PROGRAMS
We primarily offer 2 summer art programs; 1 in person or hybrid and 1 entirely online. Our in person / hybrid program includes the “Nebraska Tour”. The tour is in collaboration with a variety of partners across Nebraska to fly out and house Los Angeles or Coast based professionals to provide in person or hybrid workshops, camps, and classes. This also involves lots of fun exposure experiences for the visiting artists including tours of local monuments, museums, county fairs, hikes, sports events, festivals and more! We work with local parents, students, art teachers and school districts to determine what arts areas may be lacking in each location or interests we can support with our offerings. Then we “match” each site with a team of teaching artists we feel will be the best fit.
In addition to the tour, we also provide online classes, workshops, Q&A’s and series of lectures for those in and outside of Nebraska. We strive to provide our programs to a wide range of ages and areas of the arts. This has included Animation, Film, Acting, Writing, Media Development, and more. Each offering is taught by professionals in the industry, college faculty, and teaching artists we individually collaborate with to best serve our demographic.
IN PERSON PROGRAMS
THE CALIBRASKA SUMMER TOUR
Nearly every summer since 2013, we have brought a variety of teaching artists to Nebraska to experience the state and offer high-end educational opportunities, guidance, and know-how regarding living life as a creative professional. Our current tour stops include Lincoln, North Platte, and Scottsbluff, Nebraska.
We work with local parents, students, art teachers and school districts to determine what arts areas may be lacking in each location or interests we can support with our offerings. Then we “match” each site with a team of teaching artists we feel will be the best fit. Offerings on the tour take a variety of shapes that best accommodate their site including morning/afternoon classes, 1 to 2 week long full day camps, Independent Studio Time and more.
PARTNER PROGRAMS
In 2022 we piloted a 4 day camp in Omaha outside of the tour with great success and are open to exploring that model further. If your organization is interested in partnering with us to bring our teaching artists to your site please contact us!
VIRTUAL PROGRAMS
Our online content furthers our reach beyond the tour and to extend the possibilities for our students to come into community with others within and out of Nebraska as well as directly to folks at the big Hollywood studios and around the world.
In addition to our more hands-on online classes we like to utilize the platform to offer content based on exposure to less discussed creative areas including histories or surveys of niche genres. Some examples are classes focused on independent stop motion animation, history of music video, animation and activism, black cinema and more.
In summer 2019 we began virtual lunchtime Q&A’s with professionals from Los Angeles including executive directors, studio owners, animators, guild reps and more. In 2020, the pandemic sent our entire summer program online resulting in classes, lecture series with guest artists, workshops on specific studio processes, as well as the Q&A’s. So far, we’ve beamed in animators, producers, directors, filmmakers, artists and more from Disney, Cartoon Network, Dreamworks, Bento Box, Nickelodeon, and more to share their knowledge, experience, and know-how.
Responding to the various impacts of the pandemic, in 2021 we began designing satellite site options and hybrid versions of some of our classes giving students the option to beam into our in-person classes in Nebraska. In some cases, students were sent kits for the classes or were able to learn alongside our in person students with little to no materials.
INTERN PROGRAM
Beginning in 2020 we launched an internship program focused on providing students in Nebraska and California opportunities to assist our teaching artists online and on the ground. Additionally, our interns create design work for our social media, help with administrative tasks, build out screenings, and more. All while gaining one to one guidance and advice from our team of creative professionals.
Visit our Internship page for more detailed information on our internship program and application information.
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
WORKSHOPS FOR EDUCATORS / YOUTH WORKERS
We strive to share the joy of media arts and pedagogy not just with our students but also educators and youth workers!
We offer professional development on a variety of topics including:
> Teaching Media Arts and Animation Through Play
> Animation Pedagogy and Practices for any age
> Artist Talks / Virtual Class visits
Our workshops are custom designed for the audience whether the workshop is virtual or in person our goal is to meet you where you are with the resources you have available. Likewise, we work to flex our pricing to fit your budget as much as we are able.
For specifics on this program please email our director at erica@calibraska.org
CREATIVE COLLEGE PREP COURSE
In 2022 we piloted our first cohort of 7 high school juniors and seniors pursuing creative colleges for their matriculation. Spread over April/May through January, the creative college prep cohort met both as a group and one on one with our advisor. As a sign of our dedication to help young people pursue a creative career and livelihood, this course is funded so there is no cost to our students to attend. We look forward to continuing to offer this special opportunity to individuals in Nebraska and other rural areas where support in applying to art schools, or creative programs is hard to come by.
For specifics on this program please visit the Creative College Prep Page.