K-12 Programs

Spark your imagination with art!

The Blanton provides engaging, interactive, and inquiry-based tours for K-12 students. From focused explorations of regional artistic trends to tours that tie special exhibitions to broader themes, our tour offerings encourage students to draw connections between their lives and the world around them. Tours at the Blanton reinforce classroom objectives in art, as well as social studies, language arts, mathematics, and science, and are designed to support TEKS objectives.

Schools in Austin ISD, Del Valle ISD, Hay Consolidated ISD, and Manor ISD that demonstrate financial need are eligible for the Blanton Art Access program, which seeks to increase K-12 student access to the museum by offering funding for transportation and tour fees on a first-come, first-served basis. To learn more about this opportunity, email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)

Special Exhibition Tours

School Tours

Self-guided Visits

The Blanton offers self-guided resources to assist teachers as they plan, develop, and lead their own group tour.

Art & Relationships: Considers how interpersonal relationships, personal connections, and human interactions are expressed in a range of works of art from the museum’s collection. Recommended for 4th-6th grade.

Art & Identity: Investigates issues of identity and self-definition by having students closely observe and discuss objects from the Blanton collection. Recommended for 7th-9th grade.

Scheduling Your Tour

To schedule a tour, please fill out our online form at least three weeks in advance.

Preparing for Your Tour

 

Art Central Program

The Art Central Program allows 4th and 5th grade students to visit the museum four times during the school year in order to foster a deep engagement with works of art. The program introduces and reinforces description, analysis, and interpretation of art through inquiry-based discussion and writing activities, and teaches students about museum careers.

The program's four lessons are: Discovering the Museum, Exploring Art, Making Meaning, and Pulling It All Together. Pre- and post-visit lessons are taught by participating teachers to reinforce ideas explored during museum visits. Teachers in the program receive free transportation and admission for their Art Central students, as well as teacher training and resources to implement the program. Space in the program is limited and by application only.

For more information about Art Central, please contact Jennifer Garner at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) or (512) 471-3564. For teachers in the program, schedule your Art Central visits online.

 

Teacher Professional Development and Resources

 


Support for K-12 education programs at the Blanton is provided by the Burdine Johnson Foundation, the Lowe Foundation, The Campbell Foundation, the Kinder Morgan Foundation, Tokyo Electron, a grant from the Texas Commission on the Arts, and by an anonymous donor.

Texas Commission on the Arts

 

Additional support is provided by The Brown Foundation Inc. Education Endowment and the Burdine Johnson Foundation Education Endowment.

 


K–12 Programs

University Programs

Symposia

Artist–in–Residence

Past Residencies

Special Project: Creative Time