Free Teaching Artist Trainings at Venice Arts

Elysa

Posted Thursday, June 21, 2012 at 12:15PM

Want to receive FREE teaching artist training and connect with a group of fun, creative artists committed to advancing media arts education?

Commit to being a Volunteer Artist Mentor for 1-4 weeks during our summer media arts camp this July and you are invited to attend our 1-day Teaching Artist Training later this month, along with other monthly professional development offerings throughout the upcoming fall academic session.

The training will be a one-day, interactive training that engages participants through an interactive learning environment that engages artists around theory and practice.

Venice Arts mission is to ignite youths’ imagination, mentor their creativity, and expand their sense of possibility through high quality, accessible media–based arts education programs. Venice Arts also serves as a catalyst for people of all ages, living in low–income or underrepresented communities, to create and share personal and community stories through photography, film, and multi–media.

Venice Arts is always interested in finding qualified volunteers who can assist with our youth media arts programs. Qualifications include a background in any of the following: photography, film/video, animation, comics/literary art, multimedia and/or visual arts. Many of our volunteers use volunteering as a way to gain teaching experience in their field; while others simply want to inspire young people to hone their craft. Volunteers will be trained by Venice Arts and given artist mentor assignments, on an as–needed basis, in our programs for youth in Venice and with potential to mentor at our Art Partners locations in Los Angeles.

Summer Workshop Structure:
The next academic session runs from July 2-27. Each workshop has 8–12 youth and meets five days a week for three hours a day. Workshops are taught by a team of artists comprised of a paid Lead Artist, with background and experience in education, who works collaboratively with volunteer artist–mentors. Our goal is to provide a teaching and mentoring ratio of no higher than 1:4.

Volunteer artist–mentors are asked to come to their assigned workshop at least 15 minutes early to work with the Lead Artist on preparation for that day’s class and to review the lesson plan. If feasible, volunteers are also asked to stay after–class for 15–30 minutes to debrief. Volunteer artist–mentors are welcomed, and encouraged, to also lead lesson plans and present their own work when appropriate, and are asked to closely mentor a designated number of youth in their assigned class.

Qualifications:
Must be a photographer, filmmaker, animator, multimedia or visual artist. Experience teaching or working with youth preferred, but not necessary. Must be able to commit to volunteering at least 15 hours during the month of July. Fall 2012 placements are also available.

How to Apply:
Please email Cathy for an application ("Volunteer Artist Mentor" in the subject line). We will try our best to respond to every applicant's submission in a timely manner. You can also download and email the application by clicking here.