President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities -Tl f» -Tli' Coming Up Taller Arts and Humanities Programs for Children and Youth At Risk ADVISORS Jessica Davis Research Associate Project Zero Harvard University Graduate School of Education Cambridge, MA Diane Frankel Director Institute of Museum Services Washington, DC Marianne Klink Federal Liaison National Endowment for the Arts Washington, DC Wayne Lawson Executive Director Ohio Arts Council Columbus, OH Frances Lucerna Artistic Director El Puente Brooklyn, NY Ellen McCulloch-Lovell Executive Director President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities Washington, DC Karen Pittman Director of U.S. Programs International Youth Foundation Takoma Park, MD Nancy Rogers Acting Director Division of Public Programs National Endowment for the Humanities Washington, DC William Strickland Executive Director Manchester Craftsmen's Guild Pittsburgh, PA Ruby Takanishi Executive Director Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development Washington, DC Nancy Welch Senior Research Analyst Morrison Institute for Public Policy Arizona State University Tempe, AZ Halima Williams Co-Artistic Director Living Stage Theatre Company Washington, DC Lynn Wright-Kernodle Coordinator MOTHEREAD Literacy Development Program North Carolina Humanities Council Greensboro, NC Coming Up Taller Arts and Humanities Programs for Children and Youth At Risk by Judith Humphreys Weitz President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities With the National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies This project is funded by the Anncox Foundation, Botwinick-Wolfensohn Foundation, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foundation, GE Fund and Harris Foundation. April 1996 Photos on the cover are from the following organizations: First row, left to right: Lula Washington Contemporary Dance Foundation, Manchester Craftsmen's Guild, Bakehouse Art Complex. Third row, left to right: The 52nd Street Project, Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center. Fourth row, left to right: MERIT Music Program of Chicago, The Wang Center for the Performing Arts, Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum. Fifth row, left to right: Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum, Settlement Music School, The Brooklyn Children's Museum. Back cover, top to bottom: Oakland Youth Chorus, Vermont Council on the Humanities. Copyright ©1996 President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities Editor: Elizabeth Murfee Design: Beth Singer Design Printing: Cavanaugh Press Profile Research: National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies Permission to copy, to disseminate or to otherwise use information from this report is granted as long as appropriate acknowledgment is given. Copies of this report can be ordered from the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Suite 526 Washington, DC 20506 Phone: 202-682-5409 • Fax: 202-682-5668 ■ ■ There is no way to fast forward and know how the kids will look back on this, but I have seen the joy in their eyes and have heard it in their voices and I have watched them take a bow and come up taller. 1 1 Willie Reale, artistic director of The 52nd Street Project, describing the impact of a theater program on youth living in "Hell's Kitchen," a neighborhood in New York City. 1 Table of Contents INTRODUCTION AND SUMMARY CHAPTER ONE A Changed Environment for Children: A Status Report CHAPTER TWO Culture Counts: The Case for the Arts and the Humanities in Youth Development 6 I I 15 CHAPTER THREE Transforming Lives: An Overview of Arts and Humanities Programs 20 CHAPTER FOUR A Delicate Balance: Principles and Practices of Promising Arts and Humanities Programs 28 CHAPTER FIVE Looking Ahead: A Next-Step Agenda 38 CHAPTER SIX Two Hundred Plus: Profiles of Arts and Humanities Programs 41 APPENDIX State-by-State Index A Note on Assessment Notes Acknowledgments 153 154 158 160 162 The Dance Ring DBA New York Theatre Ballet Introduction and Summary Coming Up Taller is a report filled with hope, a narrative about youth learning to paint, sing, write plays and poems, take photographs, make videos and play drums or violins. Here are stories of children who learn to dance, mount exhibi- tions, explore the history of their neighborhoods and write and print their own books. This report documents arts and humanities programs in communities across America that offer opportu- nities for children and youth to learn new skills, expand their horizons and develop a sense of self, well-being and belonging. Coming Up Taller is also an account of the men and women who share their skills as they help to shape the talents of children and youth and tap their hidden potentials. These dedicated individ- uals, often working long hours for little pay, are educators, social workers, playwrights, actors, poets, videographers, museum curators, dancers, musicians, muralists, scholars and librarians. The President's Committee believes strongly in the importance of including the arts and the disciplines of the humanities in the school curriculum. This study looks at what hap- pens to young people when they are not in school — when they need adult supervision, safe places to go and activities that expand their skills and offer them hope. The individual programs described in this study take place in many locations, some unusual, in their com- munities. Children, artists and scholars come together at cultural centers, muse- ums, libraries, performing arts centers and arts schools, to be sure. Arts and humanities programs also are based at public radio and television sta- tions, parks and recreation centers, churches, public housing complexes, teen centers, settlement houses and Boys and Girls Clubs. In places unnoticed by mainstream media, acts of commitment and achieve- ment are evident every day. WHY THIS REPORT In September 1994, President Clinton announced the new members of the President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities. He and First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton, who serves