Partners in Education, Arts, & Community Empowerment (PEACE) at Patchogue Arts Council (PAC) is a program that empowers educators in Suffolk county middle and high schools to make more effective use of the arts for underrepresented students through College, Career, and Civic Readiness (CCCR) and Culturally Responsive-Sustaining education (CR-S), which are urgent issues in local, state, and national education.
Click to read the official press release
PEACE was inspired by ten years of research conducted by Eastern Suffolk BOCES with funding from the US Department of Education, which found that learning experiences planned in schools among teachers, artists, and cultural organizations could strengthen student critical thinking, collaboration, communication, and creativity, often known as 21st Century skills.
Project Goals:
Support for Educators: Arts-based professional development for public school educators and community cultural partners in an annual summer institute and monthly online community of practice. Professional development will focus on College, Career, and Civic, Readiness (CCCR) and Culturally Responsive-Sustaining (CR-S) education practices
Critical Community of Practice: Ongoing curriculum support for teachers, specialists, college/career counselors, and school administrators to use arts based partnerships and instruction to tackle issues that arise for underrepresented students.
Provide Resources: PAC will coordinate resources such as funding, communications, and technical support among schools and cultural partners to make robust partnerships thrive.
Contemporary Relevance: Dissemination of best practices, materials, and methods across a national network as well as a county-wide youth advisory group.
This 5-year program is supported 100% by federal funds awarded through a highly competitive grant process awarded by the US Department of Education. As an ambitious and leading arts organization of Long Island, the Patchogue Arts Council is proud to continue the work and research this project has established.
The PEACE Project is committed to shaping diverse, inclusive, and equitable arts in education community. We strive to create a welcoming and affirming environment where all individuals feel a sense of belonging. We strongly encourage applications from perspectives that have been historically underrepresented within our society, including but not limited to individuals who identify as BIPOC (Black, Indigenous, People of Color), individuals who identify as part of the LGBTQ+ community, and individuals with disabilities*.
*The PEACE project team understands these identity categories can be viewed as an umbrella terminology and should not be used when referencing a specific group or population. If you are mentioning a specific population or individual within these communities, use specific language to be as accurate as possible.
2023 APPLICATIONS RELEASED SOON!
PEACE PROJECT TEAM
Project Director – Beth Giacummo, Executive Director of Patchogue Arts Council • Museum of Contemporary Art L.I.
Curriculum Director – Dr. Laura Reeder, Arts Education Advocacy and Policy Lecturer at Boston University
Education Specialist – Loretta Corbisiero-Drakos, Administrative Coordinator, Arts in Education and Exploratory Enrichment, ESBOCES
Project Manager – Eric Murphy, Special Programs & Exhibits Assistant with Patchogue Arts Council • Museum of Contemporary Art L.I.
Art Therapy Specialist – Michelle López, National Director of Parent Education at Literacy Partners
Diversity, Equity and Inclusivity Specialist – April Francis-Taylor, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusivity, ESBOCES
Evaluator – Joy Zacharia, Senior Research Associate at Metis Associates
