Field Trips
Explore the power of art through engaging field trips at the Gateway Regional Arts Center. Our exhibits and hands-on activities help students connect creativity with history, culture, and social issues. Each visit includes guided discussion and interactive learning designed to encourage observation, critical thinking, and artistic expression for students of all ages. Explore the field trip options below to learn more, and contact us to schedule a visit for your class.
CONTACT TO SCHEDULE: Jill Kohr, Director of Education & Community Programs (jill@grackentucky.org, 859-938-6448)
WE KNOW WHO THEY ARE…ARTWORKS AND NARRATIVES FROM THE INVASION OF UKRAINE
Grades 3rd +
May 1st - July 15
Bring your students to the Gateway Regional Arts Center for a powerful learning experience through We Know Who They Are, an immersive multimedia exhibition featuring contemporary Ukrainian artwork that reflects the realities of the ongoing war in Ukraine. Through paintings, drawings, sculptures, and multimedia elements, the exhibit shares stories of resilience, loss, and humanity during conflict.
During their visit, students will participate in a guided gallery exploration with age-appropriate discussion and hands-on activities that encourage close observation, critical thinking, and empathy. By engaging directly with artwork, artifacts, and firsthand accounts, students will explore how artists respond to real-world events and how creative expression can document history, raise awareness, and foster global understanding. This field trip offers a meaningful opportunity to connect visual arts with social studies, media literacy, and discussions about the role of art in communicating important global issues.
NANCY GREEN AND THE HISTORY OF AUNT JEMIMA
All Grades
Available Year Round
Bring your students to the Gateway Regional Arts Center to explore the story of Nancy Green, a woman born enslaved in Mount Sterling who later became nationally known as the first person to portray the Aunt Jemima advertising character.
This field trip examines both Green’s life and the history of the Aunt Jemima brand, helping students understand how advertising and media have shaped cultural representation in the United States. Through guided discussion and age-appropriate, hands-on activities, students will learn about local history, the impact of stereotypes in advertising, and Nancy Green’s role as a community leader and philanthropist in Chicago. The experience encourages thoughtful conversations about representation, fairness, and how media influences public perception, while connecting Montgomery County history to broader themes in American history and media literacy.
LINDA STEIN: ART AS ACTIVISM
Grades 6th +
September 11 - October 30
Bring your students to the Gateway Regional Arts Center to experience the powerful work of contemporary artist Linda Stein, whose sculptures and mixed-media pieces explore themes of protection, identity, and standing up against injustice. Known for her armor-like figures and symbols of strength, Stein’s work encourages viewers to think about the roles of bully, bullied, bystander, and upstander, and how individuals can advocate for fairness and empathy in their communities.
During this field trip, students will participate in a guided gallery exploration and age-appropriate discussions about art as activism, followed by a hands-on activity that invites them to create their own visual message about issues that matter to them. This engaging experience connects visual art with social-emotional learning, critical thinking, and civic awareness, helping students understand how artists use creativity to inspire change and encourage positive action.
THE CONTEMPORARY KENYAN ART COLLECTION
All Grades
Available Year Round
Take your students on a global journey through art with a field trip to the Gateway Regional Arts Center’s Contemporary Kenyan Art Collection, the largest collections of contemporary Kenyan art in North America. Featuring vibrant paintings and sculptures by ten Kenyan artists, the exhibition highlights themes of culture, community, environment, and everyday life in East Africa.
During their visit, students will participate in a guided gallery exploration with age-appropriate discussion and hands-on activities that encourage careful observation, creativity, and critical thinking. Students will respond to the artwork through drawing, collage, or writing activities designed to help them interpret themes and artistic choices. This engaging field trip connects visual arts with social studies and global learning while introducing students to contemporary African artists and perspectives they may not encounter in the classroom.
Need transportation cost assistance?
The Kentucky Arts Council offers the Arts Miles Program Grant. This grant program enables Kentucky teachers and schools to provide their students with high quality arts experiences by funding transportation to programs provided by organizations in the Arts Miles Directory (which GRAC is a part of). Schools may apply for a grant based on the roundtrip mileage from their building to the facility and driver’s pay for up to two buses per field trip. Applications are accepted on a rolling basis between October 2025 and March 31st, 2026 as funding permits.
Note: The Arts Miles Grant is a reimbursement program. Approved awards will not be paid until the field trip has been completed and the final report has been submitted.