Partnerships
The goal behind this project is to help schools connect with arts education experts and build a network of peer-schools, aiming to develop a strategic, arts-based way to address broader school challenges.
In collaboration with the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Turnaround provides services to 27 priority-designated, competitively selected partner schools across California. This includes ongoing coaching, teaching artist residencies, a national annual conference, and convenings of teachers and school leaders to help achieve each school’s goals.
Wondering what a Turnaround project looks like?
Here’s a project created by South Bay Students, their art teacher Ms. Ngan and guest teaching-artist Haley Davis.
Our partnership with Turnaround began in 2018 when OpenArt co-founder Sarah Peters Gonzalez became a regional coach. Her role was to support teachers’ professional development, center student voice, foster whole-school community events, and achieve responsive, strategic community transformation through the arts.

Whole-school Mask Parade at Pine Hill

Pratik Motwani leading a whole-school Bollywood dance party

A Night at the Circus in South Bay
Since 2020, OpenArt has been proud to continue this work through a formalized partnership with Turnaround Arts: California.