EARTH to SPACE Festival
Apr. 3 - 10, 2025
Genre
Performances for Young Audiences
Through voiceover, Tom Hanks narrates an epic experience that offers a unique new perspective on humankind’s past and future voyages to the moon. Telling the stories of the Apollo missions in intimate detail, The Moonwalkers, co-written by Tom Hanks and Christopher Riley, also provides an insight into the impending return of crewed surface missions by going behind-the-scenes of the Artemis program, including interviews between Hanks and Artemis astronauts. Lightroom’s powerful projection and audio technology will transform the immense space into a vehicle for a spectacular immersive voyage to our closest celestial neighbor. Projected in 360 degrees on the walls and the floor, The Moonwalkers is full of space-age wonder, perfect for visitors of all ages.
April 3 & 10, 2025
Studio K in the REACH, recommended for grades 4-12
Are you a parent, caregiver, or adult looking for a listing of available public showings and times (March 28 - April 20)? Find out more on the public show page!
We’re thrilled that you’ve joined us for a performance this season! We would like to hear from your students and you about the experience. After the performance, follow these steps to share feedback:
Each survey will take approximately five minutes to complete. The results will be used to inform future Kennedy Center Education program planning. Thank you in advance for sharing your valuable perspective!
How do composers hear space? What does space sound like? Is there music in space? Narrated by Roger Launius of the Space History Division of the National Air and Space Museum, this series looks at the way music and outer space connect.
Just like President Kennedy had a vision for America, composers have visions of how they want their music to sound. For some, their musical mission is to explore a galaxy of stars and planets, moon shots, space walks, and galactic battles!
In this 6-8 lesson, students explore the solar system through experimentation of mobile design in the style of Alexander Calder. Using independent research about the planets, students will work in collaborative groups to create mobiles that compare the size of the Earth to other planets in the solar system.
Music and mobiles take flight in these resources that explore the relationship between artist, art, and the cosmos, including the special meaning behind the stars and early African-American spirituals.
Professional development for educators. Summer intensives for young artists. Teaching artist guided activities. Performances for young audiences. Classroom lesson plans. Arts-focused digital media.
Kennedy Center Education offers a wide array of resources and experiences that inspire, excite, and empower students and young artists, plus the tools and connections to help educators incorporate the arts into classrooms of all types.
Our current teaching and learning priorities include:
A robust collection of articles, videos, and podcasts that allow students of all ages to explore and learn about the arts online.
In-person and virtual performances, along with supporting educational content to help guide learning.
Current approaches to arts integration in the classroom, inclusion, rigor, and adopting an arts integration approach at the school and district level.
An asynchronous online course that invites educators and administrators to think about our students’ disabilities as social and cultural identities that enrich our classrooms and communities.
The Vice President of Education is generously endowed by the
Generous support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Gifts and grants to educational programs at the Kennedy Center are provided by The Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Bank of America; Capital One; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Carnegie Corporation of New York; The Ednah Root Foundation; Harman Family Foundation; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; the Kimsey Endowment; The Kiplinger Foundation; Laird Norton Family Foundation; Lois and Richard England Family Foundation; Dr. Gary Mather and Ms. Christina Co Mather; The Markow Totevy Foundation; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; The Morningstar Foundation; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; The Irene Pollin Audience Development and Community Engagement Initiatives;
Prince Charitable Trusts; Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; The Embassy of the United Arab Emirates; The Victory Foundation; The Volgenau Foundation; Volkswagen Group of America; Jackie Washington; GRoW @ Annenberg and Gregory Annenberg Weingarten and Family; Wells Fargo; and generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas. Additional support is provided by the National Committee for the Performing Arts..
The content of these programs may have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
