WEISMAN ART MUSEUM FEATURED IN EXHIBITION OF STUDENT ART AND WRITING PRESENTED BY THE ASSOCIATION OF ART MUSEUM DIRECTORS AND THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION IN WASHINGTON, D.C.

Exhibition Spotlights Work of K-12 Students from Across the Countr Created in Innovative Educational Programs

MINNEAPOLIS, MNThe Association of Art Museum Directors (AAMD), in partnership with the United States Department of Education in Washington, D.C., will present Museums: pARTners in Learning. This is their second collaboration to exhibit student art and creative writing resulting from AAMD member museums innovative educational programs offered in partnership with their local schools. This year, the exhibition features programs organized by sixteen college and university based art museums, including the Weisman Art Museum (WAM) at the University of Minnesota, which underscore the breadth and range of art museum education today.

On view July 1 August 29, 2014 at the U.S. Department of Education, Museums: pARTners in Learning celebrates the remarkable diligence and creativity of thousands of k12 students across the country, and highlights the diverse ways in which direct engagement with the arts enriches students learning experiences, personal development, and critical thinking.

In the Weisman Art Museums Artful Writing program, students learn that art and writing are based on communicating ideas. Both forms of expression provide meaningful opportunities to heighten perception, engage emotions, deepen thought, and broaden ones understanding of the world. Through the WAMs Summer Artful Writing Teacher Institute in August 2013, teacher Kristin Gifford from Anoka Middle School for the Arts worked with her eighth grade class to investigate artworks in the museum and develop research topics for papers. Visiting watercolor artist, Judy Thompson, lead a critical response process with students to turn their words into pictures. Four projects from the students are on display in Museums: pARTners in Learning.

Museums play a unique role in complementing our schools educational resources and provide invaluable access to arts education for students across the country, said Chris Anagnos, executive director of AAMD. Art is a powerful tool for encouraging new ways of thinking across disciplines. We are so pleased that the Weisman Art Museum is participating in Museums: pARTners in Learning, and is committed to fostering innovative educational programs to promote student learning, engagement, and personal growth in Minnesota. We are proud to work with the Department of Education to showcase the many ways in which museum-school partnerships can make a broader impact on the quality of k12 education in the United States.

AAMDs 242 members serve more than 40,000 public, private, charter, and home schools a year, with programs ranging from single-visit tours to intensive, long-term partnerships that include shared teaching, curriculum design, assessment, and professional development. Museums often pay for students transportation, especially those in high-need schools, and offer professional development for teachers, programs for students with special needs, and college preparedness for high school students. All AAMD museums place education at the core of their mission. Further information about AAMD is available at www.aamd.org.

The U.S. Department of Educations Student Art Exhibit Program, now in its 11th year, produces seven exhibits each year. Members of the public who would like to visit Museums: pARTners in Learning should contact Jackye Zimmermann (Jacquelyn.Zimmermann@ed.gov; 202-401-0762) to set up an appointment.

ABOUT WAM

Since its origin in 1934, the Weisman Art Museum has been a teaching museum for the University of Minnesota. Today, education remains central to the museums mission to create art experiences that spark discovery, critical thinking, and transformation, linking the University and the community. The Weisman Art Museum is located at 333 East River Road, Minneapolis, on the University of Minnesota campus. Admission to exhibition galleries is always free.

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