as Honorary Chair of the President's Committee, charged the Committee to explore ways to enhance the availability of the arts and the humanities to children, especially to those at risk. "Too often today, instead of children discovering the joyful rewards of painting, or music, or sculpting, or writing or testing a new idea, they express them- selves through acts of frus- tration, helplessness, hope- lessness and even violence," noted Hillary Rodham Clinton in remarks to the President's Committee. "We see too clearly how an erosion and a breakdown of our most cherished institu- tions have resulted in a fraying of the whole social fabric. We know that the arts have the potential for This report documents arts and humanities programs that are changing children's liues \ama ClO*> 995 Drama CUb IS 1995 Drama CluB jj VO 1995 Drama J v ^ obliterating the limits that are too often imposed on our lives. We know that they can take anyone, but particularly a child, and transport that child beyond the bounds that circum- stance has prescribed." The First Lady encouraged the Committee to offer con- crete ideas "about how we can provide children with safe havens." She noted, "The arts and humanities have the potential for being such safe havens. In com- munities where programs already exist, they are pro- viding soul-saving and life- enhancing opportunities for young people." As a first step, the Presi- dent's Committee produced this report to identify community programs in the arts and the humani- ties that reach at-risk chil- dren and youth and to describe the principles and practices that make these programs effective. SUMMARY OF FINDINGS Coming Up Taller calls attention to the variety and vitality of promising arts and humanities programs for children and youth. It also describes common characteristics that these programs share. A* Perhaps the most distinguishing aspect of these programs is their ability to take full advan- tage of the capacity of the arts and the humanities to engage students. Beginning with this engagement, programs impart new skills and encourage new perspec- tives that begin to trans- form the lives of at-risk children and youth. B. Community arts and humanities programs pro- vide crucial "building blocks" for children's healthy development. These programs: • Create safe places for children and youth where they can develop construc- tive relationships with their peers. • Offer small classes with opportunities for youth to develop close, interactive relationships with adults. • Place a premium on giving youth a chance to succeed as a way to build their sense of worth and achievement. Above Left: Settlement Music School. Above:The Wang Center for the Performing Arts. Lower Left: Lula Washington Contemporary Dance Foundation. • Use innovative teaching strategies such as hands-on learning, apprenticeships and technology, often giving youth concrete job skills. • Emphasize excellence and expose children to quality staff and programming. • Build on what youth value and understand and encourage voluntary partic- ipation. • Establish clear expecta- tions and reward progress. • Maintain sustained, regu- lar programs upon which children can count and provide youth with oppor- tunities to be valued com- munity members. Through arts and humanities programs, youth tap hidden potentials and deuelop new skills. C. The programs not only provide youth with experi- ence in the arts and the humanities, but also deliver needed support services. While establishing inde- pendent relationships with participants, they include and work with parents. D. These arts and humani- ties programs teach youth how to navigate other net- works and advocate for youth with other communi- ty institutions. E* No two programs are alike. Each program reflects its creator's mis- sion and its community's specific circumstances. The individuality of each program is testimony to this field's ingenuity. Fa The arts and humani- ties programs in this report are located primarily in large cities. Many of them were created in the mid- 1980s. Most programs operate with diverse but Manchester Craftsmen's Guild limited staff and on small budgets. Technical assis- tance efforts, perhaps sup- ported by the corporate sector, community founda- tions or local arts and humanities councils, are needed to strengthen their administrative and fund-raising capabilities. G* Most program staff are trained, primarily by more experienced program per- sonnel. Only one-third of the programs provide on- going training. Initiatives should be developed to enhance training and staff opportunities. For example, staff could learn from and train at other programs. Travel grants, paid sabbati- cals, staff mentorship pro- grams and performance exchanges could enrich existing programs. H* Partnerships provide critical support, allowing limited staff to obtain much-needed resources. Most community arts and humanities programs described in this report were initiated by arts or humanities organizations. However, they operate in partnerships with other institutions such as schools, universities, youth organizations, churches, businesses and health, housing and social service agencies. Strategies to improve linkages among cultural programs and other community institu- tions would enhance coor- dinated responses to inter- related problems. I* These arts and humani- ties programs provide vivid testimony on the difference they make in children's lives. These programs doc- ument their activities, assess program strengths and weaknesses, track the progress of individual par- ticipants and compare their goals with actual practices. A few programs have documented, with some caveats, the positive correlation between pro- gram participation and cognitive development, interest in learning, moti- vation, organization, self- perception and resiliency. J* With increased compe- tition for fewer resources, the pressure to demon- strate results is increasing. However, assessment takes time and money: commodi- ties in short supply in these programs. Community arts and humanities programs need financial support and guid- ance to develop assess- ment tools that