Transforming Education Through the Arts
Empowering every child to explore, create, and grow through transformative arts education.
65 Years of Arts Education
For 65 years, Davis Arts Center has provided arts education to children, teens, and adults in the broader Sacramento region. We believe all children deserve access to quality arts education that fosters creativity, curiosity, resilience and empathy for others.
Process Over Perfection
The Discover Your Inner Artist K-6th Grade Visual Arts Curriculum fulfills our mission to provide transformative arts education for all children. This innovative program empowers educators to unlock students’ artistic potential through engaging, process-based lessons that emphasize exploration and self-expression over perfection. The curriculum structure helps create a classroom environment where curiosity flourishes and creativity knows no bounds while nurturing both artistic skills and vital social-emotional competencies.
Curriculum Philosophy
Art by and for All
- Every educator can teach art.
- Teachers act as facilitators of the art-making process, not as experts.
- Students lead their own artistic journey within a standards-based classroom model.
- The curriculum is based on:
- Understanding by Design (UbD) principles for clarity.
- Universal Design for Learning (UDL) principles for inclusivity.
Art Is a Process
- Emphasizes the artistic process over the final product.
- Encourages exploration and originality.
- Leads to varied final outcomes.
- Promotes creativity.
- Students as culture bearers and storytellers
Art Is Beneficial
- Curriculum fosters artistic literacy based on California’s visual arts standards.
- Helps students view the world as a form of artistic expression.
- Enhances cultural awareness through exposure to diverse art forms.
The Importance of Spiraling
- Curriculum follows a spiral design, revisiting core ideas with increasing complexity by age.
- Reinforces learning and deepens artistic practice.
- Allows flexibility for teachers in how lessons are delivered.
- Includes global art resources to:
- Enhance cultural awareness
- Align with classroom themes
Alignment with Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) Principles
- Curriculum supports key SEL areas:
- Self-awareness
- Self-management
- Social awareness
- Relationship skills
- Responsible decision-making
- Daily art practice promotes:
- Mental health
- Learning readiness
You Inspire Young Artists — Let Us Support You
Reach out to learn how our curriculum can bring more creativity, confidence, and joy into your classroom.