Perpich-Sponsored Sessions at the Virtual MMEA Convention Well Attended

February 17, 2026

The 2026 Minnesota Music Educators Association (MMEA) Convention on February 12-14 pivoted from its usual in-person gathering at the Minneapolis Convention Center to a virtual setting. Almost half of the music educators registered for the virtual conference attended one or more of…

K-12 Educators in Rushford-Peterson Schools Learn with Perpich Center Specialist

February 11, 2026

In early February, Jeremy Holien, Perpich Center’s Visual and Media Arts Education Specialist, facilitated professional development for the faculty of Rushford-Peterson Schools. In this session, the K-12 educators discussed opportunities to include contributions of Minnesota tribes and communities in their content areas,…

Perpich Students Welcome French/UK duo Bert and Nasi to Artist Talk

February 6, 2026

Perpich students in Dance, Theater, and Musical Theater, along with their instructors, attended the February 5th performance of Bert and Nasi: L’Addition at the Walker Art Center’s McGuire Theater. The following day, Bert and Nasi (Bertrand Lesca & Nasi Voutsas) visited Perpich…

Perpich Arts High School Literary Arts Students Present “Guerilla Glue: A Mixed Media Disruption” a Lit Reading

February 6, 2026

The Literary Arts Department of Perpich Arts High School presented “Guerilla Glue: A Mixed Media Disruption” on Wednesday, February 4, 2026. With pens and laptops and no fear, their reading focused on speaking their minds in order to, as Angela Davis said,…

Studio Arts Celebrates the 2026 Minnesota Regional Scholastic Art Awards

February 5, 2026

Perpich Studio Arts (Visual Arts and Media Arts students and staff) is celebrating a year of hard work and success in the 2026 Scholastic Awards! We are very pleased to announce the recipients of 2026 Minnesota Regional Scholastic Art Awards. Congratulations to…

CAPP Co-Chairs Add Detail to Their Strategic Plans

February 4, 2026

Co-chairs from the nine school districts/charter schools in the 2025-2027 Comprehensive Arts Planning Program (CAPP) cohort met at Perpich Center on February 2, 2026 to continue working on plans for improving their local Arts programming. They left with a framework for their…

Eleven Arts Educators are Among the Candidates for 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year

February 2, 2026

Perpich Center for Arts Education is excited to celebrate the 11 dance, music, and visual arts educators who are among the candidates for 2026 Minnesota Teacher of the Year! We recognize and honor their work as representative of Minnesota’s thousands of excellent…

MSBA Leadership Conference Provides Great Opportunities for Perpich to Connect

January 26, 2026

Perpich Center for Arts Education had a strong presence at the Minnesota School Boards Association (MSBA) Leadership Conference January 15-16 at the Minneapolis Convention Center, engaging with school board members and education leaders from across Minnesota.

Dr. Wendy Barden…

A Note from our Executive Director, Allegra Smisek – January 23, 2026

January 23, 2026

Greetings from Perpich Center for Arts Education!
The past weeks have been heavy for Minnesota and for many of the communities we serve. The fatal shootings in Minneapolis involving federal agents have shaken our region and raised deep concerns about the safety and…