VISUAL ARTS BECOMES AN INTEGRATED PART OF THE SCHOOL DAY ACROSS ALL FOUR PARK CITY ELEMENTARY SCHOOLS

September 16, 2026

Kimball Art Center and Park City School District expand their partnership, building on more than a decade of Elementary Visual Arts education.

PARK CITY, Utah | September 16, 2026, A new chapter for arts education is underway in Park City. Beginning with the 2026/2027 school year, visual arts is becoming an integrated, standards-aligned part of the academic schedule at all four Park City School District elementary schools.

The transition builds on Elementary Visual Arts (EVA), a 13-year program developed by Kimball Art Center and Park City Education Foundation (PCEF) to bring high-quality visual arts education to local students. Under a new strategic institutional partnership, Park City School District now employs four full-time, licensed and endorsed visual arts educators through the Beverly Taylor Sorenson Arts Learning Program (BTS Arts), while Kimball Art Center expands its role as the district’s primary institutional arts partner and a subject-matter expert in integrated arts learning.

Arts integration intentionally connects visual art with what students are learning in subjects such as science, math, reading, writing, and social studies. Through the creative process, students can investigate academic concepts, make connections, and demonstrate understanding in new ways.

For example, a first-grade science lesson on light might become an exploration of both science and visual art. Students learning about transparent, translucent, opaque, and reflective materials could create stained-glass-inspired compositions using layered cellophane, transparencies, contact paper, and construction paper. As they experiment with how light passes through, filters through, or is blocked by different materials, scientific vocabulary becomes something they can see and manipulate. The same lesson can introduce artists such as James Turrell, Olafur Eliasson, Josef Albers, or Marc Chagall, whose work explores light, color, and transparency.

Rather than relying on a one-size-fits-all curriculum, the partnership allows lessons to respond to the goals of individual grade levels, classrooms, and schools. Park City School District’s visual arts educators will collaborate with classroom teachers to identify meaningful connections across subjects, while Kimball Art Center supports that work through curriculum development, professional learning, teacher coaching, instructional resources, and professional arts expertise.

“This is a significant evolution for EVA,” says Heather Stamenov, Education Director at Kimball Art Center. “Meaningful arts integration requires thoughtful curriculum development, collaboration between educators, and an understanding of both artistic practice and the learning goals students are working toward. Our goal is to support teachers in building those connections and give students more ways to engage with and demonstrate what they are learning.”

The partnership will also connect students and educators with Kimball Art Center exhibitions, visiting artists, museum experiences, and hands-on learning opportunities that extend classroom instruction.

With Park City School District assuming responsibility for staffing four full-time visual arts educator positions, Kimball Art Center is concentrating its investment on curriculum, professional development, teacher collaboration, arts expertise, and connections to working artists and contemporary art. The total value of KAC’s participation, provided free of charge to Park City School District, is estimated at $39,000-$51,000 annually.

“Kimball Art Center has been an essential partner in building the visual arts program our elementary students experience today,” says Bret Hughes, PCSD’s Fine Arts Coordinator. “For 13 years, KAC and the Park City Education Foundation have brought professional arts expertise, thoughtful curriculum, and meaningful connections to contemporary art into our schools, helping establish the quality and consistency that made this next step possible. As EVA evolves to include licensed art teachers at every elementary school, KAC’s continued involvement will help us strengthen instruction, support our educators, and connect classroom learning in meaningful ways for our students.”

The annual Wasatch Back Student Art Show, a district-wide exhibition celebrating student artists from across Summit County, will continue under the renewed partnership, as will KAC’s fundraising efforts to support the sustainability and growth of EVA through grants, donor cultivation, and community events.

Learn More
The community can learn more about this next chapter at Art Night, Kimball Art Center’s back-to-school-inspired fundraising evening on October 8, 2026, from 6:00-8:30 p.m.

The evening will highlight the evolution of EVA alongside Kimball Art Center’s Young Artists Academy, K-12 Art Tours, Golden Art Club, and other education initiatives. Parents and community members can learn more about what arts integration looks like in practice and how to support arts education in Park City.

Art Night is free to attend, with advance registration required, and is recommended for ages 18 and older. Visit kimballartcenter.org/events for more information.

About Kimball Art Center
Kimball Art Center (KAC) provides international-quality art exhibitions and dynamic educational opportunities for the citizens of Park City, Summit County, Wasatch County, and the region’s many visitors. KAC introduces audiences to the artistic process and the many layers of creativity through its exhibitions, classes, and events. The center embodies the belief that art is a catalyst for growth, encouraging reflection, sparking new ideas, and deepening human connection. Founded in 1976, Kimball Art Center is one of the region’s oldest creative nonprofit organizations and a cornerstone of Park City’s arts and cultural community.

About Park City School District
By establishing visual arts as an integrated core academic subject taught by licensed educators across all four elementary schools, Park City School District ensures that creative expression and visual literacy are foundational pillars of local education rather than temporary add-ons. This bold step builds directly upon the 13-year foundation laid by the Elementary Visual Arts (EVA) program, honoring a joint legacy pioneered by the Kimball Art Center and the Park City Education Foundation.

Through this expanded partnership, Park City School District, Kimball Art Center, and community leaders unite under a single, shared vision: ensuring equitable, world-class arts access for every student across all district schools, regardless of background. By connecting daily classroom learning in subjects like math, science, and reading with hands-on museum experiences and local traditions such as the Wasatch Back Student Art Show, Park City School District deepens its cultural identity and ensures that art remains a vibrant focal point for future generations.