measure impact and improve pro- gram practices. flits and humanities programs provide crucial "building blocks" for the healthg deuelopment of at-risk youth. K. Ninety-five percent of the programs report that they have more than one source of funding; most programs report that their donors are local. City gov- ernment supports 58 per- cent of the programs; local foundations provide support to 55 percent; local corpora- tions, to 50 percent; and individuals, to 40 percent. L. Government agencies — city, state and federal — are the most common source of funds, though most pro- grams receive significant private contributions, including foundation grants. While 43 percent of the organizations have received or currently receive support from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Humanities or Institute of Museum Services, many also receive funds from other federal departments, including the U.S. Departments of Health and Human Services, Housing and Urban Development, Justice and Labor. M. These community pro- grams face their greatest challenge as potential gov- ernment funding cuts make their financial futures more tenuous. While private foundations cannot assume total responsibility, their leadership and decisions are pivotal. Strategies for building support, including sustained general support, as well as identifying and generating new resources are urgently needed. Coming Up Taller demon- strates the value of sup- porting these arts and humanities programs and promoting their prolifera- tion. The President's Committee hopes that this report will mark the begin- ning of a renewed effort by national, state and local leaders in the public and private sectors to support and expand community arts and humanities pro- grams for children and youth at risk. We urge leaders to tap the creativity and energy of these programs to improve the prospects for the children and youth of this nation. HOW THE REPORT WAS DONE The arts and the humani- ties programs examined in this study were identified by a broad range of organi- zations and agencies: the Federation of State Humanities Councils, the American Association of Museums, Project Co- Arts at the Harvard University Vermont Council on the Humanities Graduate School of Education, the U.S. Conference of Mayors, the National Recreation and Parks Association, the National Endowment for the Arts, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the Institute of Museum Services and approximately 90 other public and private agencies that work with youth. These agencies include arts organizations; national arts and humanities service groups; national networks of community institutions such as Boys and Girls Clubs, libraries, museums and parks; national youth and social service agen- cies; foundations and gov- ernment agencies. Each of the 600 identified programs was screened to select those working primarily with at-risk children, offer- ing sustained arts and humanities programs out- side of the school curricu- lum. In addition, the selected programs focus on youth development through the arts and the humanities as one of their expressed goals. Staff at the 218 programs that met these criteria were interviewed at length, providing the basis for the program profiles in Chapter Six. The inter- views collected the follow- ing information: • Why a program was created • What arts and humani- ties activities are offered • What community condi- tions and resources exist • Who the program serves • How services are delivered • Whether staff, including artists and scholars, are trained © There aie common characteristics that contribute to these programs' success with youth. • Who the program's part- ners and supporters are • What the impact is on participants • How effectiveness is measured The conclusions about what makes programs effective are based on these interviews and on visits to nine sites: • The Artists Collective, Inc., Hartford, Connecticut • Educational Video Center, New York, New York • Experimental Gallery: Arts Program for Incarcerated Youth, Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum, Olympia, Washington • The 52nd Street Project, New York, New York • Japantown Art and Media Workshop, San Francisco, California • Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program, Settlement Music School, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania • Read With Me: Teen Parent Project, Vermont Council on the Humanities, Morris ville, Vermont • Teen Project, Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe, Santa Fe, New Mexico • Working Classroom, Inc., Albuquerque, New Mexico These programs have existed from 2 to 26 years and accumulated 99 years of experience. Seven of the nine have received or cur- rently receive support from the National Endowment for the Arts, National Endowment for the Hu- manities and/or the Institute of Museum Services. They operate in both urban and rural areas, serving youth as demo- graphically diverse as the U.S. population. Some focus their programs on specific disciplines, such as graphic design or literature; others offer a variety of disciplines. The humanities represent the core of one program and are integrated into several Oakland Youth Chorus others, especially those that focus on a specific culture in American society. ORGANIZATION OF THE REPORT This report is structured in six chapters. 1. A Changed Environ- ment for Children describes the context in which these programs operate, presenting both disheartening statistics and the evidence of resiliency that children can display in the face of seemingly insur- mountable odds. 2. Culture Counts reviews the value of the arts and the humanities for youth. It suggests that arts and humanities programs are crucial components of any community strategy that seeks to improve the lives of children and youth. 3. Transforming Lives provides an overview of the highly varied cultural programs surveyed for this report. 4. A Delicate Balance summarizes the principles, policies and practices found in promising programs. 5. Looking Ahead recom- mends continued examina- tion of these programs and discusses their need for increased technical and financial support. 