Focus on Culture and Arts Learning
An Arts Education Professional Development Series and Community of Practice
–Teaching Artist Workshop Series by the Folk Arts-Cultural Treasures Charter School and Local Learning: The National Network for Folk Arts Education–
Workshop participants at FACTS program kick off in November.
2026-2027 Teaching Artist Mentorship Cohort Program
- This program is for Philadelphia and Camden artists of any discipline to expand their teaching practice and artist network, explore culturally responsive and trauma-informed pedagogy, build portfolios with lessons that connect across the curriculum, and connect with local educators and cultural centers in Philadelphia.
- With support from the William Penn Foundation, Local Learning and FACTS are convening a year-long Community of Practice of 12 teaching artists who are interested in becoming mentors and leaders in the teaching artist ecosystem of Philadelphia. As part of the cohort, teaching artists will participate in a paid classroom residency during the 2026-2027 school year. Selection criteria included artistic excellence, teaching experience, connection of their art form to Philadelphia’s diverse communities, and a commitment to the development of other teaching artists.
Read about the Artists selected to participate in the 2026-2027 cohort here!
- K-12 teachers in Philadelphia may now apply to join this Community of Practice! Selected teachers will become part of a supportive network of engaged educators and teaching artists committed to reflection, experimentation, and shared learning.
- Teachers will collaborate directly with one of 10 selected teaching artists participating in the Mentorship Cohort and will receive a fully funded 5-visit classroom residency during the 2026–2027 school year.
- The Kick-off program will be August 11-12, 9am-3pm. All teachers will receive a certificate for professional development hours and may offer documentation for ACT 48 hours as a part of your participation.
Application for TEACHERS
Apply to host an excellent arts residency in your classroom!
Calling Philadelphia Area Teaching Artists! Join an ongoing exploration of what it means to be a culturally-responsive Teaching Artist and how your arts education practice can embrace a trauma-informed approach to support student belonging, inquiry, and agency.
- Be a part of establishing a community of culturally-responsive and trauma-informed Teaching Artists for ongoing networking, mentorship, and growth opportunities.
- Build your portfolios, create lessons that connect across the curriculum, and gain methods for teaching about your art forms and their context to diverse students of all ages.
Workshops are free and ongoing. Look for announcements in late Summer 2026 for new workshops that will start again for the 2026-2027 School Year.
Classroom Teachers–you are also invited to join this series! – Discover how arts and guest residencies can be assets in your classroom, build inclusive learning plans with proven tools for student engagement, and learn with a cohort model that centers participants’ expertise.
About the Workshop Series and the Faculty
Special topics to be covered in upcoming workshops throughout 2026 and 2027 in this series include (Drop-ins always welcomed unless otherwise indicated):
- Social Emotional Learning (SEL)
- Trauma-Informed Pedagogy in the Arts Classroom
- Activating Arts Conversations to Connect Across Disciplines (February 13, 2026)
- Student health and Well being through Cultural Lens (April 9, 2026)
- Cultivating a Whole School Community Ecosystem through Arts Education (November 7, 2025)
- Artist Portraits and Statements: Packing your Residency Toolkit Bag (November 20, 2025 and January 8, 2026)
- Inclusive Strategies for Diverse Learners (March 12, 2026)
- Making Assessment Work for You (May 15, 2026)
- Site-specific tours and opportunities to meet FACTS-seasoned Teaching Artists in both Ensemble and Class Residency settings (by invitation only)
Participants in the Winter 2026 Workshop Series visited the Historical Society of Pennsylvania and explored “Sense of Place” through primary sources.
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The Folk Arts Cultural Treasures Charter School (FACTS) provides children with an exemplary education that utilizes traditional arts and cultures found within their own and neighboring communities as the catalyst for critical inquiry and community engagement. It provides children with an education which has high academic standards, is truly community based, incorporates and respects the lives of students and their families, engages students in understanding their own cultures and communities, and engages students in understanding their role as active participants in working for a just society. FACTS serves kindergarten through eighth grade elementary school students of diverse racial, ethnic, linguistic and cultural backgrounds from the City of Philadelphia.
The FACTS mission quotes Grace Lee Boggs, “Giving meaning to the lives of our children in the present while preparing them to become active citizens in a democratic society.”
Claire Denny, M.A.I.S, is the Folk Arts Education Specialist at the FACTS Charter School. She holds a Masters of Arts in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Folklore from George Mason University. Her education also includes a B.A in Anthropology and a certificate in Studio Art. At her previous job as Folklife Education Coordinator at the Arts Institute of Middlesex County she worked extensively with teaching artists and created education materials for educational settings. She also has experience working with diverse youth populations stemming back to her time living and teaching on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota. In her current job at FACTS, her primary responsibilities include coordinating folk arts residencies, training classroom teachers and artists in folk arts education, and playing a lead role in the implementation and continuous improvement of folk arts education curriculum.
Local Learning is a National Arts Service Organization that will bring their national faculty and local experts together to support this training opportunity.
Dr. Lisa Rathje is Executive Director of Local Learning. She directs teacher and artist training institutes and advocates for the inclusion of culture in diverse learning spaces. She consults nationally, including currently a 5-year consultancy for the REACH program of the University of South Florida funded by the U.S. Department of Education to strengthen arts and culture programming in the nation’s educational system. With Paddy Bowman, she is co-editor and founder of the Journal of Folklore and Education, an international, freely accessed, multimedia juried journal.
Mira Johnson, D. Ed., is the Local Learning Director of Learning Networks and Training where she works collaboratively with staff, artists, and community members on the design, development, and engagement of folk arts learning opportunities and resources. She is also an adjunct assistant professor at Bronx Community College in the English Department and the First Year Seminar Program. As a regional culture specialist for Pennsylvania’s state folklife program she conducted fieldwork with rural and urban folk artists and tradition bearers, and served as the program coordinator at FolkArtPA, Pennsylvania’s statewide folklife program. She holds a doctorate in Adult Education and Lifelong Learning from Penn State University and an M.A. in folklore from the University of Oregon.
Thank you to the William Penn Foundation for supporting this work through their Arts Education Teaching Artist Training Program. This grant is expected to offer teaching artists with professional development and networking support to improve their practice and connect them to colleagues and additional resources.
Lead Support Provided By:
About William Penn Foundation The William Penn Foundation, founded in 1945 by Otto and Phoebe Haas, is committed to expanding access to resources and opportunities that promote a more vital and just city and region for all. We do this through funding programs in the Philadelphia region in arts and culture, children and families, democracy and civic initiatives, environment and public space, and workforce training and services. Learn more at www.williampennfoundation.org.