Fall Highlights from Think 360 Arts

As we embrace the vibrant colors of the fall season, we hope this time of year brings creativity and inspiration to you all! This newsletter is full of exciting updates and opportunities, including:

• An overview of our recent professional development workshops
• A preview of upcoming public programs
• A spotlight on one of our Equity in Arts Learning grantees
• Updates from our talented teaching artists

Professional Development Highlights: At Think 360 Arts, we’re dedicated to providing teachers with high-quality professional development that fosters creativity and innovation. We're excited to share about a couple recent programs:

Monica and Tyler Aiello of Eurekus partnered with Adams 12 Five Star Schools to guide middle school visual arts teachers in creating LED light-up name tags, showcasing how STEAM approaches can boost both academic learning and social-emotional development skills.

In September, Ilasiea Gray led a theatre-based workshop for 45 educators from Charles Burrell Visual & Performing Arts K-12 School.

This workshop introduced engaging theatre games and arts-integration techniques aimed at fostering social-emotional learning, emotional regulation, and strategies to manage classroom disruptions. 

This two-hour session kicked off our RAISE Programming for the 2024-25 school year, supported by Young Audiences Arts for Learning National, which will offer Burrell students and staff extended residencies, family events, and additional professional learning opportunities.

Creative Aging Programs

• 10/22: Interactive Drumming (Denver): Bob Hall of the Kusogea Nobi Drum Ensemble will lead an interactive drumming workshop. This workshop is part of Denver Public Library's Memory Cafe, which is a social and educational group for people experiencing memory loss and their families and caregivers. It is a safe place to socialize, relax, and learn without the fear of stigma. 

Community Programs:

• 10/18: Little University (Denver): Join Betsy Tobin for a special puppet program based on The Little Yellow Leaf by Carin Berger! Children will dance and act out the story before watching a shadow puppet performance of this autumn tale.

• 10/18: Adaptive & Interactive Recreation Music & Sound Stories (Thornton): In this workshop series, led by teaching artist Emily vonSwearingen, participants are invited to play a variety of percussion instruments to create lively, interactive, group sound stories. Registration is required. Register HERE.

Partner Organizations Programs:

• 10/17: DAVA Youth Film Premiere (Aurora): Join Downtown Aurora Visual Arts (DAVA), a 2024-25 Equity in Arts Learning grantee, for their annual student film screening! Enjoy a selection of thoughtful and funny films created by DAVA students this summer. Doors open at 7:00pm, show at 7:30pm. Tickets are free, but you must reserve them in advance. Register HERE.

Photo Credits: New Cottage Arts

This month, we're excited to spotlight Equity in Arts Learning (EAL) grantee New Cottage Arts and their transformative program, Rhythms of Resilience. Based in the Westwood neighborhood, this youth drum line empowers marginalized students through arts education.

So far, the program has engaged over 500 students at DSST: College View Middle and High School. The response has been overwhelmingly positive, with students finding both a creative outlet and a sense of belonging.

Another highlight is the drum line’s electric performance at Kepner Beacon Middle School's back-to-school event. The students showcased not only their musical talents but also their leadership and teamwork, proudly representing their community in a public setting.

Rhythms of Resilience empowers youth by choosing music, shaping the curriculum, and leading rehearsals, fostering a collaborative learning experience. We’re proud to support this impactful program as it builds identity, confidence, and resilience in students.

The 2025-26 Equity in Arts Learning for Colorado Youth grant opportunity is accepting letters of intent (LOIs) through November 22nd, 2024. Visit our Grants page to learn more about this opportunity:

This transformative grant opportunity is made possible by the visionary generosity of these collaborative funders:

Interested in supporting this initiative? We welcome additional funding partners! For inquiries, please email Daisy Fodness-McGowan, daisy@think360arts.org.

Visit our Teaching Artist Updates page to find a curated collection of recent and upcoming exhibitions, performances, and other noteworthy updates from our Teaching Artists!

Think 360 Arts' Teaching Artists who have new updates this month:

Betsy Tobin & Michael Gunst

Betsy Tobin and Michael Gunst will perform their show Moment In Time at the Savoy Theater in Denver on Oct. 20th at 4:00 PM as part of the Denver Fringe Festival Reprise show. 

Chelsea Gilmore

Chelsea's solo exhibit at the Art Gym Gallery, titled Hiraeth, will be on display from Oct. 24th through December 1st.



Gregory "SETH" Harris

On Oct. 18th, SETH will be honored, among others, at the 7th Annual Crestone Poetry Festival for his contributions to the growth and vitality of the Colorado poetry community. This festival runs from Oct. 17th to 21st with numerous events all weekend.

think360arts.org