Young Audiences Affiliates Partner To Expand Support To Six Rural Counties In Texas

Young Audiences of Houston - in partnership with Young Audiences of Southeast Texas and Young Audiences of Northeast Texas - is excited to announce the launch of the Texas Arts-Integration Partnership, a multi-county collaborative initiative to grow sustainable, arts-integrated learning experiences for children and families. The initiative will serve six counties: Polk, Jefferson, Orange, Anderson, Liberty, and Sabine.

Young Audiences' trained teaching artists employ arts strategies from their individual disciplines to help students develop deep connections with academic content. Learning through the arts is highly specific to each classroom and each school, drawing on the strengths of both the teaching artist and the classroom teacher while immersing the students in sensory, kinetic and metacognitive explorations. Through the primary lens of literacy, the teaching teams will design arts-based learning experiences to address foundational skills. Young Audiences affiliates will work together to provide Professional Development training for educators and parents/caregivers in order to grow knowledge, tools and best-practices for arts-integrated learning across all communities, and build capacity and sustainability. This, along with in-school performances, residencies, and workshops provided by artists from around the state, will ensure area children are engaged in creative and arts-based learning opportunities.

Mary Mettenbrink "Our collective goal in this partnership is to support rural schools and communities with limited funds and limited access to arts-based programs and to build capacity. Our broader goals are to leverage the knowledge and expertise across three organizations to benefit communities most in need while maximizing philanthropic dollars and support for children across Texas."

Now in its 63rd year, Young Audiences of Houston implements over 3,149 programs each year with a roster of 215 artists that reaches over 228,503 students and teachers annually at schools, libraries, community centers, and hospitals, with additional programming for college and adult continuing education programs. Young Audiences of Houston serves children PreK through the 12th grade.
Learn more: www.yahouston.org

Amy Baskin "This partnership directly supports the needs of our state's education system and the educational goals of schools served by Young Audiences of Northeast Texas. Working together with our Texas Young Audiences' affiliates, we can leverage our work to increase access to the arts for thousands of more children across Texas."

Young Audiences of Northeast Texas (Tyler) started in 1997 and is an active partner to many surrounding rural counties, serving through state leadership councils to support district and student access to arts in education. Each year they serve approximately 80,000 students.
Learn more: www.yanetexas.org

Stacie Jannise "From arts experiences, students deepen their comprehension of content, build learning and life skills and engage in personal expression. We are thrilled to partner with our YA colleagues as the overall goals align perfectly with our mission, engaging all children in creative and education experiences with professional artists of the highest caliber."

Young Audiences of Southeast Texas was formed in 1973, and serves more than 50,000 children in 88 schools in Southeast Texas. All programs support the Texas Assessment of Knowledge and Skills (TAKS) objectives and address National Standards for Arts Education and Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) in the arts and other disciplines.
Learn more: www.yasetx.org