The Amplify Collective
Amplify is a partnership of arts and cultural organizations at the University of Chicago including Arts + Public Life, Court Theatre, Logan Center for the Arts, Oriental Institute, and Smart Museum of Art. As a collective, Amplify is developing a new model of collaboration by building a networked education community. The collective offers extensive K–12 arts programs and multi-site field trips for students, as well as professional learning opportunities for educators.
Arts + Public Life
Arts + Public Life aims to build creative connections on Chicago’s South Side through artist residencies, arts education, and artist-led projects and events. Arts + Public Life provides free, in-depth programs including the Design Apprenticeship Program, Community Actors Program, and Teen Arts Council that cultivate local teens’ creative identity, social development, and leadership growth while motivating them to make a positive difference in their community through the arts. Programs take place after school, on Saturdays, and during the summer for grades 9–12.
Contact: Quenna Barrett | quenna@uchicago.edu
Court Theatre
Court Theatre is the professional theatre of the University of Chicago, dedicated to innovation, inquiry, intellectual engagement, and community service. In addition to residency programs in select Chicago Public Schools, Court Theatre offers matinee performances for grades 9–12 on select Wednesdays during the academic year for $12 per ticket. Additional subsidies may be available for qualified organizations. Contact: Heidi Thompson Saunders | hnthomps@uchicago.edu
Oriental Institute
The Oriental Institute is a museum and research institution dedicated to promoting interest in and understanding of ancient Near Eastern civilizations. The Museum provides self-guided visits, docent-led tours, and facilitated programming for grades K–12 Tuesdays through Fridays at a cost of up to $10 a student.
Contact: Calgary Haines-Trautman | calgary@uchicago.edu
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
The Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts fosters meaningful collaboration and cultural engagement at UChicago, on the South Side, and in the city of Chicago. The Logan Center features a diverse range of interdisciplinary programs, exhibitions, and performances that engage audiences of all ages including dynamic school matinees, Family Saturdays, summer youth programs, and workshops for youth and adults. Many of these programs are presented free of charge.
Contact: Emily Hooper Lansana | elansana@uchicago.edu
Smart Museum of Art
As the fine arts museum of the University of Chicago, the Smart encourages the examination of complex issues through the lens of art objects and artistic practice. It builds on strong partnerships to incorporate diverse ideas, identities, and experiences into its programming, while collections and exhibitions span many geographic regions and historical areas. The Smart Museum provides extensive all-expenses-paid programming for grades K–12 Tuesday through Sunday from 10 am to 5 pm.
Contact: Jason Pallas | jpallas@uchicago.edu
AMPLIFY’S MULTI-SITE FIELD TRIPS
The Amplify Collective offers a variety of multidisciplinary arts education opportunities for teachers and their students. During the multi-site field trips, students explore two different Amplify institutions, either during a single day on the University of Chicago campus or over the course of multiple visits. The field trips provide deeper learning experiences and broader arts exposure for students and teachers alike. These experiences offer all students the opportunity to draw connections to and explore themes across multiple art disciplines, eras, and cultures. Amplify works with individual schools to tailor the most effective schedule, engaging teachers as planning partners to help articulate connections to curricular content and increase impact on school culture.
If you are interested in this opportunity, please contact the organization at which you would like to begin your visit, and they will work with you to coordinate the experience. A limited number of transportation subsidies are available.
AMPLIFY'S 2018-2019 Schedule
PROFESSIONAL LEARNING COMMUNITY PROGRAMS Amplify’s Professional Learning Community Programs provide a platform for educators, students, teaching artists, and administrators to workshop strategies and tactics that encourage inquiry and agency to empower students. Programs are free but registration is required. To learn more or RSVP please visit arts.uchicago.edu/amplify or contact Michael Christiano | mchristiano@uchicago.edu
Amplify 2018/2019 Program Kick-Off
Thu, Sep 27, 2018 | 4:30–6:30 pm | Logan Center (915 E 60th St)
Enjoy a meal with teachers and teaching artists as we welcome the new school year, dream up exciting new arts-based partnerships, and share upcoming plans. The Amplify team will provide information on our 2018-19 multi-site field trips and Professional Learning Community programs. Attendees will get the first opportunity to sign up for matinee performances, transportation subsidies, and special field trip experiences.
