Programs for Schools, Educators & Students

FR MoCA is a welcoming, hands-on resource for K–12 schools, high schools, and colleges in Fall River, New Bedford, and the greater South Coast region. We partner with educators to bring contemporary art directly into students’ learning experiences through guided tours, interactive workshops, curriculum-linked projects, and immersive residencies.

Our programs emphasize creative thinking, social practice, career exploration, and real-world connections to art, culture, and community.

School Visits & Guided Tours

We offer customized school visits tailored to your curriculum needs. Students actively engage with current exhibitions through:

  • Guided tours with museum educators

  • Interactive discussions about contemporary art (what it is, who makes it, and why it matters)

  • Hands-on art-making workshops

  • Connections to themes such as urban life, identity, community, and innovation

Teen Artist Residency Program

Our summer Teen Artist Residency (launched Summer 2024) gives local high school students a professional studio experience inside the museum. Participants attend weekly sessions focused on:

  • Creative skill-building and experimentation

  • Collaboration with working artists and mentors

  • Career pathways in art, design, and creative industries

  • Partnerships with local makers (e.g., Vanson Leathers)

This program is ideal for motivated students interested in visual arts and social practice. We work with Fall River Schools to determine the best candidates for our cohort each year.

Higher Education

FR MoCA regularly hosts visits and projects with college students from:

  • UMass Dartmouth

  • RISD

  • MassArt

  • Clark University

  • Providence College

  • MIT

  • Other regional institutions

Partnership with Local High Schools

FR MoCA’s founders co-teach a Social Practice course at B.M.C. Durfee High School and New Bedford High School through UMass Dartmouth’s Commonwealth Collegiate Academy (CCA). Juniors and seniors earn transferable college credits while developing real museum and community-based art projects.