Education

516 ARTS offers free educational programs in dialogue with our mission core values: inquiry, diversity, collaboration, and accessibility. We do this by: providing free programs that focus on communication, inspiring curiosity, dialogue, and creative experimentation for learned-centered experiences with art; presenting artists and art practices from a variety of background to diverse audiences and learning communities in the region; collaborating with other organizations, institutions, and individuals to create meaningful opportunities for learning and engagement; and working to ensure that everyone has access to the transformative power of art.

Our education program activities include providing arts education resources to K-12 through college educators and students, such as curriculum materials, talks, and workshops with contemporary artists, projects related to our exhibition themes, and STEAM education activities. We offer professional development for teachers, partnerships with schools, guided exhibition tours with interactive discussions, and environmental education activities.

We provide tools, experiences, and opport­unities that young creatives need in order to find and strengthen their voice and passion for the arts. Our education program is currently working closely with public education institutions like Siembra Leadership Charter School and Lew Wallace Elementary School, through Albuquerque Public Schools, to provide these opportunities.

516 ARTS BRIDGES PROGRAM

516 ARTS believes that connecting young minds to contemporary art is essential in encouraging students to develop creative and critical thinking skills through finding their own individual creative voice. 516 BRIDGES is a program rooted in collaboration, intended to build bridges between educational institutions, students and arts professionals, across generational, economic, experiential and sociological divides.

Lew Wallace Elementary students work with artist Nazario Sandoval to brainstorm ideas for a mural project on campus.

In tandem with the 2025 exhibit New Tableau: Experiments in Photography, students in the 516 ARTS Bridges program collaborated with artist Margarita Paz Pedro on a project applying photography onto pottery.

In response to the 2025 Soundings exhibition, UNM students collaborated with Amy Biehl High School students on a multimedia project exploring self discovery through art.

Student Exhibitions

Featured locations include Little Bear Coffee and Castle Coffee 2024-2026.

Educational Resources

Our Online Resources provide meaningful online educational experiences for students, educators, and individuals who don’t have access to our in-person programs.

Exhibition tours for students, teachers, and community groups.

We offer volunteer opportunities and internship programs. Click here to see what student work with 516 ARTS can look like.

Join our teacher mailing list to receive information about upcoming programs.