Classroom Arts Residencies

Residencies can be adapted for students across TK–12th grade, with lessons designed to be age- and developmentally appropriate.

NorCal Arts offers classroom residencies in theater, dance, music and visual arts. Our curriculum incorporates Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) and Arts standards.

Yes. Lessons can be adapted to support the needs of the classroom and can incorporate academic goals through arts integration strategies as well as SEL skills, and other areas of focus.

Yes. The program uses a culturally responsive and inclusive approach, including support for bilingual learners.

Yes! Our Teaching Artists are experienced in creating inclusive, supportive arts experiences that can be adapted to meet different learning needs. We work collaboratively with classroom teachers to help ensure all students can participate, engage, and succeed.

Classroom residencies are typically 10–20 weeks, with a NorCal Arts Teaching Artist visiting once a week during the school day.

The Teaching Artist visits once a week at a consistent day and time, coordinated with the classroom teacher and school.

Residencies can take place right in the classroom. For movement-based activities, we typically ask teachers to help create an open space by moving desks or other furniture as needed. If a larger space is available, that’s ideal, but it’s not required. We can also use an open area of the library, an activity room, or another available space. Weather permitting, lessons can take place outdoors as well.

Absolutely! We typically work with your school’s existing schedule and create a residency schedule that works around your classes, events, and other commitments. We can collaborate with your team to build the schedule, or your administrative staff can provide a schedule for us to work from. Let us know what works best for your school!

While the Teaching Artist leads the instruction, classroom teachers remain an important part of the experience. As the experts in their classrooms, teachers can support classroom management, model active participation, and help students feel comfortable taking creative risks. Participating alongside students also provides teachers with an opportunity for in-class professional development and practical strategies they can use beyond the residency.

Residencies can culminate in a final sharing that fits your school and students—whether that’s sharing within individual classrooms, with another class, or with the entire school. Together, we’ll collaborate on something student-centered where they can share what they have learned and celebrate their growth.

Yes. Teachers receive access to Thru the Arts curriculum resources through an online portal, which can be used to reinforce lessons and skills beyond the residency.

Yes! NorCal Arts offers engaging, hands-on professional development for individual educators, teaching teams, and whole-school faculty. Educators experience the arts themselves while gaining practical strategies they can bring directly into their classrooms. Topics can include arts integration, the Thru the Arts curriculum, creative classroom management, Arts and SEL, California Arts Standards, and practical arts-based teaching strategies. Professional development can be customized to meet the goals and needs of your school or district.

Our curricula aligns with California Arts, English Language Arts (ELA), and SEL standards, helping connect arts experiences with classroom learning. We also invite classroom teachers to collaborate with our Teaching Artists to incorporate topics, skills, and literature students are exploring during the school day.