2003 Campus-Community Partnerships

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UCLArts ArtsBridge – Bringing the Arts to Los Angeles Public Schools

Abstract:

UCLArts ArtsBridge places graduate and undergraduate students from the departments of Architecture and Urban Design, Art, Design|Media Arts, Ethnomusicology, and World Arts and Cultures in K-12 public schools throughout Los Angeles County to provide hands-on arts workshops in classrooms lacking arts education components in the curriculum. All public schools in the county are eligible to host ArtsBridge projects, with priority going to low-performing schools. ArtsBridge projects occur during regular class time, introducing the arts to students as an important component of their education and offering many students their first meaningful arts experience. ArtsBridge scholars and classroom teachers work closely together during the projects to demonstrate to the classroom teachers how to effectively integrate the arts into their curricula.

Student participants in ArtsBridge flourish through their exposure to the arts. Teachers have reported increased levels of confidence and classroom participation, improved verbal and language skills, and new insight into students' capabilities among ArtsBridge participants. Students who have struggled in traditional classrooms often discover artistic talent and earn recognition and support from their teachers and peers through ArtsBridge.