Philadelphia has a thriving community of artists who teach at community sites and schools throughout the city in partnership with cultural organizations. Through you, kids and communities have access to arts education that is based in the experience of practicing artists but often without training as educators.

LINC Philadelphia strengthens the work of teaching artists by presenting workshops, networking opportunities and resources designed especially to meet your needs.

Plans Underway for Fall Programs!

Watch for the Teaching Artists Survey in July

We are taking a brief hiatus over the summer as we plan the fall workshops for teaching artists. In July, we will be sending you a survey to hear your ideas about the topics that are the most compelling to you. We especially want to hear from those artists who did not attend programs to find out how we can better support your work moving forward. We'll be in touch soon!

New Book by Eric Booth

Discount for LINC Philadelphia Artists

Eric Booth, teaching artist advocate and keynote speaker of the 2006 and 2007 LINC Philadelphia Teaching Artist Gatherings is offering a 20% discount on his new book entitled "The Music Teaching Artist's Bible".

This step-by-step comprehensive manual offers teaching artists critical information on becoming a mentor, succeeding in school environments, partnering with other teaching artists, advocating for music and arts education, and teaching private lessons. Please click here for a discount coupon.

Teaching Artist Institute

Almost 80 teaching artists attended Creative Lives: Building a Career as a Teaching Artist a one-day training institute for professional teaching artists with scholarhips sponsored by LINC Philadelphia on October 29, 2008 during The National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts national conference for Community Arts Education. The day included inspiration, insight and practical ideas for making a life as a teaching artists.

Art Educator Conversations

There are two ongoing roundtables in Theatre and Visual Arts that bring together education directors or those with primary responsibility for education within their organizations. You can find notes from the first meetings at our Downloads page.

Resources for Teaching Artists

Recognizing and Reporting Child Abuse

As professionals working with children, teaching artists have the legal responsibility for recognizing and reporting child abuse. Resources and advice are available through the Pennsylvania Family Support Alliance.

In addition, we have added resources to the Downloadable Files (click on the left tool bar) including information on the developmental characteristics and stages of artistic growth in children, as well music exercises. We also suggest these resources.

Consider subscribing to the Teaching Artist Journal, written by and for Teaching Artists. They are always looking for articles about best practices in the field.

Those who want to learn more about Eric Booth's work should consider his book "The Everyday Work of Art" available online.

The Teaching Artist initiative is led by LINC Philadelphia partner the Stockton Rush Bartol Foundation.