As this session was participatory and collaborative in nature, participants reflected on their own partnership experiences to create “action steps” and respond to their peers. The overall goal was to empower Teaching Artists (TAs) around the world to take the lead in creating new, innovative partnerships that can enhance their work and advance the presence and effectiveness of STEAM programs.

Following the Think Tank, participants were invited to join a working group to consider the following:

Historically, Teaching Artists have been expected to wait for educators and administrators to initiate partnerships and residencies with pre-established goals. However, as professional creatives, we can “flip” this arrangement to create more powerful and innovative projects and programs—similar to a theater set designer creating a set before a script is written.

This working group will pilot, document, and report on ways in which Teaching Artists can become leaders in establishing unusual or unconventional partnerships. The format of the culminating resource will depend on the group’s preference, but it will be made freely available online via the ITAC website, with the aim of encouraging more TAs to be bold in their approach to cross-disciplinary work.