Friday March 29, 2024
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Kentucky students are much more media literate than they are given credit for, said Bighill media artist Bob Martin. Martin is a teaching artist in the media arts category in the Kentucky Arts Council’s adjudicated Teaching Artists Directory.

“They want to be witnessed. They have a lot to offer regarding how they see our society,” Martin said. “Just about every young person has a camera in their pocket. Storytelling through social media is a wonderful opportunity to engage them.”

Those opportunities will become plentiful with more media artists to share their knowledge and experience, he said. To achieve that, the arts council is looking for media artists to add to the council’s Teaching Artists Directory.

“Media, by definition, is the plural of medium, and it’s through using multiple media that are evolving, adapting and unfolding that we get our stories across,” Martin said. “It’s up to us to fill the need of students for media art instruction, and help young people engage critically with art through media.”

Martin, who works regionally in theater and film, has been a teaching artist in the directory for about three years. Bringing media arts lessons to Kentucky students through the residencies offered through the arts council’s Teaching Art Together program is a source of satisfaction for him, and he said he thinks his fellow media artists will find the same level of fulfillment.

“I believe in the state creating spaces for artists to be able to make a difference in their communities as performing or teaching artists,” Martin said. “It’s a valuable use of state resources to say we value artmaking, creation and creative visioning as an investment strategy. I appreciate participating in that.”

The application deadline for the Teaching Artists Directory is April 13.

For more information or to apply, visit the Teaching Artists Directory program page of the arts council website, or contact Jean St. John, arts council education director, at jean.stjohn@ky.gov or 502-892-3124.

The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, fosters environments for Kentuckians to value, participate in and benefit from the arts. Kentucky Arts Council funding is provided by the Kentucky General Assembly and the National Endowment for the Arts.

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