The ArtReach program began serving the Abilene area more than thirteen years ago when three Center Artist Members, Clint Hamilton, Ruth Jackson and Pattie Rae Wellborn offered free art classes to a few small groups of elderly and disabled clients from Abilene social service agencies. The program was a success, but growth was slow, and there was little funding. As years passed, more and more requests for ArtReach services arrived, and the program began serving new audiences, including area youth. At first, ArtReach was coordinated by the Center’s Director and Curator; later a part-time program coordinator was hired. In 2003, ArtReach was rated #1 in the state by the Texas Commission on the Arts, and it became clear that the program needed a highly-qualified staff member to oversee its development.

A search was conducted, and in January of 2005, the Center hired Marianne Wood as its part-time Curator of Education. Assisted by the Board of Trustees and Education Committee, Mrs. Wood was charged with coordinating the ArtReach program. The 2005 Arts in Education Survey was conducted, producing evidence of a growing local need for supplemental arts education in public and private schools, as well as the need for additional opportunities for arts-related professional development for area educators. Survey participants included principals, teachers and parents from Abilene and Wylie school districts and three area private schools. This survey and the subsequent partnerships that developed between the Center and area schools provided the basis for the current expansion of ArtReach.

Under the guidance of our state-certified Curator of Education, ArtReach serves the community through four types of programming:

• Free weekly art classes for the special needs and underserved populations
• Arts enrichment programs
• State-accredited educator workshops
• Tuition-based art classes and camps for children ages 9-12, teens and adults

The goals of ArtReach enrichment programs and classes are to give participants the opportunity to: improve critical thinking, spatial/temporal reasoning and social skills, develop positive self-concepts, and nourish a life-long love of art.

TEKS-aligned, interdisciplinary curricula for Pre-K through high school, at-risk and incarcerated youth promote creative expression and foster academic achievement. In 2005-06, ArtReach programs for youth incorporated cross-curricular TEKS objectives in Social Studies, Reading and English Language Arts. The Center developed curricula “Exploring Art around the World” and “Exploring Art Around Abilene” which utilized hands-on activities and multi-media instruction; both are teaching methods that have proven effective in appealing to a broad range of learning styles and facilitating learning for students with disabilities and other special needs. †

In 2006-07, three new curricula were implemented: “Engineer It!”, “A Passion for Fashion,” and “By the Numbers.” These curricula for youth employ the same model teaching practices, but include cross-curricular TEKS in math and science.

For more information on educational offerings,
contact the Center’s Education Coordinator, Burgess Thomas, at 325.677.8389 or
bird@center-arts.com