6. Two Hundred Plus con- tains the 218 individual profiles of arts and humani- ties programs for children and youth at risk. 10 We hope this report will mark the beginning of a renewed effort to support and expand these programs, A Changed Environment for A STATUS REPORT Children live in a different world today from that of their grandparents. In some ways, it is a better world. More children today are better fed, better educated and free from dangerous childhood diseases. However, this progress is not shared egually by all children. Today's children face new hazards that were not even imagined by pre- vious generations. Changing family life pat- terns have affected today's children. Having a parent at home full time, a given 30 years ago, is now the exception to the rule. Studies show that many young people spend 40 percent of their time with- out responsible adult companionship or supervi- sion. 1 It is ironic that while technology can give America's youth member- ship in a global community, many are alienated from the communities outside their doors. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development now reports, "The experi- ence of growing up in American communities has changed significantly in recent decades. For most young adolescents, the feel- ing of belonging to a com- munity that offers mutual aid and a sense of common pur- pose, whether it is found in their families, schools, neigh- borhoods, houses of worship, or youth organizations, has been greatly compromised. "* Child poverty rates are the most widely used indica- tors of child well-being. In 1993, almost 14 million children in the United States were poor.' 1 Their liv- ing conditions are reported as worse than those of poor children in 15 of the 18 Among today's 10th grade students, for example, less than one-third attend reli- gious activities once a week; while only a fifth participate in youth groups or organized recreational programs or take weekly classes outside of school in art, music, language or dance. One in 8 takes weekly sports lessons out- side of school, while 1 in 14 volunteers or performs community service. 3 Western industrialized countries, by the Luxem- bourg Income Study. 5 These children are the most likely to attend inade- quate schools and to face danger in their neighbor- hoods and communities and the least likely to have access to recreation and support services. The 52nd Street Project © Ovei 63 million children and youth Hue in America. Their numbeis will increase to over 73 million by 2010 Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses, Inc. Almost 4 million children are growing up in severely distressed neighborhoods, areas that have high levels of at least four of the fol- lowing risk factors: poverty, unemployment, high school dropouts, female-headed families and family reliance on welfare. 6 These children are in double-jeopardy for they are surrounded by mirror images of their own vulnerability. Almost one-third of all households with children report that their neighbor- hood quality is "poor" or "fair." This negative response rises to just under one-half from house- holds with only one adult present. 7 For some children, the rise in violence has created a brutal reality. In the United States, a child dies from gunshot wounds every 2 hours, 8 and 3 million chil- dren each year are reported abused or neglected. 9 In 1993, over one-third of male high school youth, and nearly 1 in 10 of female students, reported that they had carried a weapon (a knife, razor, club or firearm) at least once dur- ing the previous 30 days. One in 7 male high school students reported carrying a gun within the last month. 10 Other alarming indices show that the teen suicide rate, youth violent crime arrest rate and the unmar- ried teen birth rate are all rising. 11 Using a cumula- tive risk index, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services reports 12 Almost 1 out of S fourth graders matches 6 01 more houis of TU each day that in 1992, only 45 per- cent of 15-year-olds, 31 percent of 16-year-olds, 24 percent of 17-year-olds and 16 percent of 18-year- olds were "risk free." 12 For those children who survive and graduate from school, the job market they enter is tighter, more com- petitive and highly special- ized. A high school gradu- ate as well as a high school dropout is unlikely to secure a decent-paying job that can support a family. Today, one-third of all male workers earn less than it takes to lift a family of four out of poverty. 13 This generation lives in an increasingly diverse soci- ety, one that can provide an enormous opportunity for cultural richness — or for distrust and resentment. In three states and the Dis- trict of Columbia, "minori- ty" children already make up the majority of the child population." Consider, also, that with the "graying of America," growing num- bers of elderly will depend on the productivity of working adults for their economic support. Among those future working adults are today's minority children. 15 THE ROOTS OF RISK All children and youth face some adversity as they grow up; most adjust and thrive. However, research indicates that when prob- lem behaviors occur, they often cluster in the same young people. "Those who drink and smoke in early adolescence are thus more likely to initiate sex earlier than their peers; those who engage in these behavior patterns often have a history of difficulties in school. When young people have a low commitment to school and education, and when teachers or parents have low expectations of the children's performance, trouble lurks. Once educational failure occurs, then other adverse events begin to take hold. "" These problem behaviors have common roots and feed on unfortunate cir- cumstances in children's lives: insufficient parental support and guidance; low grades and schools with low expectations; few opportunities and chal- lenges for growth or contri- bution and poor and over- crowded neighborhoods. Children facing these cir- cumstances show an inability to resist the influ- ence of unhealthy behavior in peers and are drawn to those who