Teaching Artist Residencies
Thinking + Creating = Learning
I want to work with you to develop arts learning experiences that fit with your curriculum! When an artistic process aligns with a thinking skill, students can use it to deepen their learning. I specialize in finding these connections and implementing programs to integrate academics with art forms including drama, creative writing, filmmaking, animation, and game design.
In 2025, I was selected for the Kentucky Teaching Artist Directory (see my profile here), which qualifies me to work through Kentucky Arts Council programs such as the Teaching Art Together Grant and Poetry Out Loud (in public and private K-12 schools in Kentucky), and the Creative Chapters Library Program Grant (in Kentucky public libraries).
How can I help you bring vibrant creative learning into your space?
Recent Residencies with Schools and Libraries
In recognition of artistic excellence and the ability to conduct residencies in an educational setting, Dan Burkey has been selected to participate in the Teaching Artists Directory, a program of the Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, which is supported by state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Teaching Art Together Residency
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, supports this artist residency with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Learn more about the Teaching Art Together Grant
Drama + Literature
St. Cecilia Catholic School, Covington, KY (Winter-Spring 2026)
8th grade students practiced ensemble theatre creation techniques to reinterpret a story for performance
Students created original characters that combined their personal experiences with the story world of Lois Lowry’s The Giver
Students worked in groups to write their characters into short vignettes as a sequel to the book.
Creative Chapters Library Program Residency
The Kentucky Arts Council, the state arts agency, provides operating support to Kenton County Public Library, Campbell County Public Library and Teaching Artist Dan Burkey with state tax dollars and federal funding from the National Endowment for the Arts.
Learn more about the Creative Chapters Library Program Grant
Reading + Creative Drama
Kenton County Public Library, Erlanger Branch (Coming May-June 2026)
Six workshops for grades K-2 that rotate between two ways of interpreting characters and stories from picture books:
Character Voice and Movement: Building performance skills using books that include a variety of expressively drawn characters. We will practice using contrasts in our sound and movement, then use those choices to give each character a voice and posture choice to match.
Living Picture Book Tableau Practicing ensemble creation using books where a lot of characters are doing things on the same page. We will make the pictures come to life by making statue poses and tableaus to tell the story through movement.
Teen Theatre Creation Jam
Kenton County Public Library, Latonia Branch (Coming June 2026)
Inspired by the aesthetic and creative collaboration of Cardboard Kingdom by Chad Sell, teens will create and combine characters to devise a performance for children at the Latonia Branch’s one-year anniversary celebration.
Tabletop Game Design Workshops
Campbell County Public Library, Ft. Thomas-Carrico Branch (April 2026)
Four Sessions of hands-on learning, practice, and iterative design for K-12 students on Spring Break, flexible for sequential or a la carte learning:
Introduction to Board Game Design: Exercised core concepts of theme and mechanics through rapid prototyping
Card Game Design: Explored interactions of different card-based actions and objectives using Kevan Davis’ Dvorak system
Create your own Fairy Chess Set: Experimented with movement and physical component creation
Playtesting: Identified areas of success and improvement through play and feedback
Other Arts Integration Residencies
For these residencies, I designed and implemented curriculum either directly with schools or through local non-profits.
Pantomime + Drama + Songwriting + Tabletop roleplaying Games + Second/Foreign Language
Boone County High School (with American Legacy Theatre) Winter-Spring 2026
Used theatre games, acting and songwriting techniques to break down mental barriers and bring a sense of play to speaking and writing in the target language
ESL 1 & 2, French 2, and Spanish 2 students used pantomime to explore new vocabulary and enhance dramatic immersion in conversation scenes.
ESL 2, French 2, and Spanish 2 students wrote song lyrics to practice alternative phrasing and vocabulary choice, and finding related meanings through rhyme .
AP French students played David Garrett’s Super City roleplaying game in French to practice descriptive storytelling and vocabulary of self-discovery.
Drama + Tabletop Roleplaying Games + STEAM
Prince of Peace Catholic School (fall 2025)
PreK-Kindergarten students created a story related to their learning about farms, then performed it using tableaus and movement
1st-2nd grade students used a Story Spine to create a story inspired by their learning about environments, and performed it using tableaus and movement
3rd-4th grade students created a story world based on their learning about US regions, then saved the citizens of that world from natural disasters as superheroes in David Garrett’s Super City roleplaying game
5th-8th grade students created a setting called Cell City with buildings and institutions based on biological cell structure, then played the Super City roleplaying game to show their heroes saving the city from various problems with biological analogues.
Pantomime + Drama + French
Boone County High School (with American Legacy Theatre) Winter-Spring 2025
French 2 students used pantomime to explore new vocabulary and enhance dramatic immersion in conversation scenes.
Dramaturgy + Directing + Design + Literature
Woodward Career Technical High School (With American Legacy Theatre) Fall 2024
8th grade students used the lenses of designer, director, and actor to engage in close reading with the stage version of The Diary of Anne Frank.
Built inferences about the scene with a designer’s focus on stage directions and hints in dialogue.
Empathized with characters by identifying motivation, obstacles, and tension.
Visualized the scene by blocking a staged reading, with each actor justifying choices.
Poetry Out Loud Residency
Poetry Out Loud is a national recitation contest. The competition, presented in partnership with the Kentucky Arts Council, the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, is part of a national program that encourages high school students to learn about great poetry through memorization, performance and competition.
Learn more about Poetry Out Loud grants
Poetry Out Loud Kickoff
Pendleton County High School (Fall 2025)
Poetry Out Loud Grant from the Kentucky Arts Council
Introduced techniques for poetry interpretation to high school students as they began preparing for their school’s Poetry Out Loud competition.