Educating the Creative Mind Conference is the inauguration of a new educational project that aims to heighten public awareness of the significance of the arts in children’s learning and development. Throughout this three-day conference, we seek to generate conversations about ways to strengthen arts–based education for young children by inviting educators to share theories, research and best practices with each other and with the community of stakeholders – policy makers, teachers, parents, social workers – all those who influence children’s lives. We hope to establish a network of all these individuals who will join forces in finding innovative ways to bring a wellrounded education to children.

Children's Creative Arts Day: Engaging the Creative Mind

On the morning of Saturday, March 6, 2010, Drs. Lori Custodero, Olga Hubard, and Suzi Tortora, the three leading experts in early childhood arts education from Teachers College, Columbia University, will present creative arts workshops for young children (from 12 months to 6 years of age) and their parents. Following the observations of children's creative arts at work in an educational setting, conference participants will engage in an indepth reflections and discussion led by Dr. Liora Bresler, Professor at the University of Illinois at Champaign. This event will be the concluding highlight of the conference.