already have become risk-takers" There are ways, however, to prevent such circum- stances from mushrooming into damaging behavior. Many experts have identi- fied what children need to grow up healthy, skilled and optimistic. The Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development summarizes the basic conditions children need to successfully complete the transition from childhood to adulthood: "They must have sustained, caring relationships with adults; receive guidance in facing serious challenges; become a valued member of a constructive peer group; feel a sense of worth as a person; become socially competent; know how to use the support systems available to them; achieve a reliable basis for making informed choices; find con- structive expression of the © More than 2 out of 5 fourth graders score below basic reading levels. curiosity and exploration that strongly characterizes their age; believe in a promising future with real opportunities; and find ways of being useful to others." 18 In short, children and youth need caring families and communities. THE RESILIENT ONES Most of us understand how children in stable families with good schools and safe, enriching neighborhoods are able to succeed. But how does a child who does not have these supports thrive? And why is it that even when the indicators seem to signal "doomed life ahead," some children sur- mount adverse circum- stances, growing and excelling? How do youth find ways within and out- side their families to meet some of their basic needs? A portion of the answer is found in the results of an investigation by child psy- chologist Emily Werner, of the University of California, and her colleague Ruth Smith, a clinical psycholo- gist. Werner and Smith tested, over a span of more than 30 years, a sample of children born in 1955 in Kauai, Hawaii, into trou- bled and impoverished families. The researchers discovered that one-third of the high-risk children were vulnerable but resilient throughout the study, becoming successful in school and later at work. The study's authors described them as "compe- tent, confident, caring adults." The other two- thirds developed emotional and behavioral problems, which included teen preg- nancy and mental health problems and delinquency. Werner and Smith identi- fied three clusters of pro- tective factors separating the resilient group from the other adolescents: certain temperamental characteris- tics and engaging social skills; strong relationships with parents or parental substitutes, including sib- lings; and a community support network. Of those children in the Werner and Smith study who did succumb to their at-risk environment, be- coming problem teenagers, a portion matured to become successful young adults. Key to their ability to pull their lives together were pivotal experiences with supportive people in situations that structured their lives. For example, problem teenagers who joined the military or a church group, went to col- lege or developed a stable and close relationship with a spouse were more likely to become successful young men and women. 19 While the theory of resilien- cy is not entirely under- stood, other studies sup- port the findings of Werner and Smith. The capacity to be resilient challenges the notion that impoverished environments doom a child to a dismal future. However, as a member of the Youth Committee of the Lilly Endowment asserts, "While children can, and often do, make the best of difficult circumstances, they cannot be sustained and helped to grow by chance arrangements or makeshift events. Some- thing far more intentional is required." 20 Community youth organi- zations now play an increasingly vital role in making "something more intentional" happen. Nationwide, more than 17,000 such organizations offer community programs for youth. These include large, national groups such as the YMCA of the USA and Boys and Girls Clubs of America, as well as local community organizations such as churches, muse- ums, libraries and perform- ing arts, recreation and youth development centers. Such programs address children's needs for adult support and provide role models, often making an impression on youngsters who might otherwise sur- render to hostility and hopelessness. They be- come locations in which youth "hang out," forming friendships with peers and adults while taking an active role in constructive activities and learning new skills. As noted by the Carnegie Council, "[Y]oung members socialize with their peers and adults and learn to set and achieve goals, compete fair- ly, win gracefully, recover from defeat, and resolve dis- putes peaceably They acquire life skills: the ability to communicate, make deci- sions, solve problems, make plans, set goals for education and careers. They put their school-learned knowledge to use, for example, by working as an intern in a museum. ' m Experiences such as these can offset adverse circum- stances and lead youth toward productive lives. ® Many young people spend 40% of their time without responsible adult companionship or supervision Culture Counts THE CASE FOR THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES IN YOUTH DEVELOPMENT Organized youth activities can deter risky behavior in adolescents, according to a recent national study. Students who participate in band, orchestra, chorus or a school play, for exam- ple, are significantly less likely than nonparticipants to drop out of school, be arrested, use drugs or engage in binge drinking. Unfortunately, this same study also notes that today's most vulnerable youth spend less time in activities like these and are therefore deprived of their benefits. 