ArtsECO stands for Arts Education/Community Ecosystem. Centered in UWM’s Peck School of the Arts Department of Art & Design, it develops teachers as change-makers. ArtsECO is backed by a strong and sustainable community of arts organizations, nonprofits and K-16 school partnerships.
We recruit and develop thoughtfully engaged, social justice-oriented pre-service teachers and support them as they grow into inspired mentors who integrate the arts into the classroom. We also develop teachers’ abilities to leverage and share the rich assets of Milwaukee and Southeastern Wisconsin.
Arts Education & Community ECOsystem
Current Educators
Teacher MeetUps
Teacher MeetUps are professional development and networking opportunities for Milwaukee area teachers who teach or are interested in teaching through the arts. They are open to any educator, and no prior experience is needed. Each MeetUp has a different focus and includes artistic instruction, opportunities to meet/network with other educators and time for teachers to make art.
Innovative Educators Institute
ArtsECO Teacher Links
Becoming a Licensed Art Teacher
Connecting with Art & Nature
Standards
Teaching Social Justice
Teaching with Contemporary Art
National Arts Education & Integration Resources
- Kennedy Arts Integration Resources
- Annenberg Learner
- The Art of Education
- Smithsonian Educator Resources
Visual Literacy Resources
Future Educators
Paid College Internships
The ArtsECO Internship program is for UW-Milwaukee Art Education and School of Education students interested in teaching in and through the arts. Students are paired with an arts organization/program for a semester-long paid experience in art and community-based education. Internships range from teaching/teaching assistance to museum/gallery education, art installation/archiving and arts administration. ArtsECO Interns attend mandatory orientation, training and debrief sessions before and after their semester of internship.
Fellowship Application & Requirements
Categories
- New Students: Incoming freshman or post-baccalaureate students with a declared or intended major of Art Education. Incoming freshman may also complete the Art & Design portfolio submission form found on the scholarships and aid page.
- Pre-Service Art Education: Students who have fully declared art education as their major and are beginning the art education coursework sequence.
- Art Ed Student Teachers: Art education seniors during their student teaching semesters.
- Art Teacher Certification Cohort (ATCC) OR Part-Time UWM/Part-Time MPS: Full and part-time teachers working in MPS while pursuing licensure at UWM.
- School of Education Art Integration: School of education students with a strong interest in arts integration.
Requirements
- Attend a fellows orientation during the spring semester of award notification and at least two ArtsECO meetups during the year of their fellowship.
- Volunteer 5 hours in an ArtsECO-affiliated art education program*.
- Enroll in UWM Art, Art Education, or School of Education coursework over the fellowship year.
- Submit an art or art-integrated lesson to the annual ArtsECO Lesson Swap and present at the Annual ArtsECO fellows reception (January of fellowship year).
*Volunteer opportunities include the ArtsECO Pre-College program, the annual WAEA Visioneer’s Design Challenge and the Milwaukee Visionaries Project, among others.
Apply
Applications consist of a two-part process and are accepted from Dec. 15 to Feb. 15 each year.
- Complete the ArtsECO Fellows Intent to Apply Form.
- Complete or update your profile on the UWM Scholarship Portal.
Young Artists & High School Students
ArtsECO Pre-College Art & Design Program
2025 Art & Design Pre-College Summer Programs
3D Art Processes | July 7–18, 9 a.m.–Noon | $299
- WEEK 1 (July 7–11) Pulp, Pull, Press, Print—Creative Papermaking with Raoul Deal – Participants will explore the history and techniques of papermaking, learn how to create paper pulp from cloth and natural fibers and make sheets of paper with lamination, stenciling, pulp printing, and pulp-painting processes. There will be opportunities to work in both two and three dimensions.
- WEEK 2 (July 14–18) Sculptural Form with Mary Roley – Students will learn the fundamentals of good form through ideation and material manipulation. Over the week, they will produce expressive individual and collaborative sculptural works.
2D Art Processes | July 7–18, 1–4 p.m. | $299
- WEEK 1 (July 7–11) Digital Photography with Jorge Escobar – This course explores photography as an art form. Students learn how to construct images using compositional techniques and further edit images through Adobe Photoshop. Several different forms of the medium will be explored, such as portraiture, still life, studio lighting, etc. Through artist lectures, students will begin to develop a language for speaking about photography and develop their creative voice. By the end of the course, students will have developed a portfolio of images that highlight their blossoming photographic eye.
- WEEK 2 (July 14–18) Mixed Media Collage with Angie Piehl – This course explores collage through a range of techniques and materials. Students will work in a variety of mediums to create a unique portfolio of works by layering collage applications with drawing, painting, and other mixed media. Students will express their voices using contemporary art concepts and applications.
DPI Scholarships
ArtsECO partners with the Department of Public Instruction to offer scholarships to students who qualify for free or reduced school lunches. To apply, complete the form and have it certified by your school principal or the director of the school lunch program. *Please note that students are eligible for up to three DPI scholarships per year. the 2D and 3D classes utilize one scholarship each.
DPI Scholarship Application (PDF)
Experimental Drop-in Studio and Creative Campus lunch sessions
Students can access our Experimental Drop-in Studio and Creative Campus lunch sessions to make the most of their Pre-College experience. Join ArtsECO UWM Interns for hands-on projects and opportunities to tour UWM’s creative spaces and learn more about career-connected opportunities on campus.
Paid High School Internships
Milwaukee Visionaries Project
Milwaukee Visionaries Project (MVP) gives Milwaukee-area middle and high school students a chance to tell their stories through video and animation. Participants use industry-standard professional tools to create films that are submitted to the Milwaukee film festival each year. MVP has had several award-winning films featured in the Milwaukee Film Festival!
Students meet on Thursdays evenings during the school year. Contact milwaukee.visionaries.project@gmail.com if interested.
Connect with us!
We’d love to hear from you. Email us at artseco-admin@uwm.edu for all questions, comments or connections.
If you’re a current UWM student interested in joining our community of engaged student organizations, check out TEACH – Art Educators for Social Justice.
