The Artists in Residence Program was created to encourage interdisciplinary education, participatory learning and the involvement of professional artists in the classroom. It simultaneously benefits teachers and students, and the community as a whole by actively integrating history and culture into the curriculum through the arts. This provides a well-rounded education and develops arts appreciation by the student.

The Arts Council of Kern first established an arts education program in 1980. The Arts Council successfully directed the program by building partnerships between schools and communities and encouraging districts to expand and develop their arts programs. The Council redesigned the program in 1997 by creating extended residencies to better serve the community.

The Project’s goal is to provide an arts residency program that reaches geographically and culturally isolated communities in Kern County through the continued establishment of a professional teacher training program that illustrates how the arts can be integrated into all aspects of their current scholastic curriculum, as outlines in the California State Visual and Performing Arts Framework.

The Project targets 4th through 6th grade students who experience lessons in Multi-Cultural dance, visual, and theatre arts. Teachers through interaction will replicate the artist’s lessons and provide teaching methods for imparting arts activities (such as creative writing, or art projects) to students. This hands-on experience will provide a foundation of knowledge for future arts education projects.


For additional information on the Artists in Residence program, call (661) 324-9000 or email kernarts@zeus.kern.org

The Artists in Residence program is underwritten by the California Arts Council.