Program Background.

The direct predecessor to Place.ment was The Northern Pen, a series of creative sessions that opened interdisciplinary, collaborative dialogue among young Alaskan artists about the theme of people’s relationship with place.

Founded by myself, Middlebury College professor Matthew Dickerson, and then-director at Anchorage Museum Hollis Mickey, The Northern Pen was built quickly and experimentally from a windfall of resources and opportunities. Nevertheless, in 2017 and 2018, The Northern Pen drew students from Alaska and across the nation to participate in multi-stage creative practices that culminated in community showcases at Alaska Pacific University and Experience Theater.

The Northern Pen closed during the pandemic, during which time we reassessed the need for the types of workshops and community engagement we had offered. During the restructuring process, we benefitted from input by Pier Lafarge, global trustee at The Nature Conservancy and founder of Sparkfund, Drew Cason, then consultant at Professional Growth Systems, and Joe Hemphill, Chief Development Office of Covenant House. We clarified the mission of our program and build in-roads in art and education within Alaska. We emerged ready to build an art education program that serves a wider demographic and helps spark change across educational contexts. That program is Place.ment—a project-based, student-centered art camp for middle school and early high school students.

Place.ment is currently a summer camp, but our approach to art education is relevant well beyond “extracurricular activities”. Project-based, student-centered learning can be effective across many educational contexts, and creativity should be valued everywhere. We hope our approach is carried back into the public schools, private art studios, and planning committees by the teaching artists we hire and back to family, friends, and community members by the young artists we serve.