P.I. Jen Katz-Buonincontro, PhD
Research Assistant: David Mattson, PhD Student
Research Partners: School District of Philadelphia Office of Visual Arts, Theatre & Dance, Brandywine Workshop & Archives, Creative Engagement Lab

The CReST, Culturally Responsive and Sustaining Teacher Project in Arts Integration, is a two year funded grant from the Windgate Foundation to develop the first-ever culturally responsive and sustaining online art integration course for teachers (October 2020-October 2022). We will use research to inform and develop the course in two ways: First, we will conduct and analyze ethnographic interviews with diverse visual artists from around the world whose work is posted on the new website Artura.org. Secondly, we will use a Creative-Cultural Praxis framework based on the seminal work of Paolo Freire (1997/200) linking creative identity to cultural liberation. Research on intersectional oppression, multicultural education and positive youth identity will also be integrated into the course.

Another aim of the CReST Project is to expand online professional development courses in arts integration from Oregon teachers to Philadelphia art teachers. Both Oregon and Philadelphia art teachers will take the course and we will interview teachers on their preparedness for teaching culturally relevant and sustaining art. Interviews with both the artists and the teachers will inform a CReST Teaching Guide for dissemination. We plan for the course to be micro-credentialled through the Drexel School of Education’s Professional Education Service office for a wider national audience of teachers.