By Kait Munro
The Arts in Education Institute of Western New York, Inc. will host professional development workshops from Monday, June 29th through Friday, July 3rd from 8 AM until 3:30 PM. The workshops will bring together teachers, students and art enthusiasts to design creative ways of integrating arts into their lives and new ways to experience art.
Each session will focus on a different discipline: visual arts, music, dance, theatre and architecture. Over 150 teachers representing 20 school districts from all over Western New York and guest speakers will attend events throughout the week.
On Monday, June 29th, the workshop will focus on the graphic novel “The Arrival” by Shaun Tan at Medaille College, and will feature quest speaker Jakie Albarella, executive director of Arts in Education.
On Tuesday, June 30th, a workshop on “A Midsummer’s Night Dream” will take place at Niagara Falls High School. This event will feature guest speaker Saul Elkin, founder and director of Shakespeare in the Park,
A visitors day will be held Wednesday, July 1st, from 10:30 AM to 12:30 PM, to provide information about the Arts in Education Institute, featuring a performance by the Sisters of Sheynville, a Toronto-based klezmer-swing group. In 2008, the Sisters of Sheynville won best vocal group at the Canadian Folk Music Awards, and will be the musical unit of study for this year’s Arts in Education programs. Larry Levin, principal at Pinehurst Elementary, will be the workshop guest speaker.
On Thursday, July 2nd, a workshop will take place at Our Lady of Vicotry Basilica, featuring Beth Donovan, director of public relation for Basilica.
The workshop on Friday, July 3rd, will feature “Toe Tappin’ Blues” with Broadway dance star Jimmy Tate and Buffalo bass player Rodney Appleby at Medaille College.
For more information on this event or the Arts Education Institute, please visit www.artsined.com.