The Right Brain Initiative Seeks Experienced Teaching Artists and Arts Education Organizations

The Right Brain Initiative, a partnership of public schools, local government, foundations, businesses and the cultural community, is seeking experienced teaching artists and arts education organizations to support the goal to make arts education accessible to every K-8 student in the Portland tri-county region. Application materials for the 2009–10 school year will be available beginning March 16th at www.therightbraininitiative.org . Applications are due April 20, 2009.

Teaching artists and organizations of all disciplines including dance, literary arts, music, theater, and visual arts are invited to apply to provide performances, field trips and residency opportunities to K-8 students. Through The Right Brain Initiative, local teaching artists and arts organizations collaborate with classroom teachers and specialists to integrate the arts across the curriculum. Details about the program and the Arts Partners application process will be shared at Information Meetings scheduled in each of the three counties the initiative serves.

- Tuesday, March 31, 4:30 – 5:30 pm, Walters Cultural Arts Center, 527 East Main Street, Hillsboro, OR 97213.

- Thursday, April 2, 4:30 – 5:30 pm, Ledding Library Pond House, 2215 SE Harrison, Milwaukie, OR 97222.

- Monday, April 6, 5:30 – 6:30 pm, Interstate Firehouse Cultural Center, 5340 N Interstate Avenue, Portland, OR 97217.

The goal of The Right Brain Initiative is to achieve a measurable impact on learning by integrating the community’s arts and cultural resources into the education of every K-8 student in the tri-county area. The Right Brain Initiative is unique in that it places core emphasis on equitable access to arts education and gives artists and teachers new tools and approaches to engage students in a creative process that connects the arts with other learning. Currently, 10 teaching artists and 10 arts education organizations are bringing integrated arts experiences to over 9,500 students in 20 schools in four school districts: Gresham-Barlow, Hillsboro, North Clackamas and Portland Public Schools.