John Parra-web banner.jpg

The Any Given Child Program

In 2012, the City of Fresno became the tenth U.S. city chosen by the Kennedy Center to participate in the Any Given Child (AGC) program. The program provides assistance in developing and implementing a plan for expanding arts education in the schools, ensuring access and equity to the arts for all students in grades K-8. The assistance from the Kennedy Center is in the form of professional development for teachers and administrators, advice, training, and guidance on arts integration. In partnership with Fresno Office of the Superintendent of Schools (or FOSS, formerly known as FCOE for Fresno County Office of Education) the Fresno Art Museum was chosen as a partner to provide visual arts to teachers and students and became a visual arts destination for every third grader and their teachers in the Fresno Unified School District (FUSD), which has over 6,000 third grade students. During the 2017/18 school year, the program was expanded to include the Sanger Unified School District and another 1,000 third graders.

The Fresno Art Museum curates one exhibition annually which focuses on illustrations and illustrators to support the program and has created, in cooperation with FOSS and FUSD, an arts-integrated unit plan. The current exhibition is entitled Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper & His Son  illustrated and written by John Parra. More information about the exhibition can be found by clicking here and scrolling to the bottom of the Current Exhibitions.

NOTE THAT EVERY ELEMENTARY SCHOOL LIBRARY IN FRESNO COUNTY has a copy of Just Ask! from the 2021/22 school year in English and Spanish that was provided by The Foundation@FCOE.

For the convenience of teachers, we have posted new videos and program materials for the 2023/24 school year. 

2023/24 Art Integrated Unit Plan

Watch our videos that support this program

This unit plan connects to the online asynchronous and synchonous tour/visit (videos available soon.) The Unit Plan above is designed as a follow-up to the in-person Museum visit OR it can be used without an actual visit.

What is a Museum? (a handout for students)

Suggestions for Teachers to prepare for your in-person museum visit

How to succeed at teaching an art lesson

FAM HAS VERY FEW AVAILABLE DATES FOR MORNING FIELD TRIPS THIS SCHOOL YEAR. LIMITED AVAILABILITY FOR AFTERNOON TOURS.

All teachers planning to visit a museum can share this great video on museum etiquette with students. It was produced by KQED in collaboration with BAVC's youth production project, The Factory, and the de Young Museum's teen ambassador program in San Francisco, CA.
Click here to watch.

Teachers! Do you need some help with teaching a visual art lesson? Please feel free to watch any or all of the episodes of ART IS made by our local PBS station. They were created by Dr. Terry Allen, a former Clovis area principal and art educator who also helped develop the Fresno Art Museum's ArtSmart program. Click here to watch.

Exhibition support for the Art of the Word: Growing an Artist: The Story of a Landscaper & His Son sponsored by The Foundation@FCOE and Harold and Janice Nikoghosian