About World Culture in Context

Program Overview

World Culture in Context (WCC) connects students with performing artists and community tradition-bearers from across the globe.

Students get to visit artists in the places that have profoundly shaped them, encouraging them to look outwardly at the world’s cultures while gaining a greater appreciation of traditions that thrive in their own lives and communities.

WCC in Your Class includes:

1. A moderated, remote visit between your students and the performing artist
2. A video of the artist highlighting their tradition and art, connecting place and practice for your students
3. Learning guides designed for teachers by arts integration specialists including pre and post visits activities that align with Common Core standards.

The virtual visit is a unique highlight of the program, cherished by both teachers and students. After watching the video and engaging with pre-visit activities, students experience the artists not just as visitors, but as welcome new friends who are eager to answer questions. The conversations that flourish out of this visit are tailored to particular age groups and guided by experienced educators.

Program Goals & Takeaways

WCC assists teachers in expanding and enriching their own curriculum by taking their students on a “virtual field trip” to learn about new and perhaps unfamiliar traditions and cultures and meeting master traditional artists no matter where their school is located, without ever leaving the classroom.

Students will forge meaningful connections with artists and cultures, providing access to school communities that might not otherwise have had the opportunity due to cost, technical capacity, or geographic location.

The opportunity for students to visit with artists in the spaces in which they create and perform provides them with a deeper understanding of who they are and the prominence of their artistic expressions to their daily lives and cultural communities.

Program Fees and Subsidies

The fee for the World Culture in Context virtual artist visit and associated materials is $1,000. We typically ask that each visit be limited to no more than 3 classrooms or 75 students. We understand that the fee might be prohibitive to some schools and programs, and the WCC staff is happy to discuss subsidies that might be available (see registration form).

Program History

World Culture in Context arose in response to the unique restrictions of the Covid-19 pandemic.  We worked with traditional artists and schools to create a platform for them to meet and interact remotely.

While initially unsure about the potential impact of these “virtual visits” in comparison to the in-person encounter in the classroom setting, we quickly realized that these remote educational encounters presented unique and exciting opportunities.

The use of rapidly developing technologies allowed students to interact with guest artists and tradition-bearers from literally anywhere in the world. The WCC program allows students to meet the artists in the places where their craft lives and thrives, learning about the surroundings that inform and inspire their creation.

The reception of WCC among both teachers and students has been overwhelmingly positive, and the program’s diverse roster of artists continues to grow. We are excited to welcome you on the journey!

Audience

WCC works with 3rd to 12th grade teachers in public, private and homeschool settings seeking creative and engaging ways to introduce students to artists and cultural traditions that are likely unfamiliar to them, helping to counter cultural stereotypes and humanize the “other” to engender more empathetic, open-minded students.

WCC is for teachers interested in going beyond textbooks and other traditional classroom tools. Participating teachers must work in settings equipped with reliable internet access and remote classroom technology, willingly participate in guiding students through watching the accompanying video and pre- and post-visit activities, and prepare students to get the most out of the classroom visit with enthusiasm and open minds!

About the Center for Cultural Vibrancy

World Culture in Context is a program of the Center for Cultural Vibrancy. CCV works with a wide variety of organizations to bring cultural programming and experiences to audiences of all types and ages. From in-classroom programs like World Culture in Context to full blown street festivals in your town, CCV is ready to partner with you to enrich your community.

CCV is dedicated to the creation of a more empathetic world—where people respect and celebrate one another’s cultural expressions—through collaborations in communities like yours that promote cultural exchange and understanding.