With the support and partnership of many individuals and institutions, CAP’s main programs in the West Philadelphia community are based primarily in K-12 public schools: Artists in Residence, Professional Development, Afterschool, Workshops, and Community Events.

Artists in Residence

Artist in Residence collaboration is one of CAP’s signature programs. Working in collaboration with school leadership and classroom teachers, CAP matches community-based professional artists with teachers to develop substantial integrated arts curriculum. Academic standards, school and teacher goals, and artistic vision and process are all equal parts of successful Artist in Residence partnerships. Artists generally spend six to eight months co-facilitating with teachers on small- and large-scale art projects that enhance core academic knowledge and reinforce student achievement.

Professional Development

Professional Development consists of K-12 teacher seminars and team-specific workshops and planning in the area of integrated pluralistic arts in education. Teachers participating in CAP Professional Development learn concepts and techniques essential to successful arts integration, with or without the added support of Artists in Residence and other CAP programs. Teachers trained in integrated arts methods are able to use a variety of teaching styles and community resources to help their students meet and exceed academic standards through the use of the arts in the classroom.

Workshops

Due to time and curricular constraints, many teachers and schools request integrated arts projects on a smaller scale than Artists in Residence. CAP workshops build long-term partnerships by collaborating with classroom teachers to support additional integrated arts enhancement for students on a project-by-project basis. Workshops are often an initial step in rousing long-term teacher and school commitment to more comprehensive CAP classroom partnerships.

Community Events

While K-16+ education remains the primary focus of CAP and Center for Community Partnership programming, many West Philadelphia residents are neither students nor parents/guardians of students. Community events that are free, family-friendly, intergenerational, and open to all West Philadelphia community members are another way that CAP responds to community needs through community arts. Families, elders, youth, students, and others have gathered to participate in hands-on workshops on creative expression through healthy cooking; creating electronic music and video; enjoying performances by local and international bands; learning to tell their family stories through quilting; and viewing films by local filmmakers. This strategy follows CAP’s stated goals of using the arts to foster community spirit and engagement, and convenes often-disparate groups of West Philadelphia residents in spaces where all are mutually and respectfully engaged through the arts.

If you are looking to become more involved with CAP programs, please contact the CAP program director:

K. E. Maori Holmes
Director, Community Arts Partnership
Phone 215-898-3327 / Fax 215-573-2799
keholmes@sas.upenn.edu

 

CAP 2003-2004 Annual Report [.pdf]