Empower NWA through Arts Integration
Since 2001, Walton Arts Center has served more than 650,000 students and teachers through arts education programs. Each year, we welcome on average 25,000 students from more than 90 schools for free live performances as part of the Classroom Series and provide more than 250 hours of arts integration professional development for teachers. But we can’t do it without your support!
MAKE A GIFT TO SUPPORT ARTS INTEGRATION
What is Arts Integration?
“Arts integration is the best strategy to help young people fully develop into who they are and who they need to be right now in their lives.” – Kassie Misiewicz, Founder and Artistic Director of Trike Theatre
Arts Integration is a teaching process that uses art forms – theater, dance, music and visual arts – to enhance a student’s ability to learn. The arts provide students with a platform, skill set and opportunity to create and express their own voice, knowledge and vision. When teachers incorporate arts into education, students learn to focus and take ownership of their work, collaborate creatively and become well-rounded problem solvers.
When you donate to Walton Arts Center’s arts integration programs, you’re investing in students, families and the larger Northwest Arkansas community. Arts integration provides building blocks to a lifelong learning foundation. Just as we teach math, literacy and science, arts integration is key for teaching learned skills that students can use to make choices that are good for themselves and those around them.
“Teachers have seen their students become more confident through arts integration. They have seen students who are English language-learners take on leadership roles. They see students who have trouble cooperating figuring out how to let go of that need to control and be able to cooperate and accept other people’s ideas. This change of behaviors in the classroom allows learners to learn in a kinesthetic, creative, cooperative way that is really transformative.” – Kassie Misiewicz, Founder and Artistic Director of Trike Theatre
Research has shown that there is a positive cumulative effect on students who participate in arts experiences and field trips. As an arts venue, Walton Arts Center is in a unique position to create these learning experiences for students in Northwest Arkansas, and it is a responsibility we take very seriously. So much so, that in 2021, Walton Arts Center began offering Classroom Series performances completely free to increase access for all students and educators.
When students get the chance to see a live performance, the theater becomes a large classroom with unlimited resources. Performances help students build empathy; they are able to communicate through a common shared experience and are given the tools, especially for visual, auditory or kinesthetic learners, to help process lessons they have received in the classroom. Arts integration empowers students to process even difficult lessons or concepts in a transformative way.
“Teachers do an amazing job, and our great public school teachers need all the help and support they can get. Arts integration strategies are strong tools that any teacher can have in their tool belt for excellent practice in their classroom … Arts integration is engaging and motivating. Teachers say again and again, ‘I see all of my students engaged and I see students that are too shy to do something like this participate,’ or ‘arts integration strategies help me find the language to teach my children to focus and concentrate.’” – Dr. Patricia Relph, Arts Learning Specialist at Walton Arts Center
In 2022, Walton Arts Center proudly celebrated 31 years of partnership with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts and Northwest Arkansas Education Service Cooperative as an arts integration training provider for teachers. Walton Arts Center helps public schools by providing arts integration training programs at both the elementary and secondary school levels. We have collaborated with the 17 school districts in our region through the following programs:
- Arts With Education (AWE) Institute: a professional development opportunity for educators that prepares them to use the arts across all curriculums more engaging and effective through hands-on learning and interactive workshops.
- SmART residency: a year-long professional development residency, funded in part by the Arkansas Arts Council, supporting teachers to include the arts across the curriculum and to help students achieve in literacy and their ability to collaborate.
“We’re lucky here in this area to have art and music in our schools every day, but I know not everyone has that opportunity.” – Lisa St. John, Executive Director of Elementary Education, Bentonville Public Schools
Arts integration is an investment in our future. The students who learn these skills and experience shows specifically tailored to their needs will become arts-loving members of our community, equipped to responsibly lead and compassionately communicate.
As a nonprofit organization, Walton Arts Center depends on the generosity of community members like you to present arts integration programs. You can help ensure every student in Northwest Arkansas has access to arts experiences by making a gift today!
MAKE A GIFT TO SUPPORT ARTS INTEGRATION
All contributions to Walton Arts Center Council, LLC, a nonprofit 501(c)(3) organization, are tax-deductible to the fullest extent allowed by law. You can make a fully tax-deductible gift by clicking the button above.
Interested in benefits like Lounge access, reserved show parking and concierge ticketing services? Consider becoming a member of our Friends annual giving program. CLICK HERE to learn more and make a Friends gift.
If you would like to make a gift via Check, Bank Draft, Stock Transfer, IRA Distribution, or Donor Advised Fund, CLICK HERE for more information.