SUBMITTED BY THE ARTS CENTER OF COASTAL CAROLINA
Grant Funded Project Summary:
The Arts Center requested and was awarded $5,000 for the 2023-2024 Adaptive Arts Program to provide direct services to 161 Beaufort County School District (BCSD) students who would participate in 5, one-hour adaptive art education classes in 7 schools and 14 classrooms. In addition, a teacher training workshop will be held in the late Fall 2023 at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina for up to 20 teachers. The professional development workshop is intended to instruct teachers about best practices in art lesson modifications for students with disabilities. Professional Development would be offered the hard to acquire state mandated teaching professional development credits.
The adaptive arts education classes would be scheduled from September to April 2024. All classes would be conducted by our professionally trained teaching artist.
The key educational adaptive arts education activities which would take place during each one-hour classroom sessions would be based on a lesson plan which is SC Curriculum Standards-Based. The Professional Development will offer difficulty to acquire state mandated teaching credits.
Results:
The Teaching Artist met in August 2023 with the Beaufort County School District Coordinator and the Special Education Consultant to schedule the classes within each classroom. Classes ran from September 2023 through April 1, 2024.
138 students have been served over 966 total hours in the classroom, which averages 7 hours per student; and exceeds the goal of 5 one-hour adaptive art education classes. 15 special needs classrooms across Hilton Head and Bluffton were served, which exceeds the goal of 14. May River High School was added this year. Each student created 4 visual arts projects, during the 7 one-hour classes. Teachers
collectively received 213 hours to observe and participate in the lessons and projects.
Students marveled at the famous artists they were introduced to and the methods and tools they were provided with to which they had not used before for art, such as chubby paint brushes to complete freeform painting while learning about colors, color blends and techniques (see Video Clip–amazing) and Q-tips–a simple and effective adaptive arts tool where preciseness isn’t the end goal, holding the Q-tip and dipping in paint is for the adaptive learner.
Another lesson was using the technique from Jean Michel Basquiat’s Dinosaur Artwork, see https://thetrendyart.com/blogs/artblog/jean-michel-basquiat-dinosaur.
Also see photo collage: VSA Program 2023-2024 Adaptive Arts Photo and Video Collage
Yet another lesson used a technique called, Australian Aboriginal Art. Australian Aboriginal Art has 3 forms, this lesson taught Dot Painting: A Renowned Indigenous Art Style. The simple dot techniques
which adaptive arts students could accomplish and be successful. Aboriginal Art is about symbols. There is no written language for Aboriginal People to convey their important cultural stories through the
generations therefore the art uses symbols/icons throughout their artwork (see an uploaded example of an Australian Aborigine Art Lesson Plans resource used for our Lesson plan development from the
National Endowment of Humanities).Example of resources used to develop lesson plans- Australian Aboriginal Art and Storytelling _ NEH-Edsitement
Students all shared their artworks with peers at the end of each class session and experienced being an audience to respond to others’ art making. Students and teachers/teacher aides have thoroughly
enjoyed using a variety of media, methods, and lessons within the theme “Art Around the World.”
All classes have been conducted by our professionally trained teaching artist using a SC Curriculum Standards-Based Lesson Plan.
In addition, a teacher training workshop was held in the Fall at the Arts Center of Coastal Carolina and was attended by 18 teachers. Each teacher received 3 hours of teaching that provided best practices in
art lesson modifications for students with disabilities.
Finally, a culminating exhibit of each student’s work was on display in May 2024 at the Arts Center, with the kickoff reception open to WAHHI Grant’s Committee Member and the public on May 1, 2024, from 5-6:30 PM. Thank you to the WAHHI Members who attended. The invitation included the funder’s logos and names:
Successes and Challenges:
Fortunately, the VSA Program has been funded nearly 100% this year (thank you WAHHI for your very first grant award). As mentioned above, we reached 85% of the goal, but added additional hours to each student so they received 7 hours each and produced more art, instead of the 5 hours proposed.
Project Funding Expenditures
$5,000 was received on February 5, 2024. All funded were expensed as follows:
• Materials for students’ adaptive arts tools and art supplies: total expensed, $348.26.
• Adaptive Arts Teaching Artist Instructor: total expensed, $4,651.74.
Project Media and Marketing Department along with the Development Department disseminated the following information crediting WAHHI for this generous grant:
1. The Arts Center announced the VSA Program Funders, including WAHHI Grant at each Behind the Scenes Tours for patrons/donors visiting the Disney Arts Education Studio. Sr. Director of Arts Outreach, Alana Adams also includes the PowerPoint Slide of the entire Arts Programs with funders on the screen during the Tour. We have announced WAHHI funding for 5 of 5 shows.
2. The Board Meeting Development Report includes acknowledgement to WAHHI Award for the VSA Program and informed the Board Members of the site visit and attendance to the Gallery Reception.
3. The Arts Center Adds acknowledgement to WAHHI in our quarterly OnCenter Magazine, see https://www.artshhi.com/newsroom/oncenter-spring-summer-2024 page 50 for the Spring/Summer 23-24 version online.
4. An invitation for the May 1, 2024, Gallery Reception was created with the WAHHI logo included as a funder (See uploaded with this Final Report).
Additional Information The VSA Program has had a successful year. The Program has been a highlight of the students’ & teachers’ school year, and we are looking forward to starting again the Fall 2024. See
uploaded Photo Collage and YouTube Video Clips.
This and all arts education programs are entirely grant funded and must be funded to continue. Thank you WAHHI for your generosity!