News

For immediate release: January 14, 2021
Contact: Natasha Herrera 941-263-6751

VAN WEZEL EDUCATION DEPARTMENT AND VAN WEZEL FOUNDATION
LAUNCH ARTWORKSANYWHERE.ORG

The organizations have partnered to provide FREE arts education resources to the community through the launch of this new, comprehensive website.

Sarasota, FL (January 14) – Serving over 35,000 students each year, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall and Van Wezel Foundation believe that art can teach, art can inspire and art can work—anywhere. Thanks to philanthropic support from generous donors, the two organizations have partnered to launch www.ArtworksAnywhere.org – a site for students, families and educators to access a wide variety of arts education resources from virtual learning modules to schooltime performances and more. 

The new website provides a database of Artworks Anywhere YouTube videos, along with corresponding activity sheets. The on-demand episodes follow a See Art, Create Art, Share Art model, encouraging viewers to share their projects to social media using the #ArtworksAnywhere hashtag. The YouTube channel has had nearly 10,000 views since its’ launch at the start of the pandemic in April 2020. The new Artworks Anywhere website allows visitors to search for videos by art form, subject and more.

The website also provides details on all Education & Community Engagement offerings. This includes Schooltime performances, which will be held virtually for the 2020-2021 season. Black Violin will stream from January 6-February 17, 2021 and Pete the Cat will stream from March 1-14, 2021, in addition to the previously announced schooltime performances of Anne of Green Gables (streaming through June 30, 2021), Chicken Dance (streaming through June 30, 2021) and Charlotte’s Web (streamed December 2020). More Schooltime performances will be posted on the website as they become available.

The site will provide information on professional development opportunities for educators, including details on how to bring teaching artists to classrooms for live Zoom sessions. This includes upcoming workshops such as the FAM (Feelings Addressed Mindfully) Project. Current Zoom-based classroom visits are available for Pre-K through Grade 12 in the areas of movement, drama and visual arts. Downloadable activity sheets exploring science, history, math and social emotional learning are currently available for teachers and parents, as well as lesson plans for educators.

Through the site, visitors may also sign up for the Van Wezel’s Education & Community Engagement e-mail list to receive updates and special offers.

This announcement follows the news of the Hall’s partnerships with Kennedy Center Artist Olmeca and FAM Teaching Artists, as the theater and Foundation strive to remain connected to students, educators and families in the community during a time when access to arts education is needed most. 

These experiences and resources are provided free of cost to the community thanks to the generous donors of the Van Wezel Foundation. To support arts education and integration, please visit www.vwfoundation.org.

ABOUT VAN WEZEL ARTS EDUCATION & COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
A true pioneer in the cultural development of Sarasota, the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents spectacular Broadway musicals, top national and international performers, popular comedians and a compelling mix of classical and dance productions. Owned and operated by the City of Sarasota, the Van Wezel celebrated its 50th Anniversary during the 2019-2020 season. The theater’s Education and Community Engagement Department serves over 35,000 students, teachers and family members each year, teaching them in, through and about the arts. In conjunction with the Van Wezel Foundation, the Van Wezel’s Education and Community Engagement Department has launched numerous virtual initiatives in response to the COVID-19 pandemic including virtual Schooltime Performances, Zoom Based workshops with teaching artists, and Artworks Anywhere, a series of free arts education videos available on demand to students, families and educators. To learn more, visit www.VanWezel.org.

ABOUT THE VAN WEZEL FOUNDATION
Since 1987, the Van Wezel Foundation has partnered with the City of Sarasota to foster a connection between the people, the bay and the spirit of human creativity. The Foundation's mission is to create a world-class performing arts center that enriches the community, supports arts education and inspires young minds. Each year, the Foundation provides grants to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall to support arts education throughout our region. Together, we serve more than 35,000 students with enriching arts-based education opportunities and professional development for more than 400 teachers across five counties. In 2018, the city of Sarasota approved a master plan to develop 53 acres on the Bayfront into a vibrant, accessible park with a new performing arts center at the heart of it. The Foundation is leading The Future is Now Campaign to help the community realize the promise of the master plan. To learn more about the new Sarasota Performing Arts Center and get involved, visit vwfoundation.org/SPAC. For more information on the Foundation and its mission, visit vwfoundation.org, or join us on Facebook and Instagram.

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