OUR  MISSION
Through its educational initiatives the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall is dedicated to deepening student learning, enhancing professional development, training teaching artists and using its resources to expand public awareness through participatory art and community programs that bring the joy and wonder of the performing arts to all ages.

The Van Wezel teaches in, through, and about the arts! We accomplish this through the following educational objectives:

TRANSFORM  the classroom through Schooltime Performances by presenting the best nationally and internationally renowned artists. We extend the classroom to the stage through these performances and create learning opportunities across all disciplines. All performances are carefully selected to correspond with the National Education Standards and The Next Generation Sunshine State Standards with educator materials and student study guides provided for each student. Through the generous support of our sponsors, tickets are an affordable $7. Bus reimbursement for public schools is provided through the Van Wezel Foundation!

FOSTER  the most important influence in the classroom, our teachers, by providing professional workshops for them to teach in, through, and about the arts. The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall in collaboration with the School Board of Sarasota County is now in its 13th year as a member of the prestigious Partners in Education Program of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Selected because of their demonstrated commitment to the arts, this Partnership provides dynamic professional development workshops presented by prominent national educators and designed to involve all areas of the curriculum, and reach all learning styles. This season our Partnership team has been awarded our 7th National Research Grant from the Kennedy Center to work within our schools documenting the impact of teaching through the arts.

EXPAND  the impact of Van Wezel’s performances through our Teaching Artist Training Program. With generous funding through the three year Dana Foundation Rural Initiative Grant, we have expanded our Teaching Artists’ workshops and artist roster and continue to lead the region in training teaching artists from all artistic fields, including theatre, music, dance, visual arts and literary arts. These Teaching Artists partner with classroom teachers, planning and delivering and assessing together using arts integration: ‘through an approach to teaching in which students construct and demonstrate understanding through an arts modality. Students engage in a creative process which connects an art form and another subject area and meets in-depth objectives in both.’ (The working definition from the Kennedy Center’s Seminar, Laying A Foundation: Defining Arts Integration, 2008.)

ENGAGE  in up-close artist discussions with pre and post mainstage performance ‘Curtain Calls’, learn from the artists through masterclasses, internships, in-classroom artist workshops, and dynamic beyond the glass door residencies and community engagement programs in community centers, outdoor public settings, and senior homes.

DELIGHT  children of all ages and come with your family to our Boar's Head Family Series which includes Saturday Morning Performances for Kids and other mainstage performances.

ADVOCATE   for the arts in our community through our partnerships with the Sarasota County School Board, the Sarasota County Arts Council, the Arts Council of Manatee County, C/Spa; Community and Schools Partnership for the Arts, the Education Channel of Sarasota County School Board, International Performances for Young Audiences, ACE/FAAE: Arts for a Complete Education/Florida Alliance for Arts Education, and countless artists, individuals and organizations who together through partnerships make our community more extraordinary and more connected!