What Is Arts-In-Education and How Do Performing Arts Programs Work in Schools?

Updated

Arts-in-education (AIE) is the practice of placing professional artists and performances inside schools as part of the learning program, not as a one-off assembly. It works best when a performance is tied to a workshop, a classroom visit, or a teacher-planned lesson, so students do something with what they see. Programs like the Footworks Percussive Dance Ensemble's Arts-In-Education offerings—live music and percussive dance from around the world, built around audience participation—are a typical example of the performing-arts model. The approach suits schools that can commit to preparation and follow-up, not just a date on the calendar.

What Arts-In-Education actually means

The term covers any structured use of artists or arts experiences to support learning. Three features separate it from ordinary entertainment:

  • Curriculum connection. The arts experience links to something students are studying—music, social studies, language, movement, or cultural comparison.
  • Active participation. Students perform, ask questions, or practice a skill rather than only watch.
  • Artist–teacher collaboration. Teachers and artists plan together so the visit fits what the class is doing.

A single concert can be part of AIE, but only if the school builds those connections around it. Otherwise it is a field trip or an assembly, which is fine—just not the same thing.

Common program formats

Format What happens Best for
School performance Artists perform for a large group, often with audience participation Introducing a genre or culture to a whole grade
Residency Artists work with the same classes over several days Building a skill, such as rhythm, movement, or ensemble work
Workshop A single hands-on session with one class Practicing a specific technique
Artist-in-the-classroom An artist co-teaches with the regular teacher Deep curriculum integration
Teacher professional development Artists train teachers to carry the work forward Sustaining the program after the visit

Footworks' site lists Arts-In-Education Programs alongside theater productions and festival shows, and its performances emphasize audience participation—a signal that the school format is designed for students to join in rather than sit still.

What to check when choosing a program

Use the same criteria for any ensemble or teaching artist:

  • Grade-level fit. Ask what ages the program was designed for and how the content is adjusted for younger or older students.
  • Curriculum links. Request a description of which subjects and standards the program touches. Vague answers are a warning sign.
  • Interaction level. Ask how much time students spend doing versus watching.
  • Artist experience in schools. Performing well and teaching well are different skills; ask about classroom experience.
  • Logistics. Confirm space needs (a gym or stage versus a classroom), sound equipment, setup time, group size limits, and whether the artists travel with their own instruments or technical support.
  • Materials. Ask whether study guides, pre-visit activities, or follow-up lessons come with the program.

How to plan a visit

  1. Set a goal first. Decide whether the visit is meant to introduce a culture, support a music or movement unit, or build ensemble skills. Write it down before contacting anyone.
  2. Contact the program early with your grade levels, group sizes, dates, and space. Ask what the artists need from you.
  3. Prepare students. Use any provided study guide, listen to recordings, or discuss the art form beforehand so students arrive with questions.
  4. Arrange the space and schedule. Confirm setup and breakdown time, and avoid stacking the visit against lunch or dismissal.
  5. Plan follow-up. A short reflection, a movement activity, or a writing prompt after the visit turns a performance into learning.
  6. Collect feedback. Ask teachers and students what connected and what didn't, and use it for the next booking.

How to judge whether it worked

Look beyond whether students enjoyed it. Useful signs include students referring to the visit in later lessons, teachers reporting they could connect it to their units, and students demonstrating a specific skill or concept afterward. A short teacher survey and a few student reflections are enough for most schools. If the only measure is applause, you can't tell an arts-in-education program from a good assembly.

A note on cost and booking

Footworks' site does not publish program pricing or booking terms, so schools should contact the ensemble directly for fees, availability, and what a school visit includes. Treat any figure you see elsewhere as unconfirmed until the organization confirms it.