Professional Development

Professional Development

The Lied Center offers Pre-K through 12th grade teachers, of all disciplines, opportunities to participate in professional development workshops throughout the school year. These arts-centered development workshops are led by local and nationally renowned teaching artists and include the following subject matter: The Science of Sound, Poetry Off the Page, Examining Point of View, Teachers and Teaching Artists: An Elegant Fit, Curriculum-Based Readers Theater and more.

The Lied Center for Performing Arts CREATE Summer Institute for Educators

Arts Integration for Early Childhood & Elementary Classrooms

The Lied Center's CREATE Summer Institute is a dynamic 2½-day professional development experience designed for educators who want to bring creativity, collaboration, and meaningful arts integration into their teaching. 

Designed for early childhood and elementary educators, CREATE explores how dance, media arts, music, theatre, and visual arts can be integrated across all subject areas to deepen student learning and engagement. 

REGISTER NOW

Registration is now open for the 2026 Lied Center for Performing Arts CREATE Summer Institute for Educators.

Space is limited, and advance registration is required. 

Who Should Attend? 

CREATE is designed for educators who work with young learners and are interested in using the arts to enrich student learning. 

The institute is ideal for: 

  • Early childhood educators 

  • Preschool and pre-K teachers 

  • K-5 elementary classroom teachers 

  • Arts specialists 

  • Instructional coaches 

  • Curriculum specialists 

  • School and community educators who serve elementary-age students 

No previous arts experience is required - just a willingness to explore creative approaches to teaching and learning. 

What You'll Experience 

Throughout the institute, participants will: 

  • Learn practical arts integration strategies that can be immediately implemented in the classroom. 

  • Experience demonstrations of arts-integrated teaching in action. 

  • Work with nationally recognized arts education experts and local teaching artists. 

  • Explore project-based learning as a framework for arts-integrated instruction. 

  • Develop an arts-integrated lesson or learning experience to use with their students. 

  • Connect with fellow educators who are passionate about creative teaching and learning. 
     

Dates & Schedule 

Friday, July 24, 2026 
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

Saturday, July 25, 2026 
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. 

Sunday, July 26, 2026 
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. 

Location 

Embassy Suites 
1040 P St, Lincoln, NE 68508 
Lincoln, Nebraska 

Cost 

CREATE is FREE for educators, thanks to our generous supporters, the Nebraska Arts Council, Nebraska Cultural Endowment, Pace Woods Foundation, and The Kennedy Center.  

Lunch and beverage service is provided Friday and Saturday, and limited complimentary lodging is available for those traveling from outside the Lincoln metro on a first come, first served basis. Complimentary parking is also available. 

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CREATE Featured Teaching Artist

Ashley Laverty

Founding Artistic Director, Kerfuffle 

Ashley Laverty (she/her) is the founding Artistic Director of Kerfuffle, a nationally recognized theatre company creating engaging, accessible performances for young audiences. Under her leadership, Kerfuffle has partnered with museums, libraries, parks, schools, and community organizations across the country to bring imaginative theatre experiences to children and families. 

Ashley has created and directed numerous original productions, including The Conductors, Toddler Hiking Club: An Imaginative Nature Walk, Toad Hall, Goose and Gert, Nested, and The Caterpillar's Footprint. 

With more than a decade of experience as a teaching artist, Ashley specializes in drama and arts integration for early childhood classrooms. She also serves as a teaching artist with Lifeline Theatre, Writers Theatre, Imagine Performing Arts, The Stage School, and the Kennedy Center. 

Recently, Ashley designed a full day professional development workshop focused on drama integration for the Chicago Public Library Foundation that was offered to all children's librarians in the city of Chicago. Additionally, she is the 2026 Creative Drama Specialist for the Tennessee Arts Academy Summer Institute, a summer PD offered to all K–12 arts specialists, classroom teachers, and administrators across all 95 Tennessee counties.

Ashley holds an M.F.A. in Theatre for Youth from Arizona State University and a B.A. in Theatre Arts with a concentration in Musical Theatre from Point Park University's Conservatory of Performing Arts. 

Learn more at www.ashleylaverty.com. 

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