Arts Education Program at Dia:Beacon

Since 2001, Dia has worked closely with the Beacon City School District to develop an in-depth and extensive Arts Education Program (AEP) for the students of the Beacon City schools. Together, the organizations have created an educational program that uses Dia's expansive collection of artworks to create an art experience and awareness that is not typically a part of the students’ curricula. The Arts Education Program began with a pilot course taught at Beacon High School during the 2001–02 school year, and has since developed and expanded to reach a larger and more varied audience. Since its initial foundation the program has evolved to engage all levels of education, establish partnerships with local cultural and educational organizations, and implement a series of professional development workshops and an education resource website. Dia’s AEP is not a didactic methodology but an open laboratory for exploring creative and effective ways of engaging students to elicit a more profound appreciation of contemporary art. The teaching methods of Arts Education Program are progressive and wide-ranging while covering many of the standards of the New York State learning system.

The Arts Education Program at Dia:Beacon is made possible through the generosity of the Dyson Foundation, M&T Bank, and the New York State Council on the Arts, a State agency.

For more information please contact Beacon's Education Associate, at 845 440 0100 x33 or beaconprogram @ diaart.org.