Summer professional development for K-12 teachers and teaching artists. Participants expand and deepen their practice of arts integration with multi-disciplinary hands-on workshops.

This full day of activities encourages participants to create, present, respond, and connect. The program aligns with Delaware Common Core and Standards for Visual and Performing Arts. Participants will also have a culminating Focal Art experience and receive credit for professional development. Traditionally, offered in northern and southern Delaware in partnership with the Department of Education and the Delaware Division of the Arts.
“One of the most useful, meaningful PD days I’ve ever experienced today from the DiAE with a full day of visual art, music, drama and writing immersion to study the Japanese internment camps of World War 2, with a performance by Distant Voices [Touring] Theater with Julie Hiromi. This timely and powerful piece engages the audience with the diaries of Julie’s father, Hiroaki Nishiura. I think the biggest surprise to me was how personally meaningful these exercises became. Because of how we told stories about our own history, I was really emotional and created art that really made me feel more connected to my family and ancestors in a way I never had before. I went in thinking I would learn some techniques for the students, which I did, but I left realizing how arts integration can actually create more meaning in your life.”
~Noelle Picara, Kuumba Academy Charter School, Arts-Integration Specialist


“I really liked how the activities built up to a culmination with only snippets of information provided along the way. The sense of mystery kept me curious and interested. I think this is a great strategy to use with students.”
~Lisa Cherivtch, Levels & Layers Seaford Middle School
“Excellent sequence and unfolding of connections via assorted approaches. The kind of enrichment that I experienced in many DIAE summer sessions. Distant voices relevant to today’s news or Holocaust. Moving lots of connection avenues!”
~Laurie Goodwin-Phillips, Teaching Artist
LOOK FOR RETURN OF LEVELS & LAYERS IN SUMMER 2022!

The Levels and Layers program is supported in part by the State of Delaware, and the Delaware Division of the Arts in partnership with the National Endowment of the Arts. Typically this program requires a contribution from the school or school district. Factors in determining the cost of a workshop are the length of the workshop and the number of teaching artists required to lead the workshop.