Time and Space for Trauma/Healing
Sat, Nov 17, 2018 | 10am–1pm | Smart Museum of Art (5550 S Greenwood Ave)
Join artist Leah Gipson and The Time Is Now! exhibiting artist Nathan Wright for this interactive workshop exploring strategies for using art as an avenue for expression, healing, and understanding. The session poses ethical questions we should ask ourselves when making time and space for students and their trauma.
From Syria to the South Side
Wed, February 27, 2019 | 4:30–6:30 pm | Logan Center and Oriental Institute
Museum (Transportation provided between sites) Join visual artist Karthik Pandian and choreographer Andros Zins-Browne in an exploration of the Logan Center exhibition, Atlas Unlimited. Participants will visit the exhibition and then take part in an interactive workshop at the Oriental Institute Museum that draws connections between the exhibition’s focus on the itinerant realities of migration and the museum’s collection of ancient Near Eastern artifacts.
For Colored Girls Only: Understanding all the Colors of the Rainbow
Sat & Sun | March 16 & 17, 2019 | Court Theatre (5535 S Ellis Ave)
This workshop and preview performance uses Court Theatre’s production of For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf to highlight the importance of cultural specific language when working with students from diverse backgrounds.
Teen Driven Experience
April 13, 2019 | 10am–1pm | Arts Incubator (301 E Garfield Blvd)
Join teens from Arts + Public Life and the Smart Museum for a discussion and creative engagement. Then, brainstorm and share ideas around cultivating participant-centered and student-led programming in classrooms and out-of-school spaces.
Amplify Teacher Appreciation Party
Thu, May 30, 2019 | 4:30–6:30 pm | Green Line Performing Arts Center (329 E Garfield Blvd)
Celebrate the creative accomplishments of our Amplify community! Participate in an interactive workshop led by performance ensemble Bomba Con Buya and enjoy live music, food, and drinks as we share our successes from the 2018–19 school year.
Sign up for Amplify emails (select the K-12 Educators list). You can learn about other opportunities and programs for K-12 arts education here.
Amplify Collaborative Programs
A platform for educators, students, teaching artists, and administrators to learn and share strategies and tactics that encourage inquiry, ensure agency, and empower students to find their voice.
Spend an art-filled day at the University of Chicago! The Amplify partners offer a variety of high-quality performance and visual arts education opportunities for teachers and their school classes.
A collaborative effort to create an innovative creative learning community for teachers, teaching artists, teens, and artists across Arts + Public Life, the Logan Center, the Smart Museum, and Urban Gateways to look at, talk about, and make art.
CONTACT
Michael Christiano
Director of Education and Interpretation
Smart Museum of Art
mchristiano@uchicago.edu
773.702.2351
Emily Hooper Lansana
Associate Director
Arts Engagement
Arts + Public Life and the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
elansana@uchicago.edu
773.834.3938
Arts + Public Life
ABOUT
Arts + Public Life offers in-depth programs that cultivate teens' creativity, social development, and leadership, while inspiring them to make a positive difference in their community through the arts. Participants work alongside professionals to develop teen-driven projects that address real-world problems and create opportunities for peers and neighbors. Programs are free or paid opportunities that level up over time to challenge and support dedicated teens’ pursuit of careers in the arts—at and beyond APL.
A design-based mentorship and skills building initiative that encourages teens and young adults to invest in improving their communities’ physical and social conditions. By developing skills in carpentry, landscaping, and design, these young leaders aid in the positive transformation of Washington Park, Woodlawn, and the Garfield Boulevard corridor.
An introductory performance program utilizing Theater of the Oppressed, participatory theater, and performance as tools for community building and social change. Sixteen teens work together to create theater productions and related events responding to a community issue or specific site.
A group of student leaders who collaborate with the Arts + Public Life initiative to develop creative skills, leadership experience, and opportunities for their peers to engage with the arts. The Council members work with university staff and local partners to develop projects at the intersection of arts administration and community engagement.
The Intergenerational Theatre of The Oppressed Project (ITOP) seeks to offer a safe, welcoming and creative environment for participants across the spectrum of age to engage in a community discovery process through the medium of theater. Specifically, this program utilizes exercises and techniques from the Theatre of the Oppressed canon to allow participants to examine and analyze real-life issues and situations through theater, image-making, and play.
CONTACT
Quenna Barrett
Education Programs Manager
Arts + Public Life
quenna@uchicago.edu
773.834.0224
Court Theatre
ABOUT
Court Theatre views the arts as a vital catalyst for intellectual and emotional growth. Our education programs open up a dialogue between students, educators, administrators, and artists that offers fresh perspectives on classic theatre and on Court’s main stage work.
