Bringing Contemporary Art into the Classroom with Art21 Educators

“I’ve never thought of Art21 just as a filmmaking organization, but as an educational hub,” reflects educator and alumnus of the Art21 Educators program, Nick Kozak. Art21 Educators is a year-long educational incubator that explores contemporary art as an educational tool. Designed to support K–12 educators who are interested in bringing contemporary art, artists, and themes into the classroom, the program aims to support those who, as Art21 senior education advisor Joe Fusaro describes, “are interested in utilizing contemporary art to make their work more effective and more meaningful with students,”

The program begins each year with the Summer Institute, an energetic one-week program in New York City. From group visits to galleries and artists studios, to workshops lead by artists and alumni, the summer initiative is an inspiring introduction to the coming year of community-based learning and discussion. “Everyone walks out with next steps that they want to take,” says Fusaro. As Nick Kozak shares, the Art21 Educators program “helps free you up, so you can take risks in the classroom.”

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