Arts Education

Serving Students, Serving Schools

The Arts Education program provides enrichment and engagement for students and teachers throughout the school year. Grounded in the National Core Arts Standards, we work with artist partners who provide both immersive programs and school-wide assembly performances in music, art, theater, media arts, poetry, and dance.

From engaging students in the elementary grade levels by cultivating an interest in the various art forms, to supporting career pathways for students in high school, we partner with the school community to support access to the arts for students.

Our commitment is to provide live arts experiences for every child at least six times while attending pre-K through 12th grade in the schools we serve. Annually, we reach more than 25,000 students in Sussex County, DE and Worcester and Wicomico Counties, MD.

Program Mission Statement

To partner with schools on Delmarva to deliver impactful arts education programs that support the rich, genre-diverse curricula that students experience, through a supplemental and layered approach both in schools and at Freeman Arts Pavilion.

In-School Arts Education Programming for the 2024-2025 School Year

Arts Education creates an engaging environment for learning, celebration and joy

Terrance Simien’s Creole4kidz and the History of Zydeco, is an innovative multicultural assembly program presented by Terrance and his 5 piece band.

How do we support educational needs through arts?

• We typically provide assembly programs that offer exposure to the various arts disciplines. Some programs we support are taught in classrooms and are immersive in one or more art forms.
• Our programs accommodate ability, individual, cultural, and linguistic differences among students through audience participation and thoughtful consideration of individual needs.
• Our programs often include content for multilingual learners.
• Our programs often align with Delaware House Bill 198, legislation that requires each school district and charter school serving K-12 students to provide instruction on Black history as part of educational programming.
• We offer programs that incorporate technological innovation where possible.
• We elicit student feedback with a short Student Assessment Survey with questions designed to measure student learning outcomes based on the learning standards our programs address.
• We elicit staff feedback through an Educator Evaluation Survey which allows us to gather measurable data about our Arts Education programming.
• Our artist partners work with us to provide live in-school character and/or cultural education programs.
• Our artist partners work with us to present programs that align with K-12 Social Emotional Learning Competencies.

At the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation, we believe that the arts are essential for student success, fostering creativity, critical thinking, and personal growth. Studies show that students involved in the arts are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement. We invite teachers to partner with us to bring dynamic artist performances and residencies to their schools, enriching students' educational experiences. Additionally, we offer professional development opportunities to support educators in integrating the arts into their teaching practices.

The Joshua M. Freeman Foundation's Arts Education Advisory Committee supports our vision of partnering with schools in the Delmarva region to create impactful arts education programs that enrich students' educational experiences. The committee collaborates with educators to develop strategies for in-school programming, measure program impact, and identify professional development opportunities that support teachers and students. By fostering partnerships and leveraging resources, the committee helps ensure that every child has meaningful engagement with the arts throughout their PreK–12 journey.

See what educators and students are saying about our Arts Education programming!