The North Dakota Council on the Arts’ FY26 Artist in Residence (AIR) program brought vibrant arts experiences to students and communities across the state, supporting creativity, confidence, and connection through hands-on learning. From visual arts and music to filmmaking, poetry, and theatre, these residencies responded to locally identified needs and reflected a distinctly North Dakota commitment to investing in young people, supporting communities, and ensuring that meaningful educational opportunities are not limited by geography.
A Broad Range of Artistic Disciplines and Community Impact
Visual Arts: Rural schools without dedicated art teachers benefited from monthly sessions led by professional artists. Students explored painting, printmaking, mosaics, clay, and collaborative projects, building foundational skills, creative confidence, and resourcefulness. At Mott-Regent Public School, Myra Klein-Olson introduced students to scratch art, acrylic painting, mosaics, and spin art, culminating in a community exhibition. Maple River Colony students within the Ellendale district experienced soft pastels, gelli printmaking, and watercolor for the first time through Jamie Eberle’s residency.
Music Education: Residencies with professional musicians introduced students to improvisation, storytelling, and ensemble performance. Students learned to express themselves musically, listen to one another, and work toward shared goals, culminating in public performances that brought families and communities together. At Kensal Public School, Mark Reeves helped rebuild the school’s music program through 17 weeks of hands-on instruction. David Snyder’s improvisation workshops at Wyndmere Elementary and L.E. Berger Elementary energized hundreds of students and sparked new interest in music-making.
Performing Arts and Theatre: Missoula Children’s Theatre residencies offered intensive, week-long theatre education. Students auditioned, rehearsed, and performed full productions, developing acting skills, teamwork, perseverance, and stage presence. Dickinson Catholic Schools produced Alice in Wonderland in just five days, while Hankinson Public School brought together students across grade levels for performances that filled the auditorium with families and community members. These experiences demonstrated what students can accomplish when schools, artists, families, and communities work together.
Media Arts and Filmmaking: Schools partnered with NDStrong’s Film Dudes to create original films and trailers. Students learned acting, scriptwriting, camera operation, and editing, strengthening media literacy, communication, and teamwork. Lewis & Clark Elementary in Minot created original movie trailers, Northern Cass High School produced films focused on school attendance, and Roosevelt Public School students planned and filmed scenes showcased at community events. These projects encouraged students to use contemporary tools to tell meaningful stories rooted in their own schools and communities.
Literary Arts and Poetry: Kindred Area Arts Partnership’s Young Poets program, led by Anna Paige, encouraged students to write, revise, and publish original poetry. The residency fostered empathy, confidence, reflection, and public speaking skills, culminating in a published anthology and celebratory readings for families. By helping students recognize the value of their individual voices and experiences, the program strengthened both personal expression and community connection.
Meeting Students Where They Are
Residencies were designed so students with a wide range of learning styles, physical needs, and levels of prior arts experience could participate successfully. Artists and educators adjusted instruction when needed and provided multiple ways for students to engage with the projects. Several programs offered headphones for students sensitive to sound, mobility lifts, and alternative settings for students who worked best in quieter environments.
This thoughtful and practical approach reflects the North Dakota value of caring for one another and recognizing that every student should have a meaningful opportunity to learn, create, and contribute.
Community Engagement and Lasting Legacy
Public exhibitions, performances, readings, and community art projects strengthened connections among schools, families, and local residents. Many residencies resulted in permanent installations, published anthologies, renewed school arts programming, or continued interest in creative learning.
These outcomes extended the impact of the residencies beyond individual classrooms. They celebrated students’ accomplishments, drew communities together, and demonstrated how local partnerships and shared investment can create lasting opportunities for young people.
Notable Outcomes
- Students discovered new strengths and interests, often finding confidence, purpose, and belonging through creative expression.
- Teachers gained practical strategies for integrating the arts into the broader curriculum.
- Families and community members celebrated student accomplishments, reinforcing the value of arts learning.
- Schools expanded access to professional arts instruction, particularly in rural communities and areas without dedicated arts educators.
- Students practiced collaboration, perseverance, problem-solving, and resourcefulness which are skills that support success in school, work, and community life.
The FY26 AIR projects demonstrate North Dakota’s commitment to expanding arts access, investing in young people, and strengthening communities through meaningful and engaging arts education. By bringing professional artists directly into schools and communities, the program ensures that students throughout the state, regardless of geography, have opportunities to create, collaborate, and discover their own strengths.
“The Artist in Residence program reflects some of North Dakota’s strongest values: supporting our neighbors, investing in young people, making the most of local resources, and ensuring that opportunity is not limited by geography. By bringing professional artists directly into schools and communities, especially in rural areas where access to arts learning may be limited, AIR gives students meaningful opportunities to create, collaborate, and discover their own strengths. These experiences build confidence, curiosity, connection, and belonging while strengthening schools and bringing families and communities together. In that way, the program supports the resilient, creative, and community-minded spirit of North Dakota.”
- Matthew B. Anderson, Director of Learning and Partnerships, North Dakota Council on the Arts