The Butterfly Project is a gentle and effective approach to teaching a difficult topic. Appropriate for both school settings and community events, our programming focuses on the power one person has to make a difference. Through our programming, participants hear personal stories from Holocaust Survivors and families, learn important lessons from the Holocaust, paint ceramic butterflies to honor the 1.5 million children killed in the Holocaust, and create art installations as reminders for courage, justice, remembrance, and hope.
School Programming
K-12 students learn the complex history of the Holocaust and its relevance to current day issues of equity, inclusion, and systemic racism through age-appropriate hands-on programming. The Butterfly Project’s (TBP) lessons are based on oral histories, film, literature and the expressive arts designed to cultivate empathy and resilience.
Programming culminates in painting ceramic butterflies for a community installation to foster ongoing conversations about diversity, inclusion and justice. Suitable for faith based schools. Teacher training is available. Public schools may be eligible for all hands-on art materials, teacher training and resources for no charge.
Community Programming
Interactive programming to engage participants of all ages and backgrounds with important lessons learned from the Holocaust, especially empathy, resilience and the power of one person to make a difference.
Interactive workshops include oral history, film, and painting ceramic butterflies for an on-site collective work of art to foster ongoing conversations about diversity, inclusion and justice. Designed for: libraries, museums, youth organizations, community centers, universities and a variety of other community settings.
Film Screenings
Our award-winning documentary film, NOT The Last Butterfly shares the grass-roots-gone-global story of The Butterfly Project’s mission and demonstrates how communities can dream big together. Including a screening of NOT The Last Butterfly (NTLB) in your school or community event helps foster ongoing dialogue about diversity, inclusion and justice and leads towards the creation of a permanent installation.
Full documentary and Educator’s version of NTLB includes bonus of 3 additional short film chapters to supplement the learning with interactive lessons for all films.
Installations
After The Butterfly Project programming, organizations get to create a permanent artwork of their own that is part of the collective count of butterflies displayed worldwide.
TBP encourages organizations to create dramatic installations with their butterflies and is available to advise on logistics from start to finish. In addition, organizations and schools can hire The Butterfly Project Artistic Team to create customized and legacy installations for you. These meaningful memorials serve as visual reminders of Remembrance and Hope. Naming opportunities available.
