Photo: Timothy O’Connell

Before the new school year begins, we’re looking back with gratitude on another inspiring Art21 Educators Summer Institute.

This year, we welcomed another incredible group of educators from across the country and around the world representing nearly every grade level and school setting. Together, they spent a week learning, creating, and building a community that will continue to shape classrooms long after summer ends.

Photo: Timothy O’Connell

The week was filled with presentations led by Art21 Educators alumni, who explored topics ranging from collaboration and the design process to mindfulness and materialism. Each session showcased innovative ways to use Art21 resources in meaningful, classroom-ready lessons, offering fresh ideas to carry into the school year.

One of the greatest joys of the week was making art alongside so many passionate teachers. An Art21 Educators alumnus, Maria Bilske, guided us through experimenting with pigment-making, transforming our space into a lively laboratory of botanicals. Another memorable highlight was a community quilt project led by one of our mentors, Kimberly Meyers-Baas, reminding us of the power of collective creativity and how coming together to make art in response to challenging moments is a timeless healing tool.

Photo: Timothy O’Connell

A visit to the Studio Museum in Harlem gave us the chance to experience contemporary art in real time together and spot all of the Art21 artists featured through the museum. It was a gift to be at such a monumental landmark with a special group. 

Throughout the week, we were also fortunate to spend time with Art21 featured artists Kameelah Janan Rasheed and Paul Pfeiffer. Rasheed challenged us to think deeply about language, our relationship to text, and the role of noise in our daily lives. We closed the Summer Institute with Pfeiffer, who generously shared his perspective on spectacle, sports, and culture, leaving us with new ways of seeing the world around us.

Photo: Timothy O’Connell

As summer comes to a close, we are thankful for the thoughtfulness, creativity, and openness of everyone who made this year’s Summer Institute so memorable. We can’t wait to see how these educators bring new ideas, meaningful conversations, and exploration into their classrooms this fall. 

Here’s to a wonderful school year ahead!

Watch the Playlist of films featured at the 2026 Summer Institute.