Intensive Art and Cultural Exploration for Children
Cultural Kaleidoscope enriches the art curriculum of local school districts by engaging students and teachers in an intensive art project led by a professional artist, while simultaneously creating new bonds of understanding between children from Palo Alto and East Palo Alto. Students from diverse backgrounds gain new opportunities for creative expression, appreciation of the cultural richness of each other's communities, and the pride of completing and showing their finished work.

How Does Cultural Kaleidoscope Bring Art Home?
The Palo Alto Art Center Foundation established Cultural Kaleidoscope in 1990. Originally a two-day multi-cultural arts festival, the program began as a conscious effort to bring the disparate communities of Palo Alto and East Palo Alto together through a shared interest in the arts. Today, Cultural Kaleidoscope pairs a K-6 classroom from each district with professional artists for a 10-week intensive, hands-on project. Artists guide students one hour a week in each classroom. The partners visit each other’s classrooms twice during the program to work together as a team.

Teachers and artists work as a project team to help integrate art into other curriculum areas, ensuring that the program's impact extends beyond the 10-week period.

Students show their work at The Palo Alto Art Center’s May exhibition and at a Family Day in East Palo Alto.

• participating schools come from the Palo Alto Unified School District and the Ravenswood School District, which serves East Palo Alto and Eastern Menlo Park. 550 students, in 24 classes, along with 12 artists, participate each year.
• Evaluation is key. Teams use the California State Visual and Performing Arts Standards as a guide to planning and evaluation.
• Cultural Kaleidoscope Family Day attracts more than 100 family members.