Education

The Kashian Bilingual Reading & Art Program supports literacy and bilingualism in our community. Every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month at noon, local bilingual educators read a bilingual book and present an art activity to children and families in the community. Featured books celebrate diversity and cross-cultural awareness while the art project promotes creativity and deeper understanding of the text. Since the closure of our facility due to COVID, we have offered the program virtually on our Facebook page. We hope to begin in-person readings in the fall and will continue to stream the program on Facebook.

The Kashian Bilingual Reading & Art Program was made possible by the generous donation of Edward M. Kashian. Arte Américas is working in collaboration with the Mexican Consulate, Fresno Unified School District and Fresno State University’s Enseñamos en el Valle Central to expand and further develop the program. We welcome additional partners. If you are interested in reading, please contact info@arteamericas for more information.

Arte Américas brings art education to rural communities through the Mendota High School Project, a partnership with Mendota Unified School District connecting teacher/artists to students in an after school program. This year Mendota High School students took four separate four-week classes in the following genres: videography, photography, painting, and public art. The culminating project was the completion of a mural on-site at the high school. Other completed works of art by the students will be exhibited at Arte Américas in the fall.

If you are interested in collaborative work with Arte Américas, connecting the arts and arts education to youth in your school district, please email info@arteamericas.org

The Danzantes coalition has been affiliated with Arte Américas for over three decades. Over the years the coalition has supported as many as 25 dance groups reflecting a range of participation from adult to elementary, from school based to community; including outreach to a variety of counties stretching from Merced to Tulare. Throughout the year they hold vibrant performances in our plaza and in the community bringing together people of all ages to witness our cultural heritage through Dance. One highly attended and notable performance is the annual High School Show Offs usually performed in February.

From March 2022 through August 2022, Arte Américas will present Boom Oaxaca, a major exhibition featuring the art of Tlacolulokos from Tlacolula, Oaxaca and Narcisco Martinez, a Oaxacan artist based in Southern California. The artists’ works highlight the contributions of Oaxacan immigrants in the United States. Much of the art presented was inspired by and created in consultation with the local Oaxacan community through a collaboration with Centro Binacional para el Desarollo Indígena Oaxaqueño. (CBDIO).

We are preparing downloadable K-12 interdisciplinary lesson plans that are aligned with California Common Core and Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) state standards. Each lesson will cover:

• Identity 
• Culture
• Social Justice
• Foodways
• Indigeneity 
• Artmaking

Guided tours of the exhibition are available to complement the lesson plans. Tours will be available in English, Spanish, Mixteco, Zapoteco, and Triqui. Be sure to subscribe to our email list to receive up-to-date information about the exhibit or email info@arteamericas.org for specific inquiries.

The exhibit is made possible by a grant from the The McClatchy Fresno Arts Endowment of The James B. McClatchy Foundation and in partnership with the Fresno Arts Council and Centro Binacional para el Desarollo Indígena Oaxaqueño.