Culture Works, the united arts fund and arts service agency for the Dayton region, has launched an online portal to connect schools to the arts. Culture Works believes that creating and maintaining a vibrant and attractive community filled with quality arts brings both measurable and immeasurable value to the citizens in its service area. Dorie Watts, Manager of Strategic Initiatives, says “arts and culture reflect all the best and most beautiful parts of who we are, they enrich our lives. Culture Works wants to make sure that our youth have access to those riches.”
ArtsDEEP, a searchable online database, is how Culture Works is helping to bring the arts to area youth. The database, connects teachers to arts programming through a searchable directory. “The database is up and rolling, it’s all about getting the word out to the users now.” Watts says. “A database is only as good as the information it houses, and we want our database to be comprehensive. Culture Works is offering free user workshops for teachers and provider workshops for artists and arts organizations to make that happen.”
The next provider workshop is Thursday, February 20, 2020 from 6 PM – 7 PM at Wholly Grounds Coffeehouse, 825 Wayne Ave Dayton, Ohio 45410. Amy Williams, a local artist, and an owner of Wholly Grounds is a supporter of local arts programs. She hosts the monthly Artist United Gatherings and exhibits local artists work. “As soon as Culture Works called me about the workshop for providers, I wanted to help,” Williams said. “Hosting the workshops helps me too. I want Wholly Grounds to be an art hub, a place where creative people feel inspired, a place where creative people share opportunities. ArtsDEEP is a great opportunity for artists and art organizations to publish their programs. I wish we had an educational program to upload,” said Williams. Provider workshops are open to arts groups, arts organizations and individual artists. ‘You don’t have to know everything about your programming to attend a workshop,” says Watts. “The workshop walks you through what the schools need to know. If you are thinking about a program you might like to offer, the workshop will help you decide whether your programming fits school parameters.”
The first providers began to upload programming in October. Jes McMillan of The Mosaic Institute was among the first to post programs. “I love the idea of a searchable arts database,” McMillan says, “I’ve been advocating for an online arts directory for a long time. I wasn’t thinking specifically about educational programs, but when I found out that Culture Works was offering a searchable education database, I jumped at the chance to add The Mosaic Institute.” The Mosaic Institute has offered educational programming for five years. “I am excited about having another way of getting our programs out there,” McMillan said. “The user interface is straightforward and easy to use. I created a login and filled out my provider profile. Culture Works sent me a provider access code, and I started uploading programs.”
Amber Harris-Reed has specialized in bringing the history of powerful African American women to life through reenactment for over 35 years. “I gave a performance for teachers to demonstrate the kind of programming the portal will house. I did Harriet Tubman,” Harris-Reed said. “The teachers were very excited when I told them that I offered different character portrayals.” Harris-Reed has performed throughout Ohio and Indiana, and as far away as California. “I have lots of characters I can do, my goal is to teach students about these remarkable African American women, their lives, the times they lived in and their mark on history.” Amber Harris-Reed’s provider page on is up on the ArtsDEEP portal, and offers details about her performances of Sojourner Truth, Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, and Coretta Scott King.
The Decoy Arts Center has also been uploading programming to the ArtsDEEP portal. “What I like about the ArtsDEEP platform is that it’s fully engaged in connecting schools with artists, art educators and art experiences to bring into the classroom,” says Kristin Bailey, program director at the Decoy Arts Center. “I believe it is especially important for outreach where art programs might not be available. ArtsDEEP can provide access to those looking to supplement.” Bailey says, “It’s a great tool for k-12 school programs.”
The database makes provider programming available to more than 50 school districts in Dayton and the surrounding areas. “In the Dayton area, we have a thriving arts community: an opera, a symphony, multiple professional dance companies, a fine arts museum, thriving theaters and many small arts organizations,” says Lisa Hanson, Executive Director of Culture Works, “and many of these organizations, and individual artists too, offer educational programming, outreach, and enrichment activities for free or at a greatly reduced fee, but teachers and the organizations that serve youth have limited resources, and limited time. It takes time to research what’s out there. This database not only shows available programs, but shows educators planning details like cost per student, curriculum areas covered and the grade levels that the programs best serve.”
The ArtsDEEP program was developed in collaboration with school districts, universities, teachers, administrators, parents, arts groups, art organizations and individual artists through-out the Miami Valley. As artists and arts advocates, Culture Works believes that art experiences will change the way our youth view the world, increase their happiness and foster creativity. “The goal is to increase the number of “touches” there are between the schools offered the platform and participating arts organizations, “ says Dorie Watts. “There is overwhelming evidence that the arts improve academic performance, lower the number of disciplinary disruptions, raise self-esteem and lower stress. Every time arts programming is added to a class curriculum, it’s a win.”
The ArtsDEEP, the education exploration portal, is provided by Culture Works through the generous support of The Dayton Foundation, the Mathile Family Foundation, Vectren/CenterPoint Energy Company, the Reynolds & Reynolds Associate Foundation, Lockheed Martin, and the Montgomery County Arts & Cultural District. If you are interested in ArtsDEEP portal workshops for users or providers, or if you have questions about the ArtsDeep portal, contact Dorie Watts at [email protected]
