COLUMBUS, OH—ArtistYear, the first national AmeriCorps program dedicated to the arts, is launching its first Ohio program at Columbus Global Academy thanks to support from Ohio Humanities and ServeOhio.
Through the program, three AmeriCorps Resident Teaching Artists (RTAs) will spend four days a week using art and creative engagement to teach students at Columbus Global Academy, a Columbus City Schools middle and high school that supports students whose first language is not English from more than 55 countries.
The teaching artists, who are currently in training, will begin in classrooms in late January 2025. They will be responsive to the school and students’ needs, finding ways to use art and creativity to connect with students by incorporating the arts into science, social studies, math and language arts classes; working with school counselors to provide opportunities for social-emotional growth for students; and creating and running community arts events from family craft nights to art shows.
“We’re thrilled to support this program, which offers an amazing opportunity for cross-cultural connections,” said Ohio Humanities Executive Director Rebecca Asmo.
ArtistYear CEO Betsaleel Charmelus looks forward to infusing more creativity into learning through the program.
“Across the country, we’ve been seeing a shrinking of infrastructure for our students to learn creatively,” Charmelus said, “Now more than ever, it’s important for us to bolster the spaces that do exist and ensure students can continue to access the arts. The team at Global Academy is incredibly passionate about the arts and their students. This was an easy decision for us to connect with the school and open another path for Ohio Humanities to introduce the richness of the humanities to students and their communities.”
ArtistYear trains and places AmeriCorps Resident Teaching Artists (RTAs) to commit a year of service to expand arts access within Title I-funded school communities. RTAs work closely with their communities to capitalize on schools’ existing resources along with community members’ interests to create arts initiatives suited to each school’s unique strengths and needs. RTAs stay with their school throughout the school year, and a new cohort of instructors begins each August.
Ohio is the sixth state where ArtistYear has deployed RTAs. The organization is working with Ohio Humanities to identify other partners to support the program long-term. They hope to further expand around Ohio and welcomes inquiries from other schools and partners interested in hosting AmeriCorps Resident Teaching Artists. For details, visit artistyear.org.
About ArtistYear
ArtistYear, the first national AmeriCorps program dedicated to the arts, exists to address inequities in K-12 education via a National Service Arts Corps. ArtistYear aims to democratize access to creative learning so all may reap the academic benefits, critical-thinking skills and social-emotional growth that come through creative engagement. ArtistYear trains and places AmeriCorps Resident Teaching Artists (RTAs) to commit a year of service to expand arts access within Title I-funded school communities. RTAs work closely with their community to capitalize on schools’ existing strengths and resources along with community members’ interests to create arts initiatives suited to each school’s unique strengths and needs. For more information, please visit artistyear.org.
About Ohio Humanities
Ohio Humanities is a nonprofit organization that shares stories to spark conversations and inspire ideas. As the statewide affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities, it hosts programs and awards grants that support storytellers statewide, from museums to journalists to documentary filmmakers. For more information, please visit ohiohumanities.org.
About ServeOhio
ServeOhio is the state’s Commission on Service and Volunteerism created to empower local communities to mobilize AmeriCorps members and volunteer resources for the purpose of building a stronger Ohio. ServeOhio is authorized under section 121.40 of the Ohio Revised Code and is purposed specifically to administer grants in Ohio under the federal National & Community Service Trust Act of 1993. Through collaborations and partnerships with nonprofit, government, and community organizations across the state, ServeOhio increases the effective utilization of AmeriCorps members and community volunteers working to address the state’s frontline issues in education, health, economic opportunity, and environmental stewardship. For more information, please visit serve.ohio.gov.
Contact: Kiley Kinnard, Communications Manager
kkinnard@ohiohumanities.org