BYU ARTS Partnership

We can’t wait to see you at Arts Express tomorrow! Here are a few last-minute reminders.

Download the Aventri App and begin familiarizing yourself with the content. Remember, the username is the email you used to register, and the password is your last name with a capitalized first letter.

Make sure you know how to get to the conference. We will be located at Viewpoint Middle school in Lehi, UT. When possible, carpool with other friends and teachers from your area. For detailed instructions on how to get to the school and where to park, check our story!

Come hungry! A full breakfast and lunch will be served both days.

Bring a reusable water bottle with you. Everything else that you may need will be provided at the conference, but bringing your own water bottle will help you stay hydrated throughout the day!

The school’s interior temperature may be chilly, so dress in layers for your comfort, and wear comfortable clothes to move in!

Get a good night's rest! Make sure your mind is prepared by getting some good sleep tonight.

See you soon!

Start your countdowns! Arts Express is officially one week away! This year, like last we will be using the app Aventri to coordinate details during the conference. Through the app you’ll have access to your unique session schedule, a school map, and more!

When using the app, login using the email you registered for the conference with. The password will be your last name with the first letter capitalized.

If you struggle to get into your app, send us a DM and we will help! For those that prefer, there will be limited paper resources provided at the conference.

See you soon!

This year at Arts Express we have an incredible selection of dance sessions to get excited about! Read about three of our dance presenters below:

Melanie Fillmore holds a BFA in Dance Education from Brigham Young University and has over 30 years of experience in Creative Dance and Dance Education. She's worked with all age groups, from infants to adults, directing programs at junior highs and high schools, and serving as a dance specialist at elementary schools and preschools. For 15 years, she ran her own Creative Dance program, The Dancing Child. Currently, Melanie works as a K-6 Fine Arts Integration Coach in the Nebo School District, empowering teachers to incorporate dance and movement into their classrooms. Outside of work, she treasures her role as a wife and mother to four wonderful children.

Dr. Mark is a pioneering figure in arts integration and STEAM education. Armed with degrees from the University of North Texas (BM) and the University of Houston (MM & DMA), he brings a wealth of expertise to the table. Mark's journey in music education spans from PreK to 8th grade in both Houston, TX, and Seward, AK, supplemented by teacher training at Stephen F. Austin State University. His unwavering commitment to authentic musical experiences for children drives him to constantly innovate. Mark devises inventive methods for children to engage with patterns of sound, express their musicality and creativity in unconventional ways, and link musical concepts with other disciplines.

Bruce Brinkman began his teaching journey in 1986, specializing in first grade education. For a decade, he excelled as an elementary classroom teacher before transitioning to the role of PE and Health Specialist, where he dedicated the rest of his career. Over 26 years, Bruce served with distinction in the Jordan District, followed by 2 years at Providence Hall and 6 years in the Salt Lake District. Additionally, he shared his expertise as an adjunct instructor for UVU's PETE department for 3 years. Throughout his illustrious career, Bruce has been a sought-after presenter, delivering impactful sessions at district, state, and national levels.

Arts Express is just under a month away and registration closes today May 10th! This unique conference is sure to provide countless meaningful opportunities to connect with other educators, engage in arts integration workshops, and learn to build a culturally responsive classroom. As a beloved tradition of the BYU ARTS Partnership, we are eager to see you there! Registration can be completed at the following link: bit.ly/ArtsExpress2024 (you can also find the link in our bio!)

We are gearing up for an unforgettable summer. Arts Express 2024 will provide artistic enrichment that will better you and your classroom! Registration closes May 10th in only 3 days! Register through our website: bit.ly/ArtsExpress2024 (you can also find the link in our bio!)

The final day to register for Arts Express is in 4 days! With over 50 experiential, hands-on learning sessions, Arts Express is the perfect opportunity to create community, leadership training, and fulfill professional development credits. Be sure to register and select your sessions on our website bit.ly/ArtsExpress2024 before the May 10th deadline!

We are counting down the days until Arts Express this summer. With over 50 unique sessions to explore, we are so excited to learn from such talented educators.
Registration is open for 2 more weeks, act before it's too late! You can explore each session on the Arts Express website here: bit.ly/ArtsExpress2024

Art principles, science, and social studies integration, oh my!!

