Planning Arts Field Trips
Content originally researched, developed, and published in 2018.
Why Students Need to Experience Live Performances and Visit Art Galleries
Field trips to museums, galleries, or live performances create lasting student impact. In addition to the presentation of professional art, professionally designed spaces for dance, music, theatre, and visual arts provide rich sensory experiences for your students due to the building architecture, lighting, design elements, acoustic quality, seating, foyers, etc. For many students, a school field trip is the first opportunity to attend performances by professional artists in venues historically valued by their community.
(Click here to read more on the benefits of live performances for students.)
Planning Arts Field Trips for Maximum Impact
To ensure arts field trips are both educational and enjoyable, careful planning is crucial.
1. Align Experience with Curriculum: Choose destinations and activities that tie directly into classroom lessons to reinforce key concepts.
2. Prepare Students for Viewing: Provide background information and set expectations to ensure students are engaged and ready to learn.
3. Plan Logistics Early: Arrange transportation, ensure safety, coordinate with destinations, and organize chaperones to prevent mishaps.
4. Seek Inclusive Experiences: Ensure accessibility for all students, including those with disabilities, by coordinating with venues and adapting activities.
5. Follow-up on the Field Trip: Follow-up activities such as discussions and projects help students process and internalize their experiences.
Arts Field Trip Opportunities in Utah
Utah is full of opportunities for students to enjoy professional arts during school hours. Below is a list of several of the options available.
Matinees at the Ballet
Ballet West provides students with the opportunity to attend an actual ballet performance at the newly renovated Janet Quinney Lawson Capitol Theatre.This hour-long program begins with an educational introduction and is followed by a portion of the repertoire currently being performed for the general public. education@balletwest.org 801-869-6911
Fifth-Grade Concerts at the Symphony
This special series is presented by the Utah Symphony at Maurice Abravanel Hall in Salt Lake City. All fifth-grade classrooms within bussing distance are invited to attend. In addition to receiving materials for teachers, hundreds of attending schools receive personal visits from Utah Symphony Guild Docents trained by their education department to present core concepts and an introduction to orchestral music. Concerts last 45-50 minutes. Schools may sign up through our online open enrollment each year. Open enrollment is usually available by late September. Additional opportunities include Utah Symphony Open Rehearsals, Utah Opera Open Rehearsals Attendance is free but space is limited.
Production Studio and Classical Theatre Tours
Teachers and their classes are invited by Utah Opera to tour the performance venue and/or production studios. During the tours, students see the costume shop at work,the set and costume storage areas, and the rehearsal hall—where all the work happens before a performance. kjohnson@usuo.org 801-869-9079
Timpanogos Storytelling Festival
Your students can attend a performance at the Timpanogos Storytelling Festival in September for free. Register Here.
BYU Arts Matinees
BYU Arts provides opportunities for elementary and secondary students to attend matinee performances in several professional theaters on the BYU campus.These performances last approximately one hour and showcase a variety of art forms including dance, theatre, and music, as performed by BYU students and faculty and visiting artists. Tickets to all school matinees cost $4 each. artsassist@byu.edu 801-422-5632
BYU Museum of Art
The BYU Museum of Art provides engaging opportunities for elementary students to visit the museum. Tours and activities can be scheduled to accommodate school curriculum focuses. Contact Liz Donakey at liz_donakey@byu.edu
Springville Museum of Art
You are invited to visit the Museum with your class. The Museum provides guided tours, pre- and post-visit lesson plans, and subsidized bus transport to qualified schools. All tours must be scheduled at least two weeks in advance. SMAoutreach@springville.org 801-491-5700
Utah Museum of Fine Arts Gallery Tours
UMFA K-12 Gallery Tours are designed to ignite your students’ curiosity while discovering 5,000 years of human creativity through guided and self-guided tours of the UMFA galleries. Beginning with works of art and their stories, we encourage discussion extending across cultures to foster awareness and understanding. Schedule a visit on their website, linked above.
Tumbleweeds Festival
Utah Film Center is pleased to offer free Tumbleweeds Festival Field Trips to grades 5-12 as part of our Tumbleweeds Film Festival for Children and Youth.
The Role of Administrators
Arts field trips are a vital component of a holistic education, offering significant academic, cultural, and emotional benefits. For teachers and administrators, careful planning can enrich students’ learning experiences and instill a lifelong appreciation for the arts.
Administrators should recognize the value of arts field trips by allocating resources, supporting professional development for teachers, and fostering partnerships with local arts organizations. By championing arts education, administrators help create a vibrant, well-rounded educational environment.
For more detailed guidance for building an arts-rich school, download the Arts-Rich School Handbook, which covers everything from hiring educators to producing student performances and exhibitions. This resource is a crucial tool for any school looking to enhance its arts programs and foster a vibrant, creative culture and community.
