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UCSC ArtsBridge

Program Overview

UC Santa Cruz ArtsBridge, in partnership with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education, believes creativity is pivotal to developing inspired learners and active community members. A partner in ArtsBridge America, a broad national network of 22 universities, UC Santa Cruz ArtsBridge connects University faculty and scholars with classroom teachers and diverse student populations. These hopeful, skillful, and dedicated individuals form an eclectic community with a unified purpose: to spark the creative and academic development of youth, to cultivate a new generation of teaching artists, to provide arts resources to classroom teachers, and to create change within our schools and neighborhoods to fulfill our mandate of full access to arts education for all children in our region.

Beginning in 2022, ArtsBridge works in tandem with the Santa Cruz County Office of Education to identify and place undergraduate and graduate students into K-12 (kindergarten - high school) public schools to teach an arts discipline. Students are required to apply and submit their application by the fall quarter deadline. Accepted students have generally declared their Arts major and taken several college-level courses in the subject they will teach. The program is a mode of gaining classroom experience, and those seriously considering education as a possible career path are especially encouraged to apply. 

ArtsBridge scholars receive a monetary award to supplement their work hours inside and outside the classroom. Students normally spend approximately 16-24 hours teaching over a period of 10 weeks. Students receive mentorship in classroom management and lesson planning with exposure to state standards within the arts as part of the process. UCSC students who are selected are strong students who are recommended by faculty as successful in their discipline (Visual and Digital Art, Film, Dance, Theater, Music, Creative Writing). At this time, ArtsBridge scholars will need to provide their own transportation to their host institution. 

For more information please email Faculty Director, Sarah Sanford at: artsbrid@ucsc.edu.

Apply to be an ArtsBridge Scholar!

  • LOCATION:  Santa Cruz County
  • TIMING:  Fall, Winter, Spring
  • DEADLINE TO APPLY: November 11th 2023. Early applications are strongly encouraged.
  • FACULTY RECOMMENDATION DEADLINE: November 17th 2023. 
  • OPEN TO: Arts majors interested in a career in education.

Application Process

  1. Contact two faculty members (Professors or Lecturers only; DO NOT list Teaching Assistants) about your interest in becoming an ArtsBridge Scholar.
  2. Ask them if they are willing to discuss your qualifications with ArtsBridge via this Google Form.
  3. Fill out this application to begin your application process. Selected candidates will be contacted for an interview with the director.
  4. (If placed) Confirmation that you can attend and actively participate in all mandatory ArtsBridge workshops in Winter 2024 and one mandatory celebration party held in Spring 2024.

Frequently Asked Questions

Please find a list of Frequently Asked Questions for more information.