At Rocky Mountain elementary, students learned and displayed key principles of visual arts such as colors, lines, texture, movement, and illusion. Social studies and science standards relating to communities, Greek mythology, and bird adaptations were also displayed through beautiful student artwork. We especially loved her K-6 quilt project, bringing her students together as a school community with a variety of techniques. Angela Gonzalez blew us away with her incredible K-6 art show!

Did you know April is earth month? In our newest blog we’ve compiled a few of our favorite earth related lesson plans to help your students dance, act, and sing about the beautiful world around them!

You can read the blog here: https://advancingartsleadership.com/blog/earth-without-art-just-eh
Or click the link in our bio!

Do you still need to choose your Arts Express schedule? Our three-hour sessions give you a chance to immerse yourself in a hands-on experience of deep learning, creative collaboration, and thinking time. Learn about two of our presenters with 3 hour sessions this summer!

Trena Noval is a co-founder of IDEAL (Integrated Design for Education, the Arts, and Leadership).
She is a 20-year veteran of arts-centered integrated learning practices and a premier educational practitioner. Using hands-on and minds-on strategies designed for all grade levels and subject areas, this session combines creative visual arts experiences and movement with thinking routines to support deep observation, cultural literacy, and empathy building.

George Nelson is a world-renowned educator and scholar with 40 years of teaching experience who specializes in inspiring unmotivated learners of all ages. He is “someone able to fire young minds with his energy.” In this session, you will use dramatic tools to explore Aristotle’s ideas and embed these elements into your teaching. You will gain the skills to immediately apply them in the classroom while reveling in the true joy of learning.

From representing animal ecosystems to designing topographic maps to creating self-portrait collages, is going above and beyond this year with her arts integration! We love our educators!

The Native American Curriculum Initiative offered through the BYU ARTS Partnership provides a culturally diverse classroom experience. We are thrilled to have several NACI sessions at Arts Express this summer!

Brenda Beyal and Emily Soderborg will lead the session “Hoop Dance: Making Connections Beyond a Performance.” In this session you will make connections by exploring math, science, English language arts, visual arts, drama, and music by introducing the Native American Hoop Dance in your classroom!
Come experience lesson plans created with world champion Hoop dancers that allow participants to gain inspiration from the stories and teachings of the Hoop Dance while also learning respect for the parameters around sharing sacred aspects of cultural arts. Connect to indigenous wisdom while creating your own story and leave with resources you can use immediately in your classroom. This session is great for all K-12 teachers.

Karilee Park will join Emily to teach “Traditions that Connect: White Mesa Community Bear Dance.” The White Mesa Community of the Ute Mountain Ute Tribe use the Bear Dance as a way to preserve and pass down their culture. The Native American Curriculum Initiative has created a lesson to help elementary students connect to their pasts and tell their stories through embroidery on a COPY of a family heirloom such as a photos, recipe, poem, story, and/or song. Come learn how to engage your students with a fun, intuitive, and multifaceted art lesson that is all about familial and community connection.

Don’t forget early bird registration is still open until the 1st of April! DM us with any questions.

We are so excited for Arts Express this summer and want to introduce some of our upcoming movement and mindfulness sessions that will be offered! Early-bird registration is open until April 1st for a discounted price of $85 and University students are only $45!

Jennie Brown will lead “Mindfulness Practices for Teachers,” a session focused on responding to students’ stress with mindfulness techniques. She will share research-based practices that help students and teachers return to peace and positivity. This session will share real-life success stories and examples of how teachers can quickly help students release stress.

“Mindfulness in Mixed Media Collage” will be led by educator Ashley Mott. In this session, you will engage in mindfulness practices, reflect on your own and our shared values, and create a metaphorical mixed-media visual art collage.

Led by Iva Faulkner, “Creating a Circle of Safety and Resilience Through Fun Mindfulness Practices,” body and mind will connect in new ways! Come experience a breath circle, where we are all one in breath, belonging to one community. In this fun, energizing class you will learn movement and yoga practices that connect you and your students to their body and the present moment.

Arts Express is a great way to enrich your summer and have fun while preparing for the upcoming school year. We have a fantastic lineup of keynote speakers this year! Hear from New York Times best selling author, Brad Montague, internationally recognized choreographer and Kennedy Center Teaching Artist, Erik Stern, and our very own founding director, Cally Flox. Early-bird registration is open from now until April 1st for a discounted price of $85 and University students are only $45!

