FARE Curricula

Museum of Contemporary Art, North Miami
Women on the Rise!
FOR GRADES 5 and Beyond

Workshops and guides that introduce contemporary women artists as role models to promote self-esteem and critical thinking.

For Those Teaching the Following Topics:
Gender Roles
Ideals of Beauty
Beauty Image
Overcoming trauma
Analysis of mass media
Stereotypes
Victimization and power

Materials Provided:
Educator guides with detailed, step-by-step instructions
including discussion suggestions
Handouts for students
Links to sites with images of the artist’s works
Listings of books and films on artists
Listing of applicable National Visual Arts Standards

Workshop Process:
Each two-hour workshop focuses on the work of a different woman artist. The lesson begins with the class reading a handout with a brief summary about the artist’s life and practice. After the class has read the handout and the instructor poses follow-up questions to students (or responds to their inquiries) images of the artist’s work are displayed and the instructor poses questions to the class to generate discussion. In some lessons, the discussion of the artist’s work is followed by a creative writing exercise. The remainder of the workshop period is dedicated to executing a hands-on art project inspired by the artist’s practice. After projects have been completed the instructor leads students in a discussion of how they approached the creation of their works.

History: The Feminist Art Project is partnering with the Museum of Contemporary Art – North Miami (MOCA) to provide these online resources based on the nationally acclaimed Women on the Rise! program. MOCA launched this unique outreach program in 2004 in response to the need for arts programs for teen girls in alternative schools, rehabilitation centers, and the Miami-Dade County Juvenile Detention Center. Women on the Rise! is a series of workshops in art and art history that present contemporary women artists as role models to promote self-esteem and critical thinking.

The program is conducted on-site at partnering institutions and the Museum provides transportation for students to view exhibitions of work by women artists at cultural venues throughout the community. The majority of students served by the program have never learned about women artists or contemporary art. Most have never visited a museum or participated in an art class since elementary school. Program activities and materials are designed for students with minimal to no previous art or art history instruction.

Read the NY Times article about Women on the Rise!

The Feminist Art Project gives special thanks to the education staff of The Museum of Contemporary Art – North Miami and Bonnie Clearwater for making these educational materials available for publication. Special thanks to Jillian Hernandez for her authorship, hard work and commitment to this project. © Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami