The Hot Shops is proud to welcome Josephine Langbehn as our new Education and Program Manager.
While the importance of art education is universally acknowledged, access to it is not universal. Hot Shops brings art education to adults and children across the region, including the most under-resourced youth in the Metro. Our goal: Every child in Omaha experiences the joy of creation. Together, as Keepers of the Flame, we want to ensure every learner has the chance to shine. Through programming, mentoring and outreach, we inspire more than 7,000 learners every year – and with Josie’s help, there will always room for more.
Josephine Langbehn is both an arts educator and visual artist. From the age of 16 she got her start down the path of arts education through the involvement of dance, specifically Lindy Hop. Her passion for the dance allowed Josie the opportunity to be part of growing the scene and the nonprofit Omaha Jitterbugs. She taught and performed swing dance for 19 years to all ages and was instrumental in the educational programing and curriculum development for the organization.
Continuing the path of arts education, she received her BA and MA in education from the University of Nebraska at Omaha. She is a Nebraska certified K-12 art educator, and taught fourteen years for Omaha Public Schools and Gretna Public Schools. Submerging herself into as many arts’ education leadership opportunities as she could, Josie wrote curriculum for Omaha Public Schools and was even on the fine arts team for Nebraska Department of Education to write the first fine arts standards for Nebraska. She has also presented on topics within art education at the national level.
In 2015, she was selected as the Nebraska Outstanding Art Educator of the Year by the Nebraska Art Teachers Association (NATA). She went on to serve as a member of the NATA Executive Board as Co-President culminating in her development and piloting of a new Communications Coordinator role.
Leaving teaching full time in the classroom, has given her the opportunity to focus on her own art practice and to teach all ages in her own community and even becoming a Nebraska Arts Council teaching artist for both Artists in Schools & Community and the Creative Aging Program. Josie is so excited to be part of the Hot Shops team to collaborate with artists and community members to build meaningful art education and creative art experiences for the youth, adults, and people of all ages and backgrounds! Hot Shops is her home away from home.
