Organization seeking two artists for in-school projects in Fredericton and New Bandon, New Brunswick.
The Fredericton Arts Alliance is seeking two visual artists for specific school projects. Both artists will work closely with teachers and receive an honorarium from of $500 paid for by the FAA. Material costs, as itemized in the schools’ proposals, will be paid. If necessary, a modest travel honorarium may be included.
These projects are two of four the FAA is financing this year, the third year in which the local charity has paid for artists to spend significant time working in the schools.
“We hope the projects give students an in depth arts experience that they would not otherwise enjoy, and we also hope this leaves the schools with a permanent work of art for other classes to enjoy well into the future,” said Katie FitzRandolph, president of the Fredericton Arts Alliance.
Previous projects have resulted in a series of sculptured planters, murals in several schools, photography experiences, textile projects and more.
The FAA expects artists to spend about 25 hours working with students on the projects.
Project #1 – Park Street Elementary School (Fredericton, NB)
The Park Street School project will take off from the experience of growing beans in the classroom. The class will grow a variety of different beans, and sketch their development from dry seed to pole-supported transplants in the school garden. Students will record the development in writing and drawing. The selected artist will teach students how to draw from direct observation of the various stages in the seed’s development. In the fall, they plan to harvest their crop and share the results with the community.
This project is planned to start in late February, with the artist working in seven different classrooms for half-hour periods teaching drawing. The artist will also create a permanent piece of art based on the project for display in the school.
The bean project touches on science, art and literacy for about 140 kindergarten and Grade 1 students.
Project #2 – Central N.B. Academy (New Bandon, NB)
The Central N.B. Academy project envisages working in acrylics with about 100 students in Grades 6 to 9. Students will work on one of two projects that link art and music. One group will work with the artist to create a mural next to the music room reflecting the school’s love of music. They will discuss instrument families, composers, theory, music history and rhythm in the process of creating their design.
The other group will work either individually or in partnerships to create a painting that reflects their personal love of music – a favourite instrument, band, musician or genre. Many of these will be selected to hang permanently in the school.
The selected artist will visit the school five times for about five hours each time: working to plan the projects, outline the designs; and paint the mural and the individual works. Ideally the artist would be there from 8:30 to 1:30, working with two teachers on the project.
The experience will let students glimpse the possibility of a career in art, with a discussion of the challenges and opportunities involved in such a choice.
Interested artists can get more information by emailing president@frederictonartsalliance.ca. Artists who would like to be considered should send, to the same address, a short résumé and indicate which project they would like to work on and how they feel they can contribute to it. The deadline for applying is January 22.
