Good Morning Educators,
As we reach the close of another school year and the end of our fiscal year, I want to take a moment to extend my sincere gratitude for the dedication, creativity, and care you bring to your students every day. This time of year is full of reflection and celebration - students are showcasing their learning, classrooms are filled with final projects and performances, and schools are beginning to look ahead with fresh ideas for the year to come.
At Arts for Learning WNY, it has been a privilege to partner with so many of you this year in bringing arts-integrated learning experiences into classrooms across Western New York. Whether through residencies, workshops, or performances, we have seen firsthand how the arts continue to deepen engagement, strengthen understanding, and support the whole student.
As planning begins for next year, we look forward to continuing and expanding this work with you. Our team remains committed to supporting educators with meaningful, flexible programming that connects directly to curriculum goals while fostering creativity, confidence, and collaboration in students.
We are grateful for your partnership and the trust you place in us, and we look forward to all that the next school year will bring.
| | |
Allison Rabent
Director of Programs
| | | | |
From Access to Integration:
The Evolution of Our
Letchworth Partnership
Since 2019, Arts for Learning WNY has had the privilege of partnering with Letchworth Central School District to bring meaningful arts experiences to students and teachers. What began as a series of individual opportunities has grown into a sustained, school-wide commitment to arts integration.
In 2023, Letchworth joined Arts for Learning's Whole School Partnership program. Implemented primarily through English Language Arts classrooms, this program provides arts-integration opportunities to every student. Collaboration and open dialogue between Teaching Artists, classroom teachers, and Arts for Learning staff ensure that students and teachers are steadily supported as the program adjusts to meet year-to-year needs.
This partnership has developed into a true collaboration rooted in trust, shared goals, and a belief in the power of the arts to enhance education. We are not only expanding access to the arts, but also embedding creativity into the fabric of learning.
Learn more about what makes our partnership with Letchworth Central School District so special.
Read more...
| | |
Arts-Integrated
Program Spotlight:
RAISE at BPS#74
We are pleased to highlight our continued RAISE programming at BPS#74 Hamlin Park Claude & Ouida Clapp Academy, where 3rd and 4th grade classrooms are participating in a May-June residency designed to deepen learning through the integration of art, movement, and emotional expression. The Responsive Arts in School Education Project (RAISE) is a five-year project designed to forge a new model of collaboration between Teaching Artists and school teams.
Led by Teaching Artists Kristin Brandt and Cassondra Argeros, this residency is closely aligned with classroom instruction, building on curriculum concepts students have explored throughout the school year. Students are supported in making meaningful connections between academic content and their own lived experiences, while strengthening skills in expression, reflection, and collaboration.
Through this residency, Hamlin Park PS74 continues to demonstrate the vital role of the arts in strengthening academic engagement, supporting emotional development, and building strong, connected school communities.
Learn more about our ongoing partnership with BPS#74
| |  | |
Where Access Comes to Life: Conable Family Foundation Fund in Wyoming County
In rural communities like Wyoming County, opportunities for kids to engage with the arts don't just happen by accident. They arise as the result of long-term partnerships, community trust, and sustained investment from funders who understand what true access requires.
Among those partners, the Conable Family Foundation Fund at the Community Foundation for Greater Buffalo plays an important role in supporting Arts for Learning WNY’s work across Wyoming County. This support allows us to sustain and strengthen a network of school and library partnerships throughout the county, ensuring that students and families continue to receive high-quality arts programming free of cost.
Support from the Conable Family Foundation Fund has help us to implement extensive programming at the Cordelia A. Greene Public Library, expand and strengthen our network of school partnerships, and provide a wide range of creative workshops and performances in the community.
Read about our many programs in rural communities that are supported by the Conable Family Foundation Fund.
| | | ARTS INTEGRATION IN ACTION | | |
Teaching Artists as Partners in Whole-Child Learning
Arts for Learning WNY Teaching Artists bring more than paintbrushes, scripts, or instruments. They bring a philosophy: every young person deserves space to be seen, heard, and challenged to grow. We back that philosophy with intentional professional development, national research partnerships, and a deep commitment to Social Emotional Learning (SEL) as a cornerstone of every residency we facilitate.
When you welcome an Arts for Learning Teaching Artist into your classroom, you are not simply adding an enrichment activity to your schedule. You are partnering with a practitioner who has been trained in trauma-informed approaches, coached on culturally responsive pedagogy, and observed and supported by national experts in SEL-integrated arts education. The residency your students experience is the direct result of thoughtful investment and careful implementation of research-backed strategies.
Read about the framework and feedback tools we use to ensure excellence, examine an example of collaborative growth in-action, and learn how our Teaching Artists can make an impact in classrooms in your school!
Read more...
| | |
WHAT EDUCATORS ARE SAYING
In March, Dawn Hill, a 4th grade teacher at Waterfront Elementary School (BPS #95) joined staff members of Arts for Learning WNY in attending the Young Audiences National Conference in Washington D.C. Along with representing Art for Learning at a conference focused on arts-integrated learning strategies, the group spent a day on Capitol Hill advocating for arts in education.
"Attending the Young Audiences National conference was an incredibly positive and inspiring experience.
Visiting Capitol Hill and meeting with senators’ offices was an exciting opportunity to share the important message that arts in the classroom truly matter. It was equally valuable to spend time with members of our local program, whose perspectives made the experience both informative and enjoyable.
The conference itself provided meaningful insight into how others implement the program in their own school communities, while also reinforcing just how impactful arts in education can be for students everywhere!”
-Dawn Hill, 4th Grade Teacher, Waterfront Elementary School
Read more about the Young Audiences National Conference and how it impacts our work in WNY...
| | |
BRING A PROGRAM TO YOUR CLASSROOM
Interested in bringing arts-integrated programming into the classroom? Contact us today and we'll help you identify the type of program that meets your school’s curricular and budgetary needs!
| | |
APPLICATIONS OPEN:
Join Arts for Learning WNY as
an ArtWorks Apprentice
| | |
Hired to Create.
Inspired to Succeed.
| |
We are excited to announce that we are hiring ArtWorks Apprentices for the
2026-2027 school year!
| |
Open Interviews: Wednesday, June 10th and Tuesday, June 16th (4:00pm - 6:00pm)
Application Form: Here
| |
ArtWorks is an one-of-a-kind opportunity in which teens are paid to learn, create art, and develop important skills in a real-world environment. Apprentices engage in deep exploration of artistic disciplines under the guidance of Teaching Artists with years of experience. The benefits of ArtWorks extend far beyond artistry, though. Apprentices are exposed to a vast array of professional opportunities as they develop a diverse skillset that prepares them to succeed in any path they choose to pursue after high school.
Applicants are encouraged to contact the Arts for Learning office before open interviews with any questions. Visit the ArtWorks page on our website to learn more about the program and how to apply. We hope to hear from you soon!
| | |
SUPPORT ARTS FOR LEARNING WNY
Every child deserves the chance to grow through the arts. Your support keeps our programs free or low-cost for schools, ensuring all students have access to arts-integrated programming. Please consider giving today.
| | Our mission is to inspire, expand learning, and strengthen our community through engagement with the arts. | | | | |
