Intergenerational Arts
ESTA's Intergenerational Arts approach uses civic engagement programs that focus on the transmission of story from one generation to the next. The partnership between an educational institution or a youth-service provider (including public and private schools, community centers, settlement houses) and an elder service provider (including senior centers, libraries, museums) is fundamental to Intergenerational Arts. Through this intergenerational exchange the students engage in interdisciplinary and curriculum-based analysis that enriches their social consciousness and their capacity for creative expression.
ESTA's Intergenerational Arts programs integrate life history with art making through the course of four to twenty-eight sessions, to build a sense of community between elders and youth. Using theater arts, visual arts, storytelling, and writing, students and elders work together on an art project based on life histories. Working together, they determine the content that will appear in the final project and collectively decide how to best express it. Through art making and community building, elders and youth learn about each other's respective cultures and traditions, forming meaningful relationships.
ESTA's Intergenerational Arts programs follow New York State's Common Core Standards as well as its arts and education requirements. Students can benefit academically from the program by receiving class credit and professional development experience.