1 Quality youth programs, whether organized around the arts and the humanities, sports, science or outdoor exploration, are a crucial source of supportive relationships and vital experiences. Arts and humanities programs are particularly potent in pro- moting youth development. We see this most clearly in educational settings when the arts and the humani- ties are fully integrated into the curriculum. Several integrated educa- tional models currently exist in the United States. The Duke Ellington School of the Arts in the District of Columbia provides its high school students, most of whom come from disad- vantaged backgrounds, with the chance to attend a school where academics and the arts share the school day equally. In Kansas City, 7 public school districts, 11 arts organizations and 35 donors have banded together across state lines to form Arts Partners, an initiative to integrate com- munity arts resources into the school curriculum. Schools benefiting from this approach have seen the transforming effect of the arts and the humanities on the quality of education and on student achievement. While humanities disci- plines such as history, liter- ature and language have long been accepted as part of the standard school cur- riculum, the enlightened educator who understands the value of the arts has had insufficient educational theory and research upon which to base his or her insight. In the last several years, this gap has begun to close. Studies are exploring the role of arts education in the development of higher order thinking skills, prob- lem-solving ability and increased motivation to learn. Other studies are finding correlations between arts education and improvements in acad- emic performance and standardized test scores, increases in student atten- dance and decreases in school drop-out rates. Youth Radio © *& More than 350,000 babies aie born each year to unmarried teenagers Center of Contemporary Arts (COCA) The following points elaborate on the important ways culture counts in the development of children and youth. The arts and the humani- ties draw upon a range of intelligences and learning styles. Experts belreve that people do not possess a single general intelligence, but several different kinds: linguistic, musical, logical-mathemat- ical, spatial, bodily-kines- thetic, interpersonal and intrapersonal. 2 Schools by and large focus on linguis- tic and logical-mathemati- cal intelligences. In so doing, America's educa- tional institutions may consign many children to under-achievement and failure. As eminent psy- chologist Howard Gardner notes, "[S]tudents with strengths in the spatial, musical, or personal spheres may find school far more demanding than stu- dents who happen to process the 'text-friendly' blend of linguistic and logi- cal intelligences." 3 The arts and the humani- ties provide children with different ways to process cognitive infor- mation and express their own knowledge. Using processes different from traditional approaches, the arts and humanities provide children with unique meth- ods for developing skills and organizing knowledge. Each arts and humanities discipline has its own distinct symbol system, whether it is nonverbal, as with music or dance, or uses language in a particu- lar way, as with creative writing or oral history. Exposure to these alternate systems of symbols engages the mind, requir- ing analysis, synthesis, evaluation and application. 4 The arts have the poten- tial to enhance academic performance. The arts give youngsters a richer reservoir of information upon which to draw in pur- suing other subjects, such as reading, writing, mathe- matics and history. "Drawing helps writing. Song and poetry make facts memorable. Drama makes history more vivid and real. Creative move- ment makes processes understandable. " 5 By honing nonverbal skills such as perception, imagi- nation and creativity, the arts also develop vocabu- lary, metaphorical lan- guage, observation and critical thinking skills. 6 The elements of sound, move- ment, space, line, shape and color are all concepts related to other subject areas such as math and science. The concepts taught in the arts permeate other scholastic disciplines, and a child's comprehen- sion of an artistic concept can extend across the aca- demic curriculum. Furthermore, the teaching methods used in many arts and humanities programs provide alternative approaches to learning. For example, some children can process and retain information more effective- ly when they learn by doing, engage in appren- tice-like relationships and use technology such as in computer graphics and videography. 7 The arts and the humani- ties spur and deepen the development of creativity. By their very nature, the arts and the humanities place a premi- um on discovery and inno- vation, originality and imagination. As such, they can be powerful vehicles for stimulating creativity in young people, a valuable trait throughout their lives. Businesses today increas- ingly look for workers who can think and create. Clifford V. Smith, Jr., presi- dent of the GE Fund, is typical when he says, "Developing business lead- ers starts in school. Not in assembly-line schooling, but rather through the dynamic processes that the arts-in-education experi- ence provides." 8 More than 1 out of 3 male high school students reports carrying a weapon within the preuious month The Brooklyn Children's Museum The arts and the humani- ties provide critical tools for children and youth as they move through various developmental stages. Preschool children, before they are fluent in language, are powerfully affected by music, visual arts and dance. Preschool- ers can paint, color, mold clay, sing songs and dance in order to convey feelings and ideas. These activities encourage young children to express themselves and learn through the use of nonverbal symbols. Teenagers struggle with issues of identity, indepen- dence, competency and social role. The arts help to mediate this confusion. "Creative art activity allows the adolescent to gain mas- tery over internal and exter- nal landscapes by discover- ing mechanisms for struc- ture and containment that arise from within, rather than being imposed from outside. The artistic experience entails repetition of actions, thoughts or emotions, over which the adolescent gains Ouei 11,000 youth, ages 15-10, die each yeai fiom homicide, suicide 01 accidents. "The arts provide a safe container for every person or every culture or every group to express things about coming into being as an adult, dealing with hardship, dealing with a sense of beauty. No other activity provides us with that. [The arts and humanities] allow us culturally, individually to say things and do things we might never get to do." Carlos Uribe Director of Programs Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe Teen Project increased tolerance or mas- tery. While providing a means to express pain and unfulfilled longings during a distinct maturational phase, the arts simultaneously engage the competent, hopeful and healthy aspects of the adolescent's being. " 9 Similarly, the humanities encourage youth to read, write and express them- selves in a disciplined way. Changes in body image may be expressed through movement and dance. Drama offers the opportuni- ty to explore identity by integrating childhood roles and experimenting with future possibilities. Music expresses emotional disso- nance and volatility. The visual arts provide a vehi- cle for translating inner experiences to outward visual images. 