Artist Residency Projects and a Long Term Residency at Pittsburgh Beechwood PreK-5

This spring, 296 Pittsburgh Beechwood Pre K-5 students and 14 teachers from Kindergarten through 5th grades were engaged in six Artist Residency Projects exploring books/literature through the arts led by five PCA&M Teaching Artists: Interdisciplinary Artist Joanna Abel, Theater Artist /Actor Claire Sabatine, Ceramicist/Printmaker/Painter Laura Jean McLaughlin, Illustrator/Animator/Comic Artist Jayla Patton, and Dancer/Education Coordinator Simon Phillips of PearlArts.

During the school’s annual Nationality Night celebration staff, family, and community members are invited to view and experience the students’ creations, performances, and multiple displays of learning. Beechwood Elementary has been partnering with PCA&M and our Teaching Artists since 2007!

32 Beechwood students at all grade levels participated in a 60-day afterschool Long Term Residency (LTR) Project with Visual Artist/Teaching Artist Alison Zapata in partnership with the Latino Community Center’s SOY (Supporting Our Youth) Pittsburgh Elementary with support from PA Council on the Arts.

Ms. Zapata worked with Visiting Artists Juan Fernandez, Maggie Negrete, Maritza Mosquera to a) reinforce pride in Latino heritage through the exploration of art practices from the various Latin American countries that make up the student population of the SOY afterschool program, b) to weave the culture and identity of the student population into the existing Pittsburgh community through arts programming and art installations, c) to create opportunities for students to celebrate their contributions to the community of Pittsburgh through engaged art programming and installations, and d) to develop ongoing programming and hands-on engagements for SOY students with Latino citizen artists living, working, and successfully contributing to the culture of Pittsburgh.