Registration for Arts Express Summer Conference 2024 is now open! Join us on June 4-5 at Viewpoint Middle School for an enriching exploration of “Circles All Around Us.” Register early for the best selection of our engaging and educational arts and arts-integration workshops across the curriculum. Enjoy hands-on learning, artful discovery, and joyful connection. Sign up now to get early-bird pricing of only $85! Follow the link below to sign up.
bit.ly/ArtsExpress2024

Amplifying Native Voices in the classroom and building bridges between Native and educational communities are the goals of the BYU ARTS Partnership’s Native American Curriculum Initiative (NACI). In our newest blog learn about how Many teachers are using the in-depth and culturally accurate resources from the initiative to further the knowledge, connections, and personal expression of their students.

M’art’ch Madness is happening soon! We encourage students to submit works on the theme “Creating Connection.” Submissions from the fields of dance, drama, music, visual arts, media arts, literary arts, and more are accepted now through March 7th!

Submission Requirements:
Submit by no later than March 7, 2024 to be considered for the final competition.
Digital file prepared to share on the Instagram platform: no larger
than 4GB, 1-minute limit, aspect ratio 1:1, 1080p x 1350 p is best.
Acceptable formats include: .doc, .jpg, .pdf, .png, .mov, .mp4, .mp3.
Submission must include biographical information: name, school, age,
      and grade (a headshot is optional but welcome).
Include an artist statement about your piece (50-250 words).
Submit your entry to [email protected] or DM
      us on Instagram .

’art’chMagic

Recent changes in technology have led to incredible opportunities for learning. However many teachers are seeing a decrease in children’s fine motor skills. In our recent blog, Laura Giles unpacks this and offers suggestions on how teachers can encourage students to improve their fine motor skills even in a technology-driven world. Read the blog at the link in our bio!

Our M’Art’ch madness art competition is beginning soon! The deadline to submit is March 7, which is only a little over a month away. This years theme is “creating connection” and students are encouraged to create works in alignment with this theme.

Consider the following prompts as inspiration!
How do the arts connect you with others?
How do the arts help you connect with the world around you?
How do the arts deepen your self-awareness?
How do the arts create a feeling of belonging?
How do the arts help you develop meaningful relationships?
How does your art create community?

We are honored to feature Harvest Elementary student artwork here in the McKay School of Education for the 2023-24 school year. We had an Artist Reception this past week in the gallery, celebrating the students, their talents, and the wonderful BTS Arts program at the school. Thank you to Kate Watson for inspiring and teaching the arts every day!

We are honored to feature Harvest Elementary student artwork here in the McKay School of Education for the 2023-24 school year. We had an Artist Reception this past week in the gallery, celebrating the students, their talents, and the wonderful BTS Arts program at the school. Thank you to Kate Watson for inspiring and teaching the arts every day!

Happy Native American Heritage Month! Today we’re sharing one of our tribe-approved Native American lesson plans. “Paiute Storied Rocks” guides students to read Paiute writing, compose music, and compare English to the Southern Paiute language. 

From the lesson plan:

This photograph shows petroglyphs that were carved into the rock by ancestors of the Southern Paiute sometime between 300 BC to 1150 AD in the Valley of Fire. Today, the Paiute Indian Tribe of Utah is a federally recognized Native American tribe. 

These images and symbols, known by the Paiutes as storied rocks, communicate the stories, history, and other aspects of life that those who created the pictures felt were worthy of the time it took to record on rocks. 

Even though their spoken languages were different, the images created on these rocks by Native Americans across the continent were still able to be understood by various tribes. Now, because the Paiute language is being lost, those who can understand the stories on the rocks are trying to share their importance with others.

Share the importance of the Paiute’s storied rocks with your students through writing, music, and authentic resources.   Find the lesson plan here! 
(https://education.byu.edu/arts/lessons/paiute-storied-rocks)

 

In Native American culture, the first frost marks the transition to the season of storytelling and reflection. In our recent blog “Invisible Biases: The Elephant in the Room,” Natalie Sparks Johnson–a teacher in Monument Valley–reflects on a unique experience where a student helped her see some of her own biases. Read the blog to discover how she uncovered bias and how it changed her pedagogy.