Bringing classic theatre to Chicago-area high school students through discounted weekday performances of Court's main stage productions. Each performance is enhanced by pre-performance study guides and post-show discussions with members of the cast and artistic staff.
Annual partnership with several south side high schools that enhances existing theater arts programs or implements programs where none exist through in-class artist residencies by professional actors, directors, and designers; free tickets to Court’s Student Matinees; and performance workshops, culminating in the annual High School Performance Festival.
CONTACT
Heidi Thompson Saunders
Managing Director, Court Theatre
hsaunders@uchicago.edu
773.702.5414
Oriental Institute
ABOUT
The Oriental Institute offers a mix of events and activities, including gallery tours, travel programs, hands-on workshops for children and families, exclusive members' programs, lectures, and rigorous adult education courses. The Oriental Institute is dedicated to engaging visitors of all ages and backgrounds with ancient cultures and the arts.
Meaningful and enriching K–12 student learning experience through the Oriental Institute’s renowned collections of artifacts from the ancient Middle East (10,000 BC – AD 650), including objects from ancient Egypt, Mesopotamia, Syro-Anatolia, Israel, Iran, and Nubia.
Teacher Professional Development Workshop Series
CONTACTS
Calgary Haines-Trautman
Youth & Family Program Manager
Oriental Institute
calgary@uchicago.edu
773.702.1158
Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
ABOUT
The Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts fosters meaningful collaboration and cultural engagement at UChicago, on the South Side, and in the city
of Chicago. The Logan Center features a diverse range of interdisciplinary programs, exhibitions, and performances that engage audiences of all ages including school matinees, Family Saturdays, summer camps, and workshops for youth and adults. Many of these programs are presented free of charge.
Matinee performance series offering diverse performances for K–12 youth developed through partnerships with UChicago Presents, the Office of Civic Engagement, Chicago International Children’s Film Festival, and others.
A monthly series of workshop days and quarterly full-day Family Saturday Festivals in Fall, Winter, Spring, and Summer. Family Saturday Festivals include special guest performers, film screenings, drop-in activities, art workshops, and more for ages 2–12.
Inspiring the next generation of Jazz musicians by inviting students and teachers from schools that participate in the Jazz Links Jazz Masters Residency and students in the Jazz Links Youth Ensemble and Jazz Links Student Council to concerts and artist conversations in the Jazz at the Logan Series. In addition, each year, the Logan Center and Jazz Institute of Chicago invite students and teachers from schools that participate in the Jazz Links Jazz Masters Residency to an exclusive school matinee performance of master musicians.
A summer filmmaking program for ages 12 and up, co-presented by the Logan Center, Arts + Public Life, and Faithful Few
The Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts Young Critics Program focuses on providing a platform for students to critically examine performances presented in our school matinee program and to craft valuable and engaging written responses. The program pairs teaching artists with teachers and 5th–8th grade students. With the support and guidance of teachers and teaching artists, participants create blog posts reflecting on their experiences witnessing artistic performances, portraying the unique perspective of each student.
CONTACT
Emily Hooper Lansana
Associate Director
Community Arts Engagement
Arts + Public Life and the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
elansana@uchicago.edu
773.834.3938
Dominique L. Boyd
Arts + Public Life and the Reva and David Logan Center for the Arts
dominiquelboyd@uchicago.edu
773.702.5146
Smart Museum of Art
ABOUT
As an intimate museum for bold encounters with art, the Smart Museum is home to thought-provoking exhibitions and an exquisite collection that opens the world through art and ideas. From highly accessible, plug-and-play options to highly customized programming, the Smart Museum wants to be a partner in making the arts exciting and engaging for your students. All of our programs are FREE. And for CPS schools, we can coordinate and cover the costs of bus transportation.
We can welcome up to 45 students at a time for docent-led, inquiry-based explorations through our galleries. We will work in close consultation with you to ensure that the nature and timing of the tour best meets your needs.
Designed for educators and teaching artists, professional development workshops explore how arts-based practices can best support learning in, and out, of the classroom.
Held on the first Saturday of every month, the Smart’s free family activities are designed to inspire children to think about and respond creatively to art and the world around them.
CONTACT
Jason Pallas
Manager of Community Engagement and Arts Learning
Smart Museum of Art
jpallas@uchicago.edu
773.702.0180
Michael Christiano
Director of Education and Interpretation
Smart Museum of Art
mchristiano@uchicago.edu
773.702.2351