8-Month Teaching Artist Project Signature Program

Teaching Artist Project (TAP) is a comprehensive training and internship program for working artists who desire to incorporate social justice and social emotional learning into their teaching practice. The program is committed to the professional development of teaching artists through a social justice methodology that translates creative process into educational practice.

TAP workshops will be in-person for our 2025-26 cycle. The 8-month Signature Program will run from October 2025 to May 2026 including internships and externships, which will be in-schools and in arts administrative offices. Some community building and art sharing events will remain virtual and scheduled in advance.

Saturday Trainings (October - May)

The 2025-26 TAP Signature Program will feature 6 full-day workshops plus orientation and graduation. These workshops provide the foundation of the training. Themes for each session are in italics.

Opportunities for further enrichment will be available to trainees through elective workshops provided by the TAP Alliance. Topics for these electives workshops may include: Career Planning, Healing Centered Facilitation, Inclusive Practices in the Arts, etc.

TAP Opening Celebration
Workshop 1 Community Building & Classroom Culture
Workshop 2 Power & Privilege in Learning Spaces
Workshop 3 Exploring Our Creative Elements
Workshop 4 Lesson Plan Ingredients & Curriculum Design
Workshop 5 Lesson Plan Presentations
Workshop 6 Lesson Plan Presentations
Graduation + Reflection

Additional required workshops include but are not limited to:
Networking & Elevator Pitches
Multiple Intelligences
Teaching for different age groups
Healing Centered Facilitation
TA Sustainability (including financial literacy)
Resume and Interview Best Practices (In partnership with Arts In Education Roundtable)
Mapping Out Your Teaching Artist Career

Requirements

The TAP 8 month signature program serves artists and arts educators coming from a wide range of backgrounds when it comes to creative practice and teaching experience. This program could be a great fit for you if:

You already have some experience in the teaching artist field, but are seeking:
Further professional development and skills around curriculum building
A deeper understanding of how to develop a justice-oriented teaching practice
A sense of community and connection within the field of teaching artistry
An understanding of what entrepreneurship opportunities exist within the teaching artist field

You are an experienced educator who desires:
More practical application of social justice approaches in creative arts classrooms
Further direction on creating a sustainable career in arts education
Guided support to build your own socially engaged arts program
Continued professional development around developing multi-disciplinary arts curriculum

You have little to no teaching experience, but are an artist with a strong commitment to your own practice, and an interest in gaining facilitation and curriculum building skills to teach your art form in group settings

You’re a student with an interest in the intersection of arts, activism, and education, looking to supplement your learning with hands-on experience.

You are an administrator within Arts Education and would like to gain experience as a Teaching Artist.

Application Instructions

Complete the application at this link: teachingartistproject.org/apply

Incomplete submissions will not be considered. Application is considered complete upon submission of all of the following materials:

Personal Information & Narrative Questions
Resumé or Curriculum Vitae
Artistic Samples (Do not submit student work. Please share your own creative work. If you work in multiple art forms, submit the discipline in which you work most frequently).

Acceptable artistic samples (include year created):
3-4 pages of poetry or prose
3-4 images (JPG or PDF format)
3-4 production/performance programs (mark where name appears)
Productions/performances list with descriptions, dates and venues
1-2 MP3 files
1-2 AVI or MPG video files (no WMV files)

Application Notes:
Submit completed application form
Writing submissions must be in English.
Except when applicable (as described above), submit all materials in MS Word or PDF formats.

If you are a Teaching Artist living with a disability and would like to submit a video application, please email TAP@communitywordproject.org with a link to a video answering the questions in this application. Please ensure the subject is “Signature Program Video Application.” Video links can be Google Drive links, or links from Vimeo or YouTube.

Application Process:

Qualified applicants will be invited to attend a group interview through email. Group interviews will be held in late August and early September. All invited applicants must attend one group interview to be considered for a placement in TAP.

Applicants will be notified of acceptance status between September 12-30, 2025.

Still have questions? Register for an open house at the links below:

July 22, 2025 6-8 PM Virtual
August 20, 2025 6-8 PM In-Person

You must register in advance to attend. RSVP on Eventbrite: https://www.eventbrite.com/o/teaching-artist-project-30583029052