School Programs
COVID Protocols: School Groups are required to wear masks while indoors. Since all bathrooms are indoors, please be sure to come prepared.
El Día de los Muertos Tapete Display & Competition
October 30, 2021
This year, Cheekwood will host the 12th annual Tapete Display and Competition. The Tapete Display and Competition is open to middle and high school student groups in Middle Tennessee and the Nashville area. Participants will create chalk-based murals onsite during the festival that may portray any aspect of the Día de los Muertos holiday. Help your students develop a cultural awareness, encourage class unity and participation, and display the talent and enthusiasm of your students to over 4,000 event visitors through this interactive and fun competition!
School Groups *Now booking for Fall of 2021
PLEASE NOTE: Mornings are fully booked through October.
Engage students in art, history, and botanical gardens with a field trip to Cheekwood. Cheekwood offers free admission to all school groups from Tennessee, Kentucky, and Alabama. Students in grades pre-k-12 can enjoy a self-guided experience through the gardens.
- Field Trips are available Tuesday – Friday, 9 AM – 5 PM.
- All field trips are self-guided through the gardens only.
- The minimum group size for scheduling field trips is 15. Groups smaller than 15 must pay regular admission prices.
- The maximum group size for scheduling field trips is 100. This includes students, teachers, and chaperones.
- Students and teachers are admitted free of charge. Adult chaperones (non-school employees) are required to pay the group rate of $16/person.
- For home school groups, one adult per family will be admitted free of charge. Additional adults will pay the chaperone fee of $16/person.
- Advanced registration is required due to timed ticketing for all visitors. Groups will be required to pick a specific date and time.
- Date and time requests must be at least two weeks in advance.
- Field trips are rain or shine.
Contact schools@cheekwood.org if you are ready to book your field trip or have any questions.
Art Outreach *Temporarily suspended - Anticipated relaunch in the Spring of 2022
Grades: 3 – 5
Cost: FREE!
Capacity: Up to 120 students
Art Outreach brings Cheekwood-inspired, hands-on art and science lessons to your school. During Art Outreach, students will explore landscape architecture by learning about Cheekwood’s history and dive into Cheekwood’s permanent art collection by critically examining selected pieces. Additional stations focus on temporary art and seasonal garden exhibitions. After rotating through these Cheekwood teacher-led stations, students bring home their masterpieces at the end of the day. During the 2018-19 school year, 100% of teachers that participated in this program said that Art Outreach satisfied or exceeded their expectations and that they would recommend it to their colleagues.
Destination Cheekwood
Grades: K-8 students and their families
Cost: FREE!
Capacity: Up to 120 people
Destination Cheekwood brings families to Cheekwood on a Saturday for a visit filled with art, garden, and historical experiences and activities. Transportation, admission, activities, and lunch are provided, giving families the opportunity to enjoy the best of Cheekwood’s seasonal festivals.
The Destination Cheekwood Program is supported, in part, by the William N. Rollins Fund for the Arts fund of The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.
Education & Outreach Programs supported by
M. Stratton Foster Charitable Foundation
Funds raised through Cheekwood’s annual Family Benefit Event
The Middle Tennessee Scholastic Art Awards
The Alliance for Young Artists and Writers, a national nonprofit organization, was established in 1994 to provide guidance and support for the next generation. The Alliance fosters the creative development of youth across the country through The Scholastic Art and Writing Awards, the most prestigious recognition initiative for creative teens, and the largest source of scholarships for young artists. Alumni of the Scholastic Art Awards include artists Andy Warhol, Philip Pearlstein, Cy Twombly, Robert Indiana, Kay WalkingStick, Mozelle Thompson, Hughie Lee-Smith, and John Baldessari.
For the 31st year, Cheekwood is proud to present the The Middle Tennessee Scholastic Art Awards. This year, Middle Tennessee students in grades 7-12 are invited to submit works to be considered for recognition by December 16, 2021. The exhibition displays the Gold Key and Silver Key award recipient pieces, honoring the artistic talent and innovation of area students. For more information, visit the Scholastic Affiliate page here.
Presented by
