Officials from the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Tourism, Parks, Culture and Sport, the Horizon School Division, Regina Catholic School Division and the Saskatchewan Arts Board officially launched LIVE Arts Education 2010-2011 earlier this week.
LIVE (Live Interactive Video Education) Arts Education is a free dynamic arts program for teachers and students in Grades 3 through eight that supports the Arts Education curriculum and brings professional artists into the classroom for a LIVE experience.
"We are pleased to be involved with the launch of this program, especially during Education Week," says Education Minister Donna Harpauer. "This is a wonderful opportunity for Saskatchewan teachers and students to connect, either face to face or using technology, with professional artists from across the province.
They get to see the value of the arts and artists in communities while also creating their own work."
The LIVE Arts Education broadcast, from Viscount Central School, had artist Heather Cline engage students in the concepts of story-telling, performance art and painting using her multi-media art project titled "Citizens of Veduta..." Students at other locations across the province participated via the LIVE Satellite Network and interacted with the artist using Adobe Connect.
"We are very excited about the launch of the LIVE Arts Education program," Horizon School Division Director of Education Marc Danylchuk says.
"This is a wonderful opportunity for students to engage with professional artists and share the experience with students and teachers in classrooms across the province."
Artists involved in the program work with a teacher and the program co-ordinator to plan content and then come back to deliver the program live from broadcast classrooms in the following school year. Artists are also encouraged to share aspects of their professional development and personal practice with students.
"We believe that art is for everyone, and this use of interactive technology will help to create even more connections among artists, teachers and students around the province," Saskatchewan Arts Board Executive Director David Kyle states.
"Projects like this can stimulate a lifetime of appreciation, interest and participation in the arts."
The LIVE Arts virtual residency is supported by Creative Partnerships program, funded by the Saskatchewan Arts Board and SaskCulture Inc./Saskatchewan Lotteries, with additional support from the Ministry of Education.
For more information on Creative Partnerships, which supports artists-in-the-community projects in both urban and rural Saskatchewan, visit www.artsboard.sk.ca/grants-/grant-programs/cp.
LIVE Arts Education runs on eight different days throughout the school year and programs are offered to compliment the existing Arts Education curriculum. Teachers interested in participating in the program can register via the Saskatchewan Ministry of Education website at www.education.gov.sk.ca/artonair.
