FSU programs plan to join with Ringling programs in a variety of areas of art and cultural education to bring rich, comprehensive learning experiences that would distinguish the Ringling as a leader in education on all levels. One of the most obvious opportunities to ensure that Ringling is a statewide resource is to expand its public outreach, beginning with young people in grades K-12.

Art Education

Related Links: Historical Administration & Public History Department of Art Education

The Department of Art Education at FSU, known for its teacher preparation and research programs, also includes museum-related study and practice. Students and faculty in Art Administration, Art Therapy, and Museum Education plan to work with Ringling staff to foster scholarly pursuits and enhance Ringling education programs. The collaboration holds the potential to develop expanded on-site and outreaches programs for area youth, adults and seniors as well as adaptive programming for special audiences. FSU has the only art therapy program in the state and one of only a handful of programs that offer a Ph.D. in Art Therapy. One of FSU’s faculty members is the president of the American Art Therapy Association.

The Art Education Department frequently invites museum-associated professionals for visiting posts and will share visiting experts with the Ringling audience. The department may join with the Ringling to administer new specially designed programs such as "The State of Kids Art," an art education outreach combining forces from Art Education and the Florida Institute for Art Education with Ringling Museum education staff. The State of Kids Art is designed to encourage mainstream and special needs children to learn and create through art. This program, if funded, will enable children to achieve academic goals as they master art techniques, with their work culminating in children’s art exhibitions at area schools, other public buildings and at the Ringling Museum.

The Florida Institute for Art Education (FIAE)

FSU's Department of Art Education is the home of the Florida Institute for Art Education (FIAE). For many years, art educators from the university have enjoyed a close relationship with the Ringling and other museums across the state in offering summer institutes for teachers of grades K-12 in all subject areas. Supported by the Getty Education Institute, Annenberg Foundation and the Jessie Ball duPont Foundation, the FIAE has made an impact on a large number of school children as it focuses on the importance of the arts in all areas of education. Fully one-third of all school districts in the state of Florida have been involved in FIAE's efforts at comprehensive art education, including districts in the Sarasota area. FIAE, which is part of the National Arts Education Consortium and its national project "Transforming Education Through the Arts," combines art education and whole school reform in 35 partner schools throughout the United States.

FIAE works closely with six partner schools in Florida (Lake City, Williston, Fort Pierce, and Tallahassee). This effort was recently praised by the U.S. Dept. of Education as one of three national programs that are effective in enhancing education. The FIAE program received high marks for its professional development strategies, its technical assistance to schools, teachers and administrators, and its partnerships within communities -- including with museums. The Florida State University-Ringling collaboration can provide an excellent opportunity to expand the power of education through the arts, affecting greater numbers of K-12 students.

Arts and Community Practice

In addition to the FIAE, Art Education at FSU has initiated an interdisciplinary program, "Arts and Community Practice," along with the Department of Dance and the School of Social Work. This program applies the arts to community development with particular attention to prevention, enrichment and response to social concerns. With appropriate funding, the program can be extended to involve the Ringling and Sarasota.

Continuing Education for Museum Visitors

A wide range of courses, interactive museum programs and docent tours can be developed, with appropriate funding, from relevant FSU disciplines. For instance, the Department of Interior Design offers courses on historical preservation, the history of interiors and the history of decorative arts in Tallahassee. Interior Design faculty members and students have an interest in studying and interpreting the Ringling’s vast decorative arts collection and period rooms, both those at Ca' d'Zan and from the Astor mansion, for the purpose of bringing to life these important historical landmarks for the Ringling audience. This is but one example of the potential for collaborative programs that could serve the public in Sarasota.