Outreach Programs for Youth
Our programs for youth empower public school students from a broad range of backgrounds through engaging explorations of art that promote critical thinking, creativity, and self-discovery. Each of our in-school and after-school programs begins with interactive discussions analyzing original pieces from our traveling art collection. Discussions are followed by related hands-on creative projects and other activities related to school curriculum, from journaling to group sharing exercises. Our multi-week in-school residencies also include Q&A sessions with local visiting artists, field trips to Chicago museums, and more. Read on for further details on each of our youth programs.
Interested in bringing Art Encounter programs to your school? Please reach out using the form below.
In-School Programs
ARTiculations is our 10-week in-school art and writing residency for 3rd–5th graders led by a pair of Art Encounter teaching artists and culminating in cultural field trip to a Chicago museum. This residency fosters appreciation for the visual arts, builds art vocabulary and art-making skills, and supports writing goals in the classroom. Program activities include discussion of original artworks from our traveling collection, related hands-on creative projects, and journaling about the creative process. Visit our Ingenuity Artlook map for more information about the schools we serve.
2023-24 ARTiculations is supported in part by the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Language of Art is a three-week in-school residency led by two Art Encounter teaching artists that includes discussion of original artworks, choice-based hands-on projects, and discussion of student artworks. The program culminates with a visit by a professional artist, including a discussion of their work and a Q&A session.
Insight On-Site is our “mini” residency, featuring one or two sessions with discussions of original artwork from our traveling collection led by Art Encounter teaching artists using our signature, interactive discussion method.
After-School Programs
School-Based Clubs: We design after school programs for PTAs, schools, and community centers for students in kindergarten through 8th grade. Clubs can include art-making in a variety of media, including drawing, painting, mixed media, and murals.
Y.O.U. Clubs: We partner with Youth & Opportunity United to provide no-cost after-school and summer programs to 3rd–8th graders from Evanston and Skokie’s District 65. We have held a premier partnership with Y.O.U. since 2016.
CuSTOM PROGRAMS
We love partnering with schools, organizations, and individuals to create custom arts education programming and workshops. If you are interested in working with Art Encounter to create a custom program, please fill out our Outreach Program Inquiry Form below. For all further questions, please contact our Community Outreach Manager Leslie Luning at leslie@artencounter.org.
“After completing the program, I have learned my students have multiple modalities and ways to express themselves creatively. I have been able to use the techniques and Art Encounter's vocabulary in my day-to-day lessons. The students have found a variety of ways to express their artwork versus just doing the ordinary or expected thing to do. They have found their inner artists!”
-Janet Torres, Teacher at Haugan Elementary School in Chicago
For a closer look at our school programs, here is a short video from our 2021 virtual benefit featuring Leslie Luning, Art Encounter’s Community Outreach Programs Manager.
Schools We’ve Served
Anderson Academy, Chicago
Arie Crown School, Skokie
Avondale Elementary School, Chicago
Braeside School, Highland Park
CCA Academy, Inc., Chicago
Central School, Glencoe
Chiaravalle Montessori School, Evanston
Chicago Alternative Learning Academy, Chicago
Chicago City Day School, Chicago
Chicago Math & Science Academy, Chicago
Columbus Elementary School, Chicago
Copernicus Elementary School, Chicago
Courtenay Language Arts Center, Chicago
Cove School, Winnetka
Cove School, Northbrook
Darwin School, Chicago
Dawes Elementary School, Evanston
DeWitt Clinton School, Chicago
Dewey Academy of Fine Arts, Chicago
Dewey School, Evanston
Dryden Elementary School, Arlington Heights
East Prairie School, Skokie
Edison Elementary School, Skokie/Morton Grove
Edgebrook School, Chicago
Evanston Arts Camp, Evanston
Evanston Township High School, Evanston
Family Focus, Evanston
Fenton High School, Bensenville
Field Elementary School, Chicago
Foundation 65, Evanston
Fremont School, Mundelein
Gale Math & Science Academy, Chicago
Goethe School, Chicago
Haven Middle School School, Evanston
Milton Hershey School, Hershey, Pennsylvania
Haugan School, Chicago
Highland Park High School, Highland Park
Highlands Elementary School, La Grange
Highlands Middle School, La Grange
Hillel Torah Day School, Skokie
Howard Area Community Center @ Gale Elementary Community Academy, Chicago
Illinois Department of Children and Family Services
King Lab School, Evanston
Kingsley Elementary School, Evanston
Langford Academy, Chicago
Latin School, Middle School, Chicago
Latin School, Upper School, Chicago
Lawndale Community School
L.E.A.R.N. Charter School, Chicago
LeMoyne School, Chicago
Lincoln Park High School, Chicago
Lincoln Elementary School, Evanston
Lincolnwood Elementary School, Evanston
Manierre Elementary School, Chicago
Marie Murphy Junior High School, Wilmette
McCracken School, Skokie
McGaw Child Care Center, Evanston
Mill Street School, Naperville
James Monroe Elementary School, Chicago
Nichols Middle School, Evanston
North Kenwood-Oakland Charter School, Chicago
North River Elementary School, Chicago
North Shore Country Day School, Winnetka
Oakdale Elementary School, Waukegan
Oakton Elementary School, Evanston
Ogden School, Chicago
Orrington School, Evanston
Otis World Language Academy, Chicago
Park School, Evanston
Parker Community Academy, Chicago
George S. Parker High School, Janesville, Wisconsin
Peterson Elementary School, Chicago
Pilsen Community Academy, Chicago
Pleasant Ridge School, Glenview
Pope John XIII School, Evanston
Pulaski School, Chicago
Reinberg Elementary School, Chicago
Right At School After School Program, Evanston/Skokie District 65
Robert Frost School, Mt. Prospect
Solomon Schechter Middle School, Skokie
South Park School, Deerfield
Saint Clement School, Chicago
St. Athanasius, Evanston
St. John Brebeuf Elementary School, Chicago
St. Joseph School, Downers Grove
Stevenson High School, Lincolnshire
Stone Scholastic Academy, Chicago
Walden School, Deerfield
Walker Elementary School, Evanston
Washington Elementary School, Evanston
Waterbury School, Roselle
Waukegan High School
Wheaton-Warrenville South High School
Willard Elementary School, Evanston
Wilmette Jr. High School
Wilmot Elementary School, Deerfield
Wilson Occupational High School, Chicago
Yates Elementary School, Chicago
Y.O.U. After School and Summer Program, Evanston