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Join middle and high school teachers from throughout Maryland for this latest offering in the Crossing Borders/Breaking Boundaries series.

In the Middle Ages and the Renaissance, as a result of trade and commerce, Arabs journeyed along the shores of the Mediterranean through Italy, France, and Spain, all of which still bear traces of this vast cultural exchange in architecture, painting, music, dance, and the decorative arts. This year’s institute begins its exploration in Andalusia, a province in the south of Spain, during the period when Christian, Muslim, and Jewish communities flourished in relative harmony. Our program strives to illustrate the centrality of the arts in the peaceful relations among diverse peoples as we increase our understanding of the rich cultural legacy that Arabia bequeathed to the arts of the Renaissance.

This eight-day institute includes lectures, performance classes, technology workshops, and interdisciplinary lesson planning sessions, all led by advanced scholars and artists in a variety of fields. Participants will visit the Freer and Sackler Galleries in Washington, D.C. to study illuminated manuscripts and decorative metalwork. Lectures on Renaissance painting, music, and architecture will alternate with performance classes on flamenco dance and calligraphy. Teachers will also work in teams to develop lesson plans that incorporate the Maryland Essential Learner Outcome guidelines for the Fine Arts. Join this community of teachers dedicated to learning!

For more information, please keep checking this website or contact Andrew Nelson at the Center for Renaissance & Baroque Studies, telephone 301-405-6832, e-mail alnelson[at]umd.edu.