Hosting Artist Visits

The following is directed to schools. However, most of the information is relevant to other settings such as child care centers, alternative schools, detention centers and community centers — anywhere people gather on a regular basis.

Schools are highly structured communities with many people accomplishing a multitude of various tasks. Your school has its own particular culture with its own style of communicating and interacting, its own codes and rules of behavior. People who are a part of the school community know, for example, who has authority to make decisions. Members of the community know the rules of behavior. Is it necessary to raise your hand or may students call out the answer, for example?

Most guests, artists included, want to "fit in" and not offend their hosts. An artist coming into the school community has only past experience to guide him or her. But, his or her experience may be limited and every community is different. The artist can be a knowledgeable expert in his or her field but a stranger to your particular community. Thinking of the artist as a guest from a foreign country may be helpful. Following are ideas to consider which can help assure that your school gets the most from the visiting artist experience, and that things work smoothly with the best possible results.

Things visiting artists may not know

Where is the bathroom?
What is your name and job here?
Where should I park my car? leave my coat? store my supplies?
Should I buy my lunch or bring it or will the school buy it?
Should I use my first name with students? Are teachers Mr., Ms., or Mrs. or Jason, Sue, or Chris?
Who can help with clean-up?
Are there discipline codes? (hands up for quiet, for example)
Can we move the desks?
Are there established quiet zones or times?

A preview orientation packet sent to the artist a week before the visit could include:

A map to the school.
A map of school interior (a great drawing project for some students).
A clear schedule of artist's activities including performances, classroom visits or workshops, lunch, teacher meeting time. (Leave enough time for the artist to pack up and move from classroom to classroom or to re-organize and prepare materials for the next class. The artist will often limit him or herself to four workshops per day.
The names of the building administrator, secretary, janitor, classroom teachers, superintendent, school board chair, and others who are important for the artist to know and meet.
A copy of the local newspaper to acquaint the artist with the general community and current events there.
A copy of the school newsletter.
Any questions students or other community members have asked about the artist or the artist's work or discipline.

Before the artist visits

Ask the artist to send information about herself and her work - news articles, photos, which can be used on bulletin boards, in school newsletters, for class discussions in preparation for the artist's visit
Discuss expectations -- teacher's expectations, student's expectations, artist's expectations, parent's expectations, school committee's expectations. Share this information as broadly as is appropriate so that unreasonable expectations may be put to rest and there are no unpleasant surprises. Sometimes the expectations are negative. Airing these can allow for trouble areas to be addressed. Designate someone to be the contact person, an adult (or two) who is available to answer the artist's questions as the visit progresses. The contact person(s) should be assertive about staying in touch with the artist throughout the visit. This is especially true for residencies of a week or more.
Designate someone to greet the artist, introduce him, and show him around. Students can take this job and might also meet the artist after each workshop and take him to the next classroom and introduce the next classroom teacher. If there is a performance, students may introduce the artist or introduce the school board chairperson who will introduce the artist. Sharing responsibility for introductions is a good way to get a variety of people more involved with the guest artist. Invite school board members, the school superintendent or a local legislator to do the introductions.

During the visit

Make sure your guest artist is welcomed and knows the lay of the land - the facility, personnel, and schedule.
Nametags for everyone, students and faculty, help put the guest at ease. (Making or decorating nametags can become an art project.)
Use a buddy system. Make sure the artist is invited to have lunch with other teachers. Or ask if you can join him or her in a quiet lunch in the library, for example.
Offer help with unloading and loading supplies and moving them from room to room when necessary.

After the visit

Make sure agreed upon payment has been made in a timely fashion.
Write a thank you note and/or have students write thank you notes to the artist and to others who made the visit possible. (Remember school board members, legislators, and volunteers who contributed time or made money available.)
Evaluate your project. (Include others in this process.) Write down successes and changes that you would make next time. Store the evaluation and any documentation (photos, press releases, news articles) where it is available to the next planning team.
Send the artist copies of evaluations, photos, and anecdotes you collect.
Complete and send a Letter of Recommendation if the artist has requested one.
Complete any final report requirements for grants you may have received.
Take time to savor your success and receive thanks and congratulations!