Columbia Artist/Teachers (CA/T)

Students standing together in front of screen. Photo Credit: Emily Skillings, SOA ’17

Founded in May 2002, Columbia Artist/Teachers (CA/T) is a faculty of Writing Program MFA candidates. CA/T provides MFA teachers with training and teaching opportunities on and off campus, with students of all ages and levels. We collaborate with local schools and various community organizations in New York to establish no-cost arts education programs designed specifically to the needs and goals of the institutions. These writing workshops and seminars—which present the opportunity for an educational artistic outlet, developing literary talents—encourage sharing, discussion, critical thinking, and creative expression. Our instructors are experienced, dedicated, and passionate about teaching writing and the arts. CA/T is advised by Professors Alan Ziegler (Writing MFA Program Director of Pedagogy) and Dorothea Lasky (Writing BA Program Director). The organization is run by student directors and coordinators.

Become a Teaching Site:

If you are a school or community organization looking for a no-cost arts education program, please contact CA/T Faculty Advisor Alan Ziegler. We can set up a partnership and provide creative writing instructors with skills specific to your organization’s needs as early as the start of the next semester. Recent teaching sites have included:

Double Discovery Center, Frank Sinatra School of the Arts, High School of Fashion Industries, 826NYC, Livingston Elementary, Breaking Ground (Prince George), The Bridge, The Door, Gilda's Club, Humans in Harmony, Manhattan VA Medical Center, National Alliance on Mental Illness, Columbia Veterans Workshop, The Grief Diaries, Rikers Island, Manhattan Detention Complex, and Hudson County Correctional Facility.