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INNOVATORS

Each year, the ITAC Think Tank Innovators program invites proposals for field-building projects from within our international community. The goal of the program is to identify gaps in our sector as identified by Teaching Artists (either in terms of resources, knowledge, or practice) and then offer a way to address them, with the support and collaboration of an international working group.

Students holding hands in a circle on top of a hill. They are facing towards the outside view.
Innovator

Innovator-Created Resources

A promotional graphic titled “Action Research Handbook for Teaching Artists” featuring José Ángel Salazar Marín. The graphic includes a photo of José Ángel Salazar Marín, a man with short curly hair, against a light background. The design is framed with a colorful triangular border, and there is a secondary image on the right with the text “Action Research Handbook for Teaching Artists” on a colorful background.

The Academy for Impact through Music sponsored and ITAC produced this Action Research Handbook, a valuable resource for teaching artists to enhance their practice and impact. The user-friendly guide helps teaching artists identify challenges, develop improvement strategies, design and implement experiments, collect and analyze data, and refine their approach. With real-world examples spanning diverse art forms, the handbook shows how action research can invigorate teaching, benefit students, and empower teaching artists as leaders, helping them professionalize their practice, engage stakeholders, and contribute to the recognition of teaching artistry's powerful impact.

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A promotional graphic titled “Toolkit for Nonverbal Teaching Artistry” featuring Becky Baumwoll. The graphic includes a photo of Becky Baumwoll, a woman with short brown hair, against a light background. The design is framed with a colorful triangular border, and there is a secondary image on the right showing a group of people with their hands raised, alongside the text “Nonverbal Teaching Artistry Toolkit.”

This open-source digital toolkit was commissioned by ITAC through their ITAC Innovators initiative. In 2021, NYC-based teaching artist Becky Baumwoll proposed creating this toolkit as a response to how nonverbal teaching artistry had emerged as a source of inspiration in her work. After sharing the idea with her ITAC peers, the desire for this toolkit was clear! Becky and her collaborating colleagues hope that this may serve as a meaningful, practical, and accessible resource to you.

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A promotional graphic titled “Anti-Racist Practice for Teaching Artists” featuring Rachel Jacobs, Karla Estela Rivera, and Rachel Dwyre. The graphic includes photos of the three women, each in a circular frame, against a light background. The design is framed with a colorful triangular border, and there is a secondary image on the right with the text “A Guide to Anti-Racist Practice for Teaching Artists” on a black and white background.

ITAC Innovators Rachael Jacobs, Karla Estela Rivera & Rachael Dwyer developed this guide to assist teaching-artists to begin or continue their journey towards anti-racist practice. In this resource, we propose a set of guiding principles that we suggest can underpin anti-racist practice for teaching artists. There are self-reflection exercises that can assist on this journey and an important list of reading materials that can be effective if you’d like to do more.

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A promotional graphic titled “Teaching Artistry and Social Media” featuring Claudia García. The graphic includes a photo of Claudia García, a woman with long dark hair, against a light background. The design is framed with a colorful triangular border, and there is a secondary image on the right showing the text “Teaching Artists & Social Media” in vibrant colors.

Introducing an invaluable new resource created by Claudia García as part of her ITAC Innovator project. Claudia, a renowned Colombian bassist and arts administrator, has designed the Teaching Artists and Social Media guide and accompanying handbook. These resources are meticulously crafted to be comprehensive and user-friendly, offering essential tools and insights for teaching artists navigating the digital landscape.

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