Learning Through the Arts

     Based in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas Learning Through The Arts (ALTTA) provides high-quality arts learning programs that reach students throughout Central Arkansas and the Mississippi Delta. As the large majority of these students live in rural areas with high levels of poverty, often ALTTA programs provide the only exposure to art forms and creative learning opportunities for these students.   The organization provides high quality dance, music, theater, poetry, storytelling, watercolor, crafts and pottery workshops in regular and arts classrooms for schools in six counties.  The target is to serve half the schools in Arkansas in the next ten years, focusing on rural and underserved areas.

With this in mind, ALTTA continues to work with schools facing COVID-19 restrictions and has adapted several of its classroom residency programs to pre-recorded and virtually led classes. ALTTA artists are developing video residency materials that inspire young people to learn through their art form. ALTTA is working with school districts to schedule virtual experiences in the classroom supplemented by the videos and can be available for students learning remotely.  The artists look forward to the time when they can return to in-classroom teaching.

ALTTA’s teaching artists conduct residency sessions which connect directly to the Arkansas Department of Education Literacy Framework, with ties to the Math, Science, Social Studies, Art, Music, Theater Arts and Dance standards.

. In 2018-19, ALTTA reached 9,225 students in 21 elementary and secondary schools.  During the early part of the school year, Welle helps teachers choose from the arts offerings, schedule their workshops and gathers feedback from teachers post-workshop. He also visits most of the ALTTA workshops assuring the programs are on target and well produced.

     "The 'A for Arts' in the STEAM movement is what we are all about, with arts added to science, technology, engineering and math," Welle says. "In science there is a scientific method and in the arts there is a creative process, which have much in common. Problem-solving in science involves creative thinking, and the arts mastery requires technical proficiency. What we are doing is adding the creative process to STEM."  

     A Young Audiences Arts For Learning Certification team of two of the nation’s leading experts in arts integration did a site visit in February. Their report was very positive and a copy of their Overview can be found in the Supplemental Materials.

     A survey of principals, teachers, board members and school administrators in 2019 revealed that above all else, it is the quality of instruction provided by ALTTA teaching artists that makes ALTTA successful. A compilation of surveys that teachers complete after each workshop rated the workshops an average of 4.2 on a 5 point scale.  The ratings gradually increase as artists become skilled in their delivery and ALTTA incorporates teacher suggestions.  This was particularly true for the effect on reading and writing according to the teachers.

     A Phillips County educator says, "This was an awesome experience for the kids. They anxiously awaited our guest to come back each day. They showed excitement and enthusiasm each day. I look forward to being able to do this yearly and build upon what has been started."

      Another critical outcome of this project is the retention of artists in Arkansas.   The income they earn while working for ALTTA allows them to practice their art in the greater community as well. This is important for Arkansas as communities can increasingly offer rich cultural experiences.  Evidence of the artists’ appreciation for this opportunity were expressed in the most recent evaluations that they submitted to the Arkansas Arts Council: 

     “I truly love and value the work that goes into ALTTA to promote artists such as myself to teach what we love the most. Thank you for keeping the Arts alive in the schools.”

     “Through this program, I bring in poetry as a very important tool in creatively expressing feelings, which in turn, helps the students in all other aspects of their writing. ALTTA has a very streamlined and effective way of scheduling and organizing residencies. ALTTA is really here for the artists to help us succeed in bringing our art to the children.”

     “I am thankful to be a part of this program. I am appreciative of all the hard work of the ALTTA organization.” 

    “The programs helped the students engage physically, mentally, and emotionally with relevant literacy and art topics increasing their knowledge and excitement for learning.”

     “I Love what I do. I KNOW the program is a success. We are constantly welcomed back to the schools. The students are always excited and willing to participate in the workshop. I’ve been told by teachers and principals how the students are enjoying writing more. I received all kind of letters from kids and teachers thanking us.”