Literacy Learning

The Arts in Education program began in 1977 in Reno as a partnership with Sierra Arts Foundation and Washoe County School District to provide excellent arts instruction in local elementary schools.

Literacy Learning
through Arts Integration

Art education is taught by professional teaching artists in the fields of visual arts, theater, drama, creative writing and poetry, dance and movement. These, year-long, teaching artists are placed in one school for the entire school year. They use an arts integration approach, pairing fine arts with other core curricular areas.

Teaching Artists in Residence

Our teaching artists are two-career professionals, working as an artist and arts educator. As a working artist, they are involved in an ongoing process of discovery, creation and exhibition, and refinement of skills in their discipline. As a working educator, they are a crucial resource for the lifelong learning in the arts.

Our teaching artists are two-career professionals, working as an artist and arts educator.

Artists and Arts Educators

Teaching artists are selected based on following criteria: a MFA or BFA in an art discipline, expertise working as a professional artist, and three years of direct K-12 teaching experience

Arts in Education Schedule

Sierra Arts appoints teaching artists to serve at selected WCSD elementary school, one-two times a week, for one school year.

Sierra Arts Foundation provides all teaching materials, art supplies, and teaching-artist salaries. Teaching artists spend 6-weeks in each classroom until all grades have been served arts education.

Artist Selection Process

Teaching artists are carefully selected based on their expertise working as a professional artist and arts educator.

Preference may be given to applicants with a BFA or MFA and three years of direct k-12 teaching experience. Qualified applicants are reviewed and interviews are scheduled for the top candidates.

Washoe County
School District Sites

2016 - 2017

Nancy Gomes Elementary
Lena Juniper Elementary
Mount Rose Elementary
Alice Smith Elementary
Mamie Towles Elementary

2015 - 2016

Libby Booth Elementary School
Rita Cannan Elementary School
Katherine Dunn Elementary School
Lincoln Park Elementary School
Bernice Mathews Elementary School

Arts for All

Sierra Arts creates and manages spaces and venues throughout our community for artists to perform and display their work. We have many resources for the artists in our community.

Thanks to our Corporate Sponsors and Art Patrons

Explore Programs

Arts Integration

Sierra Arts Academy

Music 1.2.1

Nevada’s premier arts organization & resource center.

In 1987 Sierra Arts Foundation began awarding grants to artists of all disciplines living within a 100-mile radius.