Sowing Creativity

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  • Four young children in school uniform sit at their desks while looking in awe and wonder at the front of the classroom. A seated adult  is wearing a hat, a camera across their chest, and holds photos while delivering a presentation with a projector.
     
  • Two young children collaborate on an art project in a classroom. One holds construction paper while the other adheres an object to it. They are creating a cityscape with buildings, houses, and grass by using tape, scissors, and construction paper.
     
  • Nine young children in school uniforms walk in single file with hands in their pockets across an art gallery. The children look at their surroundings and view the art on display including a sculpture of a large rowboat suspended mid-air.
     

Sowing Creativity is a cross-curricular art program that infuses STEAM content and extends our visual arts education into California Common Core State Standards and Next Generation Science Standards. Through stimulating multi-week art-making experiences in the classroom, professional artists lead students in challenging and engaging hands-on art activities.

Lessons emphasize artistic exploration, skill-building exercises with drawing, painting, and sculpture, while encouraging participation in active discussions about visual art, math, science, language arts, and more. Each lesson plan integrates cross-curricular methodology while encouraging design thinking and creative problem solving.

Now available online or in-person!

Grades K–12 program structure: four-, six-, or eight-week residency: each class experiences one 60- minute session per week; all art materials are included in the fee. Additionally, a tour of the Museum is included (virtual or in-person available). 

Sowing Creativity Program Includes: cross-curricular art lessons, art supplies, and Museum tour.

Program Fee/Classroom: $480 4-week, $720 6-week, and $960 8-week.

Classroom Program Request Form

Cycle closed – Check back in Fall 2024!

ArtsEdConnect mini grant program application for teachers in Santa Clara County schools provides funding that may be used for SJMA tours and in-classroom programs.

ArtsEdConnect Grant Application

Educational Frameworks and Content Standards

Our award-winning Sowing Creativity program originated as a hands-on STEAM- based series of lessons and is rooted in several educational frameworks. Following Common Core Standards, the curriculum aligns itself with the Next Generation Science Standards and the California Arts Standards for Public Schools. The program has also adopted the Studio Habits of Mind framework for teaching and learning in the visual arts as developed by the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Project Zero.

sUPPORT

Sowing Creativity is made possible by lead support from the California Arts Council and the Leo M. Shortino Family Foundation; and by generous support from KPMG, SVCreates in partnership with the County of Santa Clara, Tech CU, and Daphne and Stuart Wells. 

Education programs at the San José Museum of Art are made possible by lead support from the California Arts Council and Sally Lucas; major support from the Leo M. Shortino Family Foundation; generous support from the Koret Foundation, KPMG, SV Creates, Tech CU, Daphne and Stuart Wells; additional support from the City of San Jose, Lucia Cha, Priscilla Chou, and the Walter and Karla Goldschmidt Foundation; and significant endowment support from the William Randolph Hearst Foundation. 

Logos for sponsors listed above.