ArtReach

MPA's innovative ArtReach is an elementary school program which
features educational tours of our exhibitions for Fairfax County school
children—particularly targeting "at risk" schools in Fairfax
County. These at risk schools (also known as Project Excel schools)
have limited or no budget for field trips. Some of these children have
never been to a museum or art gallery before. MPA provides free bus
transportation for these schools to visit MPA for docent-led tours
and hands-on art activity. The tours creatively relate the SOL
curriculum in Virginia to the art exhibition. In 2004, nearly 3000
children visited MPA through the ArtReach program. ArtReach is funded by McDonald's Family Restaurants and WEST*GROUP.

ArtReach director Sharon Fishel engages elementary school students in a
discussion about art influenced by slaveryduring their field trip to MPA.

 

Students make sketches influenced by the art they see at MPA.