IN-SCHOOL ARTS RESIDENCY PROGRAM

Since the fall of 2009, the Boch Center has partnered with Boston Public Schools in the In-School Arts Residency Program (formerly known as Target Arts), an artist residency and ticket access program partially funded in the 2018-19 school year by the Mabel Louis Riley Foundation. The goal of the program is to improve school success, engage families, and strengthen community by providing access to Boston's rich offerings of music, dance, visual arts, theater, and cultural events. Thousands of students in selected schools have gained greater exposure to Boston's theater district through the residencies and associated ticket access.

The program was selected in 2018 as a Boston Public School Portfolio Partner, an “exceptional School-Community Partner…provid[ing] quality learning opportunities (partnerbps.org).” The Boston Public School District utilized a comprehensive vetting and assessment process to determine membership in the Opportunity Portfolio, and Boch Center is pleased to have been chosen and recognized for their in-school programming.

The program currently operates residencies within five Boston Public Schools per academic year. Within each residency, Boch Center teaching artists facilitate arts based curriculum with literacy, artistic, public presentation, and social-emotional learning based goals and outcomes.

Students in participating schools develop original works of art in various mediums centered on themes determined in collaboration with a classroom teacher. The students’ art, along with other literacy components, culminate in a final showcase production at the school. The residency also incorporates a selected children’s book that helps accentuate the theme, with each student receiving a copy of the book at residency completion. At a time when arts dollars are being cut from school budgets, we strive to fill the gap in arts education and play a leadership role in arts program delivery and resource coordination.

Growth & Student Achievement

Analysis of data collected over the course of recent Residencies highlights impressive growth in student achievement as well as interest and engagement in the arts. As per the 2017-2018 classroom teacher assessment of student growth, participation in the Residency program increased the students’ demonstrated social-emotional capacities as well as public presentation, creativity and innovation, and Common Core literacy skills. 

Over the course of the residencies, the students’ collective score rose an average of 50% in social-emotional capacities (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making) and public presentation skills (verbal and physical control/expression); 60% in demonstration of creativity, innovation, and critical thinking skills; and 35% in Common Core literacy skills such as Reading, Writing, and Speaking & Listening.

For more information, please email education@bochcenter.org or call 617-532-1256.