10 Writing and oral history projects bring a greater understand- ing of one's family and neighborhood. The arts and the humani- ties teach the value of discipline and teamwork and the tangible rewards each can bring. When children's efforts culminate in a performance or exhibi- tion, they have a chance to experience meaningful public affirmation, which provides them with some degree of celebrity. For those few minutes, chil- dren are in their own eyes every bit as important as anybody — any TV, sports, music, movie or video idol. 11 This can be an expe- rience of particular potency for youngsters whose lives are primarily characterized by anonymity and failure. Almost 4 million children Hue in severely distiessed neighborhoods. Somerville Community Access Television they can bridge barriers among cultural, racial and ethnic groups. The arts also can promote a deeper understanding of similari- ties and differences among religions, races and cultural traditions. For some chil- dren, the exploration of their unique cultural histo- ries can be critical to their sense of themselves and to others' images of them. This knowledge can help bind them more fully to the larger society of which they are a part. The arts and the humani- ties provide youth with a different perspective on their own lives, a chance to imagine a different outcome and to develop a critical distance from everyday life. For one adult poet, a well-known children's book allowed her to envision a different world from the abusive one in which she lived as a child. At a conference for adults learning to read, she recalled this experience, held up Smokey and the Cowhorse and said, "This is the book that saved my life." Victor Swenson, exec- utive director of the Vermont Council on the Humanities, elaborates: "It [the book] represented a world outside of her own circumstances; a world of honor and honesty, love and loyalty and bad luck and good luck. It gave her something outside of her own experience. And she could see that there was a way out." 12 Developing cultural literacy in children and youth gives them a sense of perspective as they participate in tradi- tions of expression from which they learn and to which they can contribute. As humanist John William Ward wrote in 1985, "[H]umanistic learning is centered on the individual who has important ques- tions about self and soci- ety. To learn some of the answers to those questions means the fullest and rich- est and most imaginative development of every single self." 13 A respected gang-interven- tionist writes, "One of the most natural and effective vehicles for gang members is the road of the arts, especially theater. New val- ues only emerge through new experiences, and the arts provide a unique labo- ratory where truth and pos- sibility can be explored safely. Validating emotional safety is everything." 14 Because dance, music, pho- tography and other visual arts transcend language, Finally, the arts and the humanities are a critical part of a complete educa- tion. The true worth of cul- tural knowledge transcends any of its specific applica- tions. Exposure to the arts and the humanities and the experience of their power are of inestimable value unto themselves. And in this respect, the beauty of the arts and the wisdom of the humanities count for everyone. © More than 1 out of S children, or almost 14 million. Hues in a poor family Transforming Lives AN OVERVIEW OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES PROGRAMS In the spring of 1996, 20 teenagers from a low- income community in Pennsylvania will graduate from high school with 6 years of professional the- ater experience. Jessie is one of them. She was in the sixth grade when The People's Light and Theater Company reached out to a group of students and made a com- mitment to stay involved with them until they grad- uated from high school. The Theater Company worked with students after school year-round. Staff provided transportation and, during the summer time, provided employment as well. This ensemble of teenagers, called "New Voices Ensemble," created plays together, as they wrote, improvised, rehearsed and performed. Jessie was moody at first, sometimes walking out of rehearsals. Her family situ- ation was extremely diffi- cult, and she often had to supervise and attend to five younger brothers and sisters. Then, while work- ing on A Midsummer Night's Dream, Jessie seemed instinctively to understand Shakespeare. It was a pivotal time; she gradually evolved from the one who "got involved in confrontations" into the mediator to which every- one turned when disagree- ments arose among Ensemble members. Over time, the Ensemble became like a family, but one "she didn't have to take care of, one that helped her to take care of herself." Though her own family situation continued to be fraught with stress, Jessie became one of the top students in the 12th grade. She now hopes to become a lawyer. 