Wyman joins program that puts artists in schools

Residency program aims to bring more art to students Highland Lakes — Agatha Wyman of Highland Lakes has joined the Artists-in-Education Residency Program, which makes a roster of teaching artists available to New Jersey schools for artistic projects determined by each school. Wyman works in all areas of the ceramic media: large outdoor sculpture, tiles, wheel throwing and raku firing. She graduated from Pratt Institute with a BFA in ceramics, and, among other disciplines, studied anatomy drawing at the Art Students League and photography at The School of Visual Arts. Schools can apply for a one-year or two-year grant through the program, which brings an artist into the school on a residency basis for a minimum of 20 nonconsecutive days. The residencies are based upon the goals of the school and offered in a variety of creative disciplines: crafts, visual arts, dance, writing, etc. The focus can be on classwork with students and/or professional development of school staff. Projects can be small individual works, which bring new disciplines into the school, or a large project such as outdoor sculpture, or concerts, which expand the available curriculum. According to Allison Tratner, director of communications for the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, in addition to Wyman, Sussex County residents Ruth Clark (dance) and Dominique Cieri (creative writing) are participating artists in the program. The program is through the New Jersey State Council on the Arts, is partly funded by the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation and Bank of America and is available to any school in the state. Its aim is to bring more art to students in grades K through 12. How it works The schools accepted into the program receive a grant, but the school or its district must provide a one-for-one dollar match. Also available are Mini-Residency Grant Programs, three-day residencies which do not require a dollar match, and Technical Assistance Workshops, which explain the programs, give assistance and can be used toward achieving state Department of Education requirements. The application deadline for the coming school year is March 6. Visit www.njartscouncil.org and go to “grants” for more information. Technical assistance is also available by phone or via e-mail. Call the AIE Consortium office at 877-NJ-ART-ED or send an e-mail message to Amanda Newman-Godfrey, arts education associate, at anewman@yanj.org.