Denver, CO – August 23, 2023 – This school year, the Clyfford Still Museum (CSM) celebrates the tenth anniversary of the inStill School Programs by continuing to offer free gallery and virtual experiences for students in grades kindergarten through 12th grade and beginning the development of a pre-K program.
CSM’s inStill Gallery Experiences at the Museum and inStill Live virtual experiences are available Tuesdays through Fridays. Bus funds are available and bilingual educators can facilitate lessons in both English and Spanish. Students who participate in inStill receive a sketchbook and a free pass to return to the Museum with their families.
“During interactive inStill experiences, students take the lead, everyone has a voice, and our educators provide opportunities for students to feel the wonder of art experiences and make connections to their own lives,” said Emily Bullard, assistant director, school & teacher programs. “From our first pilot programs in fall 2013, to the expansion of school visits in 2017, offering virtual options in 2020, and adding kindergarten through third grade in 2021, inStill continues to grow. Since the program began, we’ve served more than 36,000 students and 227 schools.”
Students in kindergarten through fifth grade explore ways they can be artists in the lesson You Are an Artist! Young artists will explore their imaginations, look closely at Clyfford Still’s art, and express their ideas. Each student will receive a sketchbook to record their observations and ideas. Grades 6-12 will explore how artists communicate ideas and viewers interpret them in the lesson Art and Ideas. Teachers and students can choose from a menu of mini workshops that invite students to develop and share interpretations of Still’s art, uncover historical context, reflect on their identities and communities, and create their own artistic responses.
Additionally, the Museum’s Learning & Engagement team is developing a pre-K inStill program. Program development will begin in January 2024, with full implementation in January 2025. “After expanding inStill to grades K-3, the Museum continues our commitment to young children and their adults by extending our expansion into preschool.” said Bullard. “We hope to collaborate with young children and their educators to learn more about their interests, passions, and curiosities as we develop our program.”
Schools and teachers may request their free inStill School Programs at clyffordstillmuseum.org/instill. The Museum’s education team also encourages teachers, administrators, and school support staff interested in learning more about inStill to attend the free Teacher Open House from 6-8 p.m. on September 21. The open house is free, and registration is required.
About the Clyfford Still Museum
Designed by Allied Works Architecture to display the revolutionary art of one of the 20th century’s greatest artists, the Clyfford Still Museum opened in November 2011 in Denver’s Golden Triangle Creative District. Considered one of the most important and mysterious painters of the 20th century, Clyfford Still (1904-1980) was among the first generation of abstract expressionist artists who developed a new and powerful approach to painting in the years during and immediately after World War II. The Museum’s collection represents more than 93% of the artist’s lifetime output. As the steward of Still’s art and legacy, the Museum’s mission is to preserve, exhibit, study, and foster engagement with its unique collections; generate outstanding exhibitions, scholarly research, educational and other cross-disciplinary programs that broaden the definition of a “single-artist” museum; and be a gathering place for the exploration of innovation and individual artistic endeavor. Connect with the Clyfford Still Museum on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, or at clyffordstillmuseum.org.
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