Hey teachers!
In the spirit of building bridges, I wanted to pass on a list of local arts programs, contact info and prices for your classroom:
Sonoma Community Center: Ceramics, Culinary, Drawing/Painting, Fiber Arts, Performing Arts, Printmaking
Contact: Lexi Baker, youth program director (707) 938-4626 x 826 lexi@sonomacommunitycenter.org
Prices vary depending on the program. I have taken my class to the Community Center for a day of art and had their ceramics program in my classroom, they even have a portable RAKU kiln which they bring to your site and students love!
Sonoma Valley Museum of Art: Multi-media, A.R.T.S. program: https://svma.org/education/#ArtEducation, Museum Visits.
Contact: Miki Hsu Leavey, Education, Communication and Special Projects (707) 939-7862 x 151. mleavey@SVMA.org
Museum visits and ARTS programs are free for students. I try to walk my art class to every exhibition as many students don’t know SVMA exists. I also do my art curriculum planning in the museum library which is always open and always empty.
diRosa: Contemporary art collection, Multi-media plus amazing grounds filled with unique art sculptures.
Contact: education@dirosaart.org (707) 226-5991 x 24
$3.00-$5.00 Per student to visit. An amazing modern art experience.
Life on Earth Art Creating papier-mache hearts with wings. Promoting “Radical Inclusion”.
Contact: heartmaking@lifeonearth.org (707) 780-5440
The activity is expensive (depends on number of students and ages) but grants are available through their program. Out of all the community programs I have brought to my classroom, this one was the most engaging and powerful for students.
Murals:
The Monarch Project: (707) 339-8727 #socomonarchproject
They will work with students to decide on a subject and then complete the vision. Creekside came up with “Be the Change” then had students illustrate individual boxes on the wall outside my art room.
You can also just pick a wall, get permission, come up with a theme and do it.
Music: Valley Vibes youth orchestra: vivosonoma.org
Music Nomad: musicnomadcare.com
Funding: Sonoma Education Foundation: svgreatschools.org
Sonoma Plein Air: sonomapleinair@gmail.com
Creative Sonoma: creativesonoma.org
Walt Williams is in it for the money, that and the prestige that goes with 22 years of teaching in California high schools (he’s not the smartest tool in the shed). He firmly believes in more standardized testing and that fitting all students into the same box is really the answer. He strongly supports fracking and that climate change is a fantasy made up by hippie liberals, also that the military needs more funding and that schools should just stop whining.