THE ACI EDUCATION PROGRAM

Bringing Canadian Art and its Histories into Every Canadian Classroom
Established in 2019, the ACI Education Program allows educators to delve into cross-curricular teaching, and to explore a vast range of subjects and topics—from the visual arts to STEM—through the inspiring lens of Canadian art. Regardless of subject expertise or visual arts experience, every educator will find useful connections in the program’s offerings.

The program was launched in close consultation with a team of education advisors from across the country, including Dr. Peter Vietgen, Associate Professor of Visual Arts Education, Brock University; Dr. Hsiao-Cheng (Sandrine) Han, Assistant Professor, Faculty of Education, University of British Columbia; and Dr. Joanna Black, Associate Professor of Art Education, University of Manitoba.

Teacher Guides for In-Class Learning
Written by experts, reviewed by teachers, and created in close collaboration with cultural advisors, our Teacher Resource Guides are available for free in both English and French, and include step-by-step lesson plans, suggestions for classroom activities, individual and group assignments, and a ready-to-download PowerPoint slide deck.

Developed in accordance with national education recommendations, these open-access, in-class teaching guides explore the work of artists from coast to coast; examine curriculum connections in Geography, History, Math, Social Studies, and STEM; and cover the topics that matter most, including Truth and Reconciliation; Climate Change and Environmental Sciences; Human Rights in Canada; and Women who Lead.

View our complete collection of Teacher Resource Guides, available in French and English, for free.

Annual Student Art Challenge
With an eye to celebrating the next generation of artists in Canada, each year the Canadian Art Inspiration Student Challenge invites students in Grades 7 through 12 to showcase their talents and submit original artworks with accompanying artist statements inspired by leaders in Canadian art.

Visual Art teachers are invited to integrate the Student Challenge into their classroom curricula, and to explore the 10 inspiring art projects published annually in a bespoke creativity booklet designed for educators.

Cash prizes of $500 for first place winners and $250 for honorable mentions are awarded to students in Grades 7-9 and Grades 10-12, and all finalists have their artwork showcased in a national online exhibition hosted on ACI’s website.

Read more about the 2023-2024 challenge details and apply.

Independent Student Learning Activities for Online and At-Home Learning
Developed for at-home learning, ACI’s Independent Student Learning Activities can be distributed directly to students to support both synchronous and asynchronous online learning. These student-facing resources include step-by-step activity guidelines, biographical handouts, images, and videos.

Explore our selection of Independent Student Learning Activities.

Education Newsletter: Classroom-Ready Content for Teachers
Published on a monthly basis in both English and French, ACI’s Education Newsletter is written with teachers top-of-mind, and covers the topics that matter most. Educators can explore newly released Teacher Resource Guides, learn more about classroom-friendly Canadian artworks, and stay up-to-date on exciting student challenge announcements.

Sign up below to join our readership of teachers and educators across Canada.

THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS
The Canadian Schools Art Education Program has been made possible thanks to the support of the following lead benefactors who have generously funded this initiative: