AUGUSTA — The Maine Arts Commission’s Maine Arts Leadership Initiative will offer a one-day summer professional development intensive specifically geared toward Maine teaching artists, and/or those artists who would like to expand their work to PK-12 teaching.

The event is set for 8 a.m.-4 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 10, at the University of Southern Maine. The intensive is part of MALI’s summer institute for PK-12 arts teachers that continues Aug. 11-12.

The day-long session will focus in depth on the role of the teaching artist in the K-12 classroom, and the relationship between the K-12 arts educator and the teaching artist, and will include structured networking with more than 50 PK-12 Visual and Performing Arts teachers from throughout Maine.

“We recognize the great learning value of Maine’s incredible population of artists,” said Argy Nestor, Director of Arts Education for the Maine Arts Commission, in a news release from the commission, “and have as a goal the establishment of more high quality K-12 artist-in-residence programs.”

The day’s workshops are designed specifically for the needs of Teaching Artists, and will include separate sessions on topics including how to get funding to support residencies; best practices for Teaching Artists; Maine Learning standards; assessment skills and tools; advocacy; and more.

The day also will include ongoing opportunities for teaching artists to connect with and engage collaboratively with PK-12 visual and performing arts teachers from Maine schools—often the first step toward establishing a residency.

Registration includes morning coffee/tea, lunch and afternoon snacks. To register and review workshop offerings, visit goo.gl/forms/DwUebVc0Ys7aiBmH2.

For more information, about the Maine Arts Commission teaching artist program and roster, and other PK-12 arts education programs visit mainearts.maine.gov or contact Argy Nestor at argy.nestor@maine.gov or 287-2713.