Whoopensocker is an education residency focused on creativity, expression, writing, and collaboration. Whoopensocker’s ensemble of teaching artists bring in new ideas to the classroom. They use performing and creative arts to design innovative classroom experiences. The focus of the Whoopensocker six-week residency is self-empowerment of students and is ideal for children in elementary school.
“The Impact 2030 fund has made a huge impact on Whoopensocker and our capacity to provide high-quality arts education programming throughout Madison,” says Erica Halverson, a professor and chair of the Department of Curriculum and Instruction, and the mayor of Whoopensocker.
Adds Halverson: “During COVID we rolled out a fully virtual artist residency program with our Madison school partners. We will continue to use this online residency program to reach more schools across the state of Wisconsin. Beginning in fall 2021, we will take up occupancy in Madison’s new youth arts center, where we will launch an in-person after school program to complement our schools-based residencies. We will also host school groups to see our highly innovative performances in a professional theater space. It is an exciting time for youth arts work in the Madison community!”