The time has come! The BYU ARTS Partnership invites proposals for sessions at the 2024 Arts Express Summer Conference. This year’s conference theme is Circles All Around Us.
 
Consider these prompting questions when considering proposals!
* How do we use the arts to expand our ideas of the world, grow our connection to the other people in it, and feel joy through those connections?
* How can the arts help educators strengthen their community circles? How can we expand circles of belonging so that every student and teacher, no matter their background, feels seen and valued? 
* How does learning take shape when circles of knowledge and disciplines intersect or overlap? How can different disciplines intertwine and support each other?
* How do you honor cultural communities and integrate accurate and authentic cultural arts in the classroom? What can you share about the purpose and practice of the arts in your own and other cultural circles? What is the significance of circles in different cultures?
* How are circles representative of the cycles and systems within our world? How do circular rhythms and patterns inform the flow of our life, the school day, and instruction? 
* How do the arts support resilience? What mindful arts activities can teachers use to support well-being, manage behaviors, or improve their classroom environments? 
* What should we leave behind when we engage in someone else’s circle? What do we bring with us?

If you have a proposal, it can be submitted at the link in our bio. Proposals must be submitted by January 3rd!

The time has come! The BYU ARTS Partnership invites proposals for sessions at the 2024 Arts Express Summer Conference. This year’s conference theme is Circles All Around Us.
 
Consider these prompting questions when considering proposals!

How do we use the arts to expand our ideas of the world, grow our connection to the other people in it, and feel joy through those connections?

How can the arts help educators strengthen their community circles? How can we expand circles of belonging so that every student and teacher, no matter their background, feels seen and valued? 

How does learning take shape when circles of knowledge and disciplines intersect or overlap? How can different disciplines intertwine and support each other?

How do you honor cultural communities and integrate accurate and authentic cultural arts in the classroom? What can you share about the purpose and practice of the arts in your own and other cultural circles? What is the significance of circles in different cultures?

How are circles representative of the cycles and systems within our world? How do circular rhythms and patterns inform the flow of our life, the school day, and instruction? 

How do the arts support resilience? What mindful arts activities can teachers use to support well-being, manage behaviors, or improve their classroom environments? 

What should we leave behind when we engage in someone else’s circle? What do we bring with us?

If you have a proposal, it can be submitted at the link in our bio. Proposals must be submitted by January 3rd!

Happy Halloween! This Halloween, we're all about merging the magic of art and the enchantment of All Hallows' Eve. Let your imagination run wild and craft some hauntingly beautiful masterpieces. Check out the work Connie Stone did with her elementary schoolers! In honor of the season, we wanted to feature her Halloween Poem and Witch Portrait activities. We hope you have a spooky day!

-tifulArt

Introducing elementary schoolers to the world of music is a captivating journey of discovery and self-expression. By immersing young minds in the realm of music, we empower them to find harmony in everyday life and convey their thoughts, emotions, and ideas through melodies, rhythms, and harmonies. Our new Arts Toolbox eBook delves into exciting musical techniques you can share with your students. Through activities like soundscape, music maps, and rhythm of words and phrases, you'll help your students connect with music in a fresh and innovative way! Check out our tutorial videos on our YouTube channel, and you can download this free eBook via the link in our bio. We hope you enjoy the musical adventure!

Calling all elementary educators! We all know how much kids love to move–they jump, twist, run, and shimmy. Help your kids channel their movement into artistic expression and learning! In our recently published ebook The Arts Toolbox, find 16 unique dance strategies that can be used in your classroom. Discover techniques such as “String of Pearls” and “Shape-Movement-Shape” to expand any common core topic, history, science, or math. Get all the tools at our link in bio.

This year, the BYU ARTS Partnership received a two-year grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. We are excited to use these funds to continue building relationships with Native communities, develop tribe-approved arts-integrated lesson plans, and support Native teaching artists in our community!

Introducing elementary school children to drama and theater skills is more than just putting on a show; it's a powerful tool for their overall development. Drama education nurtures creativity, boosts self-confidence, and enhances communication skills. It was the popularity of our original “21 Red Hot Drama Tools” that inspired us to release the Arts Toolbox! Check out the ebook to find drama activities to enrich your classroom and student’s education. Learn techniques such as tableaux, improvisation, and thought tracking. Check out our YouTube channel for tutorial videos and download the ebook now! from the link in our bio!