Western Gallery Museum Educator Zoë Fejeran co-authors chapter in arts education text

In "Restorative Practices in Education Through the Arts," co-authors Zoë Fejeran and Olivia Spiers build on their expertise as art museum educators and researchers to suggest ways to combine diversity, equity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) principles with trauma-aware practices to enhance art-related experiences for students and other learners. Fejeran and Spiers share strategies for creating a nurturing environment through authentic dialogue and meaningful engagement with art.

Fejeran, a WWU Art History alum, is currently the Museum Educator at Western Washington University's Western Gallery.

“Until recently, DEAI and trauma-aware practices have been regarded as separate in art education and other arenas. However, they share many ideas. Both are founded on connection and bringing diverse and marginalized voices into art experiences. Both involve careful, respectful listening…and both facilitate constructive and fruitful discussions that highlight different perspectives and a share sense of humanity.”

Western Gallery case study

Fejeran used her work at the Western Gallery and the Arbitrary Borders exhibition as a case study. She created a feedback wall with the prompt “When I saw_______, I felt ________.”

A museum feedback wall is an area - often a wall or other display - where visitors can share their thoughts, or answers to specific questions about their museum experience. The wall allows immediate feedback, and fosters a sense of shared discovery.

"DEAI in museums focuses on welcoming diverse voices and disrupting dominant narratives," says Fejeran of the response wall. "I wanted to demonstrate a low-stakes method of diversifying narratives within the exhibition by providing audiences with a way to share their responses.”

About the book

Developed by experts for flexible application, "Restorative Practices in Education through the Arts" provides beneficial information and practical strategies from professionals in the fields of art, art education, museums, art therapy, special education, social work, and school psychology. Discover meaningful insights for developing and implementing restorative practices that are applicable to classrooms, professional development, and teacher preparation.

About the chapter co-authors

Zoë Fejeran

Zoë Fejeran is the Museum Educator for Western Washington University’s Western Gallery & Outdoor Sculpture Collection. She received her MFA in Art Education with a museum focus from the University of Texas at Austin, where her research investigated the intersections of equity, diversity, accessibility, and inclusion (DEAI) in art museum education and programming. Prior to joining the Western Gallery, Fejeran was fortunate to work with the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, Washington, and UT Austin’s Visual Arts Center. She continues to develop her teaching practice and conduct art education research in the field, finding creative ways to bridge arts and cultural institutions and communities. She is driven by the foundational belief that art offers an empathic means to navigate the spectrum of human similarity, difference, and lived experience.

Olivia Spiers

Olivia Spiers is the Gallery Coordinator for Outreach and Programming for The Art Galleries (TAG) at ACC. In this role, Olivia works with faculty in the Art Department as well as staff in the Arts & Digital Media (ADM) division to coordinate events such as exhibition programs and artist talks. Along with this, Olivia collaborates with community organizations and departments across ACC’s campus to bring Austinites and ACC students into The Art Galleries for tours or class-specific programs, where they can foster connections and interdisciplinary relationships through art. Before coming to ACC, Olivia earned her B.A. in Art History and Classics from Southern Illinois University Carbondale and her M.A. in Museum Education from the University of Texas at Austin. In addition to her degrees, Olivia has worked at several museums such as: The Blanton Museum of Art in Austin, The National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and the Frist Art Museum in Nashville, Tennessee. In her spare time, Olivia enjoys chipping away at her ongoing research which delves into trauma awareness in museums and storytelling’s ability to cultivate resilience, respect, and empathy.