As strong believers that creativity fuels connection and learning, Arts for Learning Indiana is excited for our upcoming NEW and transformative Artists Building Community (ABC) Fellowships! This innovative 3-year residency model places professional Teaching Artists directly into schools, fostering vibrant partnerships between artists, educators, students, and communities.
A Three-Year Journey of Growth and Impact
From 2026 to 2028, three Indianapolis schools will experience a whole-school arts integration journey designed to ignite imagination, equity, and lasting impact:
🔆 Year 1: Discovery & Design — Artists and educators build relationships, observe classrooms, pilot programs, and co-design a residency framework. This phase emphasizes coaching and reflective practice to tailor the experience to each school’s unique culture.
🔆 Year 2: Implementation & Refinement — The residency is fully delivered through co-planning and co-teaching. Data collection and reflection deepen understanding, while community partnerships grow stronger, enriching the learning environment beyond the classroom.
🔆 Year 3: Sustainability & Leadership — The focus shifts to building teacher capacity and providing sustainability tools and guides. Professional learning opportunities expand, culminating in a showcase or symposium celebrating the collaborative achievements of students, artists, and educators.
Meet Our Participating Schools and Teaching Artists!
🔆 Edison School of the Arts — Gary Gee
Serving K-8 students, Teaching Artist Gary Gee will be focusing on reading, community development, professional development for teachers, as well as parent and family programs.
ABC Intent: Reignite sustained artist residencies, build structured arts-integration capacity, and expand arts-driven social-emotional learning and equity
3-Year Outcomes: Sustainable integration framework, expanded teacher strategy toolkit, and a community-facing artistic showcase.
Why This Matters: The fellowship at Edison School of the Arts restores residency-driven professional learning and amplifies the impact of arts on student achievement, nurturing a thriving school community.
🔆 CFI 84 Joseph J. Bingham — Nasreen Khan Clark
As a K-5 International Baccalaureate (IB) school, Teaching Artist Nasreen Khan Clark will be prioritizing tactile, hands-on learning, with a strong focus on student voice and visual arts aligned to the curriculum.
ABC Intent: elevate folk art and handcrafts, embed craft into inquiry units, and prioritize embodied, tactile learning.
3-Year Outcomes: Annual craft integration across all grades, increased student agency and creative risk-taking, and sustainable handcraft traditions beyond the fellowship.
Why This Matters: The fellowship is intended to deepen the whole-child inquiry model and position the arts as an equal academic partner, enriching learning through cultural heritage and creativity.
🔆 William Penn Middle School — Giselle Truijillo
A new 6-8 STEM-focused school with mostly new teachers and leadership, Teaching Artist Giselle Truijillo will partner with community organizations and leverage unused instruments from IPS to make the arts fit seamlessly within STEM culture.
ABC Intent: Embed arts within STEM identity, increase exposure to professional artists, and expand creative city partnerships.
3-Year Outcomes: Arts/STEM fusion model, increased belonging through restorative practices, and expanded city-connected experiences.
Why This Matters: The fellowship at William Penn Middle School integrates arts into an inclusive STEM culture, fostering belonging and creativity among globally diverse learners.
ABC Fellowship: More Than A Residency
In these three Indianapolis schools, the ABC Fellowship will plant seeds of transformation that grow beyond the classroom—into families, neighborhoods, and the broader city.
Learn more about our Teaching Artists and Arts Programs!
