Think back to your early school days. Chances are, the moments that really stuck with you weren’t tied to a test or a textbook. Maybe it was the day your class took a field trip to a museum. Or when your teacher rolled a cart of instruments into the classroom for music time.
These are the kinds of memories we helped create through a newly piloted Teaching Artist Residency program at nine locations in the School District of Osceola County.
For decades, we’ve partnered with Title I schools in Osceola County, primarily through field trips that brought students to arts and cultural venues. But last year, Osceola School District Superintendent Dr. Mark Shanoff approached United Arts with a new challenge: how could we bring more arts experiences directly into classrooms, especially given the severe transportation barriers faced by many schools?
This request aligned perfectly with a long-standing goal of ours, which was to launch a pilot program that brought artists into schools on a regular basis. While the idea had been in our hearts for years, funding limitations had kept the vision on hold.
Thanks to a generous $30,000 grant from the Universal Orlando Foundation this year, we were able to introduce students to something far more impactful than a one-time workshop or single field trip performance. We placed professional teaching artists into classrooms at Title I schools in Osceola County every week for a total of six weeks.
In Lake, Seminole, and Osceola counties, arts and cultural resources are not as accessible as in Orange county where the bulk of our region’s venues are located. Transportation funding is limited which means field trips are rare, and access to arts programming is often out of reach, which in turn means fewer opportunities to experience something that could change how a student sees the world or themselves.
In this first pilot of residencies, we partnered with Flamenco del Sol Company and African Diasporic Arts & Education. These artists didn’t just perform; they built relationships with students and teachers over time by delivering week-long residency programs that not only helped students explore their creativity, but also gave them the opportunity to be part of a live performance. They worked directly in the classrooms to inspire students to sing, dance, and express themselves.
“We are so grateful for the experience of sharing the art of Flamenco with Osceola County School students,” said Tamara Weber de Millar, director of Flamenco del Sol Dance Company. “Literally tearing up as I write this. There is something about Osceola students… maybe it’s the larger population of Spanish speakers and learners with all the dual immersion programs… there is an enthusiasm above and beyond, and a feeling of being home.”
Research from Americans for the Arts highlights just how powerful arts education can be:
- Students are five times less likely to drop out of school; participation in arts programs can significantly lower dropout rates, especially for students from low-income backgrounds.
- Investing in arts programs saves communities money; for every dollar spent on after-school arts, communities save nine dollars by reducing welfare, crime, and related costs.
- Students engaged in the arts are twice as likely to graduate from college; the arts help students succeed academically and develop skills that last a lifetime.
This research helps explain why ongoing programming like this matters. It gives students a sustained relationship with the arts, something they can return to week after week, building both confidence and connection.
Teacher Feedback
“The students were so engaged and were remembering what was taught from the day before—more than they usually do in classes they take multiple times a week. They had fun doing something different and new. Please bring this back!” – Cypress Elementary School
“The kids LOVED this. They learned so much, all while having fun. I love that they get to perform with costumes and everything for the other students!” – Boggy Creek Elementary School
We’re proud of how we’ve made the arts more accessible to thousands of Osceola County students this year. The support from the Universal Orlando Foundation gave us the ability to make a lasting impact on their well-being through the arts, and that’s a gift we don’t take lightly.
Explore more arts education resources from United Arts at Artists.UnitedArtsCFL.ord/artsed.
As Central Florida’s local arts agency, United Arts of Central Florida raises and distributes more than $10 million annually to creative entrepreneurs and arts, science, and history organizations in our region. Consider making a donation today. Your contribution will directly support the local organizations you know and love.
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