Arts Council Launches Artists-in-Residence Program

Mila Theroux to Manage New Initiative to Schools

As an organization that advocates for the arts, the Arts Council of Greater Lansing firmly believes that every child should have access to the arts as part of their school curriculum.  

Expanding the arts 

A few months ago, The Arts Council announced that it received a $15,000 grant from the Lansing Area Rotary Foundation. The grant was provided to help establish our Young Creatives: Artists-in-Residence, an arts program that addresses the arts-education needs of Lansing School District students. The program kicks off this month, and we are excited to get started.

Introducing Mila

We are also excited to introduce Mila Theroux, our Artists-in-Residence program coordinator. Mila comes to us from REACH Studio Art Center and has contracted with the Arts Council to manage the program and serve as liaison between the schools and area teaching artists.

Passion and experience

Mila is a life-time resident of the Lansing Area and holds a Bachelor of Fine Arts in both studio art and art education from Michigan State University. She is also an active fine artist and art educator herself, working with local public schools and REACH Studio Art Center. With more than 10-years’ expericence, she is the perfect candidate to serve as coordinator for the program.  “I am passionately invested in art, education and our community,” says Mila. “I really look forward to working with the Arts Council in making the Artists-in-Residence program a success.”

Matchmaking

Some of Mila’s responsibilites include developing relationships and working in partnership with the Lansing School District’s Innovator Team members, elementary school principals and classroom teachers, during the 2015-2016 school year. She will also oversee the coordination of juried auditions to select 6-8 teaching artists (performing, visual and literary) of the highest caliber.  

When audtions are complete, a web-based roster, including photos and bios, will be created, allowing classroom teachers to select an artist who best matches their needs. Once they find the perfect artist for their classroom, they can then apply for funding through the Arts Council on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Keeping the arts in schools

Many of the  teaching-artist residencies will be completed over 4-5 consecutive days at the school, with a goal of bringing the arts to nearly 1000 students at all elementary grade levels. “This program offers an exciting opportunity for arts specialists, classroom teachers and teaching artists to collaborate and share ideas and knowledge,” says Deborah E. Mikula, Arts Council executive director. “We believe that it will supplement and add depth and diversity to arts education, and build new ways of creative expression for everyone involved.”

To learn more about the Artists-in-Residence program, or to be considered as a teaching artist, please contact us at 517-372-4636.