Arts Education Resources
Connecting Schools and Organization with Arts Education
Increasing access to arts education across the county through programs, funding, and partnerships.
SPECTRA Matching Grants
Matching Grants award up to $2,000 to enhance arts education programs in Santa Cruz County K-12 public schools and community organizations. We prioritize funding in schools that qualify for Title 1 Funding. Learn more
Artist Teacher Partnership
The Artist Teacher Partnership pairs teaching artists with classroom teachers. Together, they work to integrate the arts into subjects such as English Language Development, math, science, and history.
Family Arts Nights
Through Family Arts Nights, parents, grandparents, and children spend an evening dancing, singing, creating, and storytelling together under the guidance of teaching artists. Family Arts Nights inspire, delight, and create a lively hands-on way for families to experience the arts together.
Summer Arts Education Institute
The Summer Arts Education Institute brings together K-12 classroom teachers, teaching artists, school and district administrators, and community arts organizations for four full days in June, to promote academic achievement, equity, and access through in-depth learning in the arts. Learn more
Special Initiatives/Contracts
We connect teaching artists to schools and organizations across Santa Cruz County, for performance opportunities, residencies, classroom and after-school partnerships. Contact sarah@artscouncilsc.org to learn more about our existing contracts and initiatives, or to dream up a new one.
One child participating in SPECTRA has severe learning disabilities. It gave her incredible self-esteem. All the children looked up to her because of the way she performed in art.
Browse the Teaching Artist Directory
A roster of highly qualified professional teaching artists in the visual, performing, and literary arts. SPECTRA teaching artists are selected through a panel review process and their work is promoted to Santa Cruz County schools.
View DirectoryDownload an application and submit to Sarah Brothers, Director of Arts Education.
Let’s talk about how we can partner with your school or organization to deliver arts education to the students you serve. Email artsed@artscouncilsc.org