Many of our CAPE teaching artists begin their work with us as professional working artists who are interested in collaboration, engagement, and transformation. Through their time in our programs, these artists develop as educators while also becoming valued members of the Chicago communities they work with.

William’s Story

William has been a CAPE partner for 15 years, and he is among many of our teaching artists who describe their art-making practice and their teaching practice as becoming interwoven and inseparable through their work in CAPE classrooms.  Most days you’ll find William at Telpochcalli Elementary, where he works with students and teachers both during and after school. Hear his story!

NAEA – William Estrada Telpochcalli Teaching Artist
On Artists

“I often describe CAPE’s program as a form of reflective creativity and learning. By layering and blending art with the national standard core curriculum, it allows for a multi-faceted approach to education that’s accepting and nurturing to various socio-economic and educational levels. It promotes a more integrated form of learning and interconnection that fosters process-oriented discovery for all of us in the classroom. This program promotes that what really matters is how we respond to the challenges we are faced with, and that’s the very reason why I teach with CAPE.”

-Teaching Artist Gwen Terry

I am proud of the work I have done with CAPE, and have witnessed its great effects on students first hand. My experiences working with these programs has given me new perspectives on my own work and has enriched the criticality in which I approach visual culture.  I am committed to supporting CAPE in its current and future endeavors.”

-Teaching Artist Ben Murray

Want to see more of what our Teaching Artists do?

Check out our blog, where we often feature amazing classroom projects that wouldn’t be possible without our highly-trained teaching artists.