Join Embracing Our Differences for our annual Art Intensive, a one-day professional learning experience designed specifically for visual art educators. Through engaging workshops, collaborative learning, and creative exploration, participants will discover practical strategies for using the arts to foster belonging, empathy, curiosity, and student voice in every classroom.
This year's theme, The Art of Belonging, celebrates the power of creativity to build inclusive learning communities where every student feels seen, valued, respected, and empowered to contribute.
*Participants can either receive development hours OR a participant stipend.
This Art Intensive is designed for PreK–12 visual art educators who are passionate about inspiring creativity, encouraging critical thinking, and creating classrooms where every student belongs. Teaching artists, museum educators, arts integration specialists, and creative writing educators are also encouraged to participate.
Educators from Charlotte, Hillsborough, Manatee, Pinellas, Sarasota, and surrounding Florida counties are welcome.
"Belonging is created through the stories we share, the questions we ask, and the communities we build together." - Patrick Arthur Jackson, VP of Learning and Engagement
Register for Art Intensive 2026
Every session is designed to inspire creativity, strengthen classroom practice, and provide meaningful experiences you can immediately bring back to your students.
Register for Art Intensive 2026
WorkshopsExperience engaging breakout sessions led by artists, educators, and creative practitioners exploring topics such as:
Workshop schedule below! |
Creative CommunityConnect with visual art educators from across Florida while sharing ideas, building relationships, and exploring innovative classroom practices. Breakfast, lunch, networking, and collaborative artmaking are all included. |
| Time | Session |
|---|---|
| 8:30 AM | Light Breakfast and Mix & Mingle |
| 9:00 AM | Welcome & Centering |
| 9:40 AM | Morning Workshop Sessions Pt. 1 |
| 10:45 AM | Morning Workshop Sessions Pt. 2 |
| 11:40 PM | Lunch & Networking |
| 12:10 PM | VTS and Gallery Walk Exploration |
| 1:15 PM | Afternoon Workshop Session |
| 2:10 PM | Submission Tips & Tricks/Closing Reflection |
| 3:00 PM | Open Museum Exploration |
Schedule subject to change. Detailed workshop selections will be released prior to the event.
Workshop descriptions and presenter biographies will be added as they are confirmed.
Justin Gomlak | Dir. of Education and Community Engagement (Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall)
This experiential workshop will guide participants through an arts-integrated unit of study for elementary students that connects visual thinking strategies to dance making. Participants will explore pedagogical techniques and examine the benefits of using wonder to deeply engage with art across disciplines.
Camilo Loaiza Bonilla | Eleanor Merritt Fellow (John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art)
Camilo Loaiza Bonilla leads an engaging visual poetry workshop that invites educators to explore belonging through the interplay of words and images. Participants will experiment with accessible creative techniques to turn personal reflections into visual poems they can adapt for their own classrooms.
Latonya Hicks | 6th-12th Secondary Visual Arts Coordinator (Pinellas County Schools)
Natalie Steratore | Curlew Creek Elem Art Educator, 2025 Pinellas Education Foundation Educator of the Year Nominee
What happens when we think of a classroom as something we weave rather than something we manage? In this 45–60 minute interactive workshop inspired by The Art of Belonging, educators will use reflection, dialogue, storytelling, and collaborative artmaking to explore how individual experiences can create communities where every student feels seen and valued. Participants will contribute to a collective weaving and leave with adaptable strategies for building empathy, connection, and belonging; no weaving experience is necessary.
Continue the learning beyond the Art Intensive by encouraging your students to create original artwork and quotations for submission to the 2028 Embracing Our Differences International Art Exhibition.
Presented in partnership with John & Mable Ringling Museum of Art, School District of Manatee County, Pinellas County Schools, Sarasota County Schools.
For more information, please contact:
Patrick Arthur Jackson | VP, Learning & Engagement
941-404-5710
EMAIL
