Sarasota Review

The Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design has launched a new educational resource titled "INSIDE OUT: Educator and Student Resources K-12," supported by a grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS). This initiative includes videos and educator guides designed to integrate contemporary art into subjects like science, mathematics, English language arts, and social studies.

Virginia Shearer, executive director of Sarasota Art Museum, emphasized the museum's role in education: “As a teaching museum, Sarasota Art Museum was built to create educational opportunities for our community by showcasing living artists and contemporary art. Through the INSIDE OUT series and resources, educators and students have an engaging opportunity to explore the art of our time in ways that are connected to their classroom curriculum. We are grateful to the IMLS for making our development of this educational resource possible.”

The resources were developed with input from local educators to align with Florida's educational standards. Angela Harvitgsen, fine arts program specialist at Sarasota County Schools, expressed enthusiasm about the new materials: “It is so exciting to have these wonderful new resources available to our teachers and students. The connections made from art and architecture to other content areas bring everything together for students and make contemporary art come alive."

Brooks Tracey, an art teacher at Sarasota Middle School, highlighted the impact on his students: “These lesson plans and videos ensure that my students are gaining the knowledge needed to think creatively. We can’t wait to visit the Museum in person!”

Connie Cuadrado led the creation of INSIDE OUT as a Teaching Artist and Community Catalyst at Sarasota Art Museum. The project involved collaboration across various departments within the museum.

The Sarasota Art Museum serves as a platform for contemporary art exploration in its 15,000 square feet exhibition space located in a historic building reimagined by K/R Architects. The museum offers free admission for youth under 17, active military personnel, veterans with ID, Ringling College alumni, faculty, staff, students (with one guest), and Cross College Alliance Students with ID.

For more information on visiting hours or becoming a member of Sarasota Art Museum, interested parties can visit their website or follow them on social media platforms such as Facebook and Instagram.