Artist Residencies

2023-2024  Artist Residencies


Artist residencies are an important aspect of our overall arts programming.  Each grade level collaborates with a community artist to learn a new artistic skill or process.  The guest artists we invite into our school bring unique cultural and artistic perspectives and experiences to our students, and offer professional development working side by side with teachers.  Residencies often culminate with a performance or presentation at a Friday Gathering.


Here are our Artist Residencies for the 2023-24 school year:


Lower Campus Residencies

Kindergarten:  An Artful Celebration of Black History with Ericka Dennis

Ericka Dennis is an actress, director, playwright, and now, author of her first children’s book: Mr. Rondo’s Spirit. She is also one of our very own staff members! Ericka grew up in the Rondo community where she currently resides. She has 20 years of artistic service to youth and the Rondo community. Ericka has written and directed plays, taught theater arts to youth and performed on various stages across the Twin Cities area. Dates in February TBA.


Kindergarten & First Grade Residency


Kinder Konzert on the Road with Friends of Minnesota Orchestra

The focus of KKOR is to support students’ literacy learning and connections between stories and music. Five workshops are led by a teaching artist, and take place prior to the Kinder Konzert performance. The classroom sessions actively engage children through music, movement, rhythmic word play, playing instruments, dramatic play, and creative responses to the language, illustrations, images, and sounds in Max Found Two Sticks by Brian Pickney. A Kinder Konzert performance at the school by a chamber ensemble of Minnesota Orchestra musicians is the culminating event for children and teachers. Dates TBA in October.


First Grade:  Mask Making with Anishinaabe Visual Artist Julie Boada 

Julie Boada is an Anishinabe visual artist and puppeteer. She has worked regionally and nationally for more than 25 years as an artist.  Julie is passionate about work that fosters cultural pride and cross cultural respect. Our first graders will spend 5 days learning from Julie through stories and art making.  They will choose birds native to Minnesota, then construct and decorate their own masks.


Second Grade:  Anishinaabe Beadwork with Julie Boada

Julie Boada is such a gifted storyteller and artist, she is invited to lead TWO residencies annually at our school.  Second graders learn the intricate skill of Anishinaabe Beadwork with Julie, culminating in the creation of beaded pouches by each of our 2nd graders.  Each year, grade 2 students show great pride in work as they learn about Anishinaabe culture from Julie.  This 10 day residency begins on (Date TBD) and will culminate in a Gathering sharing on (Date TBD).

Third Grade: Japanese Taiko Drumming

Japanese Taiko musician Megan Chao Smith will join to lead our annual 3rd grade taiko residency. Each class will learn a taiko piece over the course of 9 days.  The study of taiko instills focus, teamwork and strength.  Two performances by our 3rd graders will occur on (Date TBD) at lower campus. 

Fourth Grade: Original  Opera Creation and Performance

Our Fourth Grade Opera residency will begin in May (Date TBD).   All fourth grade students will design sets, puppets and/or masks with our guest artist Malia Burkhart.  Malia has been our visual stage artist for the opera for many years.  In addition to artwork, fourth graders will collaborate on story creation, movement and songwriting with our own Global Arts Plus teachers.  Over the course of 18 days, our 4th graders create, rehearse and perform their own original opera.  The 4th grade opera will be performed live on (Date TBD). Check out this video from last year's production! After One-Year Hiatus, Global Arts Student Produced Opera is Back 

Upper Campus Residencies


5th Grade - Haitian music, dance, and storytelling with Djenane 

5th graders learn to compare the American Revolution and Haitian Revolution through this residency. Students learn how Haitian dance and music shaped the stories and narratives of Haiti.

6th grade - Wing Young Huie Photography

Renowned Photographer, Wing Young Huie, working with our 6th graders to start conversation about identity and community through photography. 6th graders will learn to engage in Mr. Huie’s artistic process of self-exploration through photography of different peoples and communities. Students will learn how perspectives shape our views of the world and life in different content areas with their teachers.

7th grade - Community Mural

7th graders create, design, and paint a community mural that stays “forever” on the walls of Global Arts Plus Upper Campus. Students learn to collaborate their design ideas under the artistic process and aesthetics led by past muralists like Melodee Strong, Patrick Cunningham, and Bayou. 



8th Grade - Indonesian residency

Students will be able to experience the process of learning about Indonesian culture through gamelan and culturally specific dances. Led by Joko and Tri Sutrisno, 8th graders will be able to count the rhythm of traditional Indonesian music, comparing and contrasting the learning process between Indonesian and American cultures, and understand how a geography of one’s country shapes their identities.


Please Note:  We hope that COVID will not impact any plans to bring us together for residencies and performances/presentations, but we will keep families updated should we need to adjust plans for safety.