problem-solving in the classroom. But what happens when we apply SEL’s human-centered principles and mindsets to our own development as professional teaching artists? Jennifer Puig (Arts 4 Learning/Miami) and Dana Leon (Young Audiences of Louisiana) are here to discuss how SEL enlightens and transforms the learning experience for all, empowering artists to bring their best selves into whatever spaces they grace. Listen. |
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Episode 2: Culturally Responsive Teaching through the Arts This episode is all about culturally responsive teaching and what it looks like in the classroom when facilitated by artists. Join Alison Zapata (Arts Ed Collaborative), Chris EspinosaXYZ (Young Audiences of Northeast Texas), and Danny Russo (Young Audiences of Houston) as they get to the heart of the matter. How can we use culturally responsive teaching through the arts to help students stay curious, become comfortable with discomfort, and find commonality and connection in our shared human experience? Listen. |
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Ready to delve into the dynamic world of media arts? Teaching artists Nate Barnes, Marcus Allen (Arts for Learning Connecticut), and Gwylym Cano (Think 360 Arts for Learning) explore how this emergent arts content area holds the power to tap into our creative senses and generate meaningful connections. They also discuss how media arts figure into their ever-evolving artistic practices and what they foresee for the future of this multifaceted discipline. Listen. |
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Episode 4: Creative Expression as a Social Practice How can we use social justice as a tool for artistic expression and community action? What does this look like for teaching artists in the classroom? Join Ilasiea Gray (Think 360 Arts for Learning), Miguel Grijalva (Arts for Learning Santa Cruz County), and Wojo Womack (Arts for Learning Massachusetts) as they navigate the intersection of social and artistic practices to spark creativity, raise awareness, and inspire change. Listen. |
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Episode 5: Teaching Artist as Researcher This episode is all about using action research to assess our work’s impact on young learners. Born Shamir (Arts Ed Collaborative), Melli Hoppe (Arts for Learning Indiana), and Jessica Mueller (Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education) discuss effective methods and creative thought processes for better understanding how students feel engaged, understood, and equipped with the skills to help them flourish in the classroom and beyond. Listen. |
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What comes to mind when we think of legacy artistry? We’re reminded not only of enduring artistic and cultural traditions but also of what artists pass down and leave behind. In this episode, Remi Majekodunmi (Young Audiences of Northern California), Solomon Mason (Young Audiences of Louisiana), and Shelly Svonavec (Center for Arts-Inspired Learning) explore what legacy artistry means to them as teaching artists. How are classroom legacies informed just as much by diverse student perspectives as they are by tradition? Listen. |
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About Young Audiences Arts for Learning
Founded in 1952, Young Audiences Arts for Learning is the nation’s largest art-in-education network, serving more than 5 million young people each year. Young Audiences works to support its diverse network of affiliated organizations that are each dedicated to playing a decisive role in young people’s personal, artistic, and educational development. Learn more about Young Audiences and its mission to inspire young people and expand their learning through the arts at www.youngaudiences.org.
