What is ArtsSmarts?
ArtsSmarts is the largest education initiative in Canada dedicated to improving the lives and learning capacity of Canadian children by injecting arts into academic programs. The importance of engaging young people in artistic activity is critical to their evolution as creative thinkers.
ArtsSmarts
- Ignites young people’s excitement about learning core curricula through the arts.
- Inspires collaboration among artists and educators, schools and communities.
- Invests financially and strategically in creative learning networks at local, regional, provincial levels to build capacity for arts and education.
- Supports a new vision for public education in Canada.
In order to support this creative learning process, artists are selected to work with teachers in elaborating projects that integrate arts activities into non-arts subject areas. Links with community partners for research, field trips, art appreciation and project sponsorships are encouraged to further the process. In this way, young people combine their learning of core subjects such as math, languages, social studies, and science with an application of the skills involved in one or more of the artistic disciplines: visual and literary arts, dance, music, theatre… and find a context for it in their lives.
The ArtsSmarts Manitoba program is administered by the Manitoba Arts Council, in a provincial partnership involving Manitoba Education, Citizenship and Youth, and Manitoba Culture, Heritage, Tourism and Sport - Arts Branch. The coordinator of the ArtsSmarts Manitoba program is Lisa Desilets, an arts administrator and educator who has collaborated in developing the art curriculum for the Bureau de l’éducation française and has been involved in Manitoba’s arts community since 1985.
ArtsSmarts Manitoba provides application forms to schools and school divisions. A handbook for artists and educators can be made available as a reference tool in the elaboration of project proposals. The ArtsSmarts Manitoba coordinator is available by telephone, via email, or in person upon appointment (all regions) to assist applicants in the initial process. All proposals will be assessed by a panel and project funds awarded according to the goals and guidelines stated by ArtsSmarts.