1 THE PARTICIPANTS Stories like Jessie's are common among the pro- grams profiled in this report. The 218 arts and humanities programs described in Chapter Six touch the lives of an esti- mated 88,600 youth each year. While they reach chil- dren of all ages, 92 percent of the programs work with teens. Seventy-two percent of the programs also serve 6- to 12-year-olds, and 24 percent assist preschoolers. Most youth participating in these programs live in large cities. They come from 36 states and the District of Columbia. These children represent every racial and ethnic group in the country and include school dropouts, teen par- ents, immigrants, refugees and gang members. Some live in juvenile detention centers, public housing projects, halfway houses or homeless shelters. Others are simultaneously enrolled in prevention programs for substance abuse, teen pregnancy, school dropout or juvenile delinquency. Mostly, they are "just kids" who were born into eco- nomically disadvantaged r&^r *zy?> pf*" The 216 aits and humanities programs in this leport serve 08,600 youth each year Right: Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center. Below: Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. families and/or resource- poor communities. And being just kids, they long for friendship, approval, protection, security, con- nectedness and things to do. However, often living in poor communities or stressed families, these youth sometimes grow up with little adult guidance, in fear of physical danger, with few stimulating activities and with consid- erable uncertainty about their futures. PROGRAM ORIGINS Though by no means reaching all youth in need, community programs devoted to children like Jessie are proliferating. There appear to be more cultural programs now than at any other time in our history. However, many more programs are needed to reach under-served children and youth. This survey shows that many of the programs were started in the last half of the 1980s, but their antecedents trace their ori- gins to the settlement house movement and com- munity music schools. Henry Street Settlement and the Third Street Music School Settlement, both in New York City, are now over 100 years old. These organizations offered pro- grams in the arts and cul- ture as part of a constella- tion of services designed to address the needs of poor European immigrants. The same can be said of Hull House in Chicago, started in 1889 by social work pio- neer Jane Addams. Hull House continues to provide community cultural activi- ties through its Beacon Street Gallery and Theatre, which became separately incorporated in 1989. Since the late 1960s, gov- ernment agencies and pri- vate philanthropies have supported community arts and humanities programs. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the largest donor to the arts since 1976, has played a major role in decentralizing the arts to ensure broad access. Since the Endowment's creation in 1965, the network of local arts agencies has grown from 500 to 3,800. State and territorial arts councils have increased from 5 to 56. Several of the programs described in this report were created by local coun- cils, including those in Tucson, Arizona; New Orleans, Louisiana; and Toledo and Columbus, Ohio. In 1971, the NEA estab- lished its Expansion Arts program specifically to encourage the development of community cultural organizations. These organ- izations assumed that improving lives in their neighborhoods was part of their mission. Thus, helping children and youth was a natural extension of their activities. Over-one third of the organizations profiled receive or have received NEA support. In recent years the NEA also has expanded its part- nership collaborations with other government agencies such as the Corporation for National and Community Service, the Department of Health and Human Services and the Department of Justice to encourage greater involve- ment of arts organizations in federally supported com- munity prevention pro- grams for youth. Projects supported through these federal partnerships often have national impact or serve as models to encour- age the expansion of sup- port for programs that uti- lize the arts to benefit at- risk youth. State humanities councils, largely supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), also grew during the 1970s, and with their expansion began a flourishing of literacy, oral © These aits and humanities programs are located mostly in large cities. history and community revitalization programs. These programs encourage scholars to take active roles in their communities, bringing their perspectives into active play and bring- ing the community togeth- er around discussions of important issues. Humanities councils in Kentucky, Louisiana, New Jersey, Vermont and the District of Columbia creat- ed programs that are described in Chapter Six. The Institute of Museum Services (IMS), established in 1976, serves all varieties of museums from art, histo- ry, science and children's museums to zoos and botanical gardens. IMS supports museums that have taken an active role in AGE RANGES OF PARTICIPANTS SERVED 1 to 5 24% 6 to 12 72% 13 to 18 92% 19 to 21 44% Programs may serve more than one age range. Source: National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies. their communities and have reached out to new audiences. Museums in partnership with communi- ty leaders, educators and others are creating innova- tive and effective ways to address a wide range of social concerns. Museum programs for at-risk chil- dren range from art activi- ties fostering personal expression to opportunities for exploring cultural her- itage and building skills and confidence through inquiries into the world of science. More than a dozen programs created by muse- ums are described in this report, including programs at children's museums in Brooklyn, New York; Holyoke, Massachusetts; Indianapolis, Indiana; Las Vegas, Nevada; and Seattle, Washington; as well as at the Georgia Museum of Art in Athens, New York State Museum in Albany and The Mexican Museum in San Francisco. Programs that reach youth by engaging them in cul- tural activities arise under many circumstances. Some are started by artists or teachers concerned about young people; others are begun by mayors or by juvenile justice or youth GENERAL PROGRAM INFORMATION Average Median Staff 3.5 2.0 Volunteers 23.0 5.0 Consultants 9.2 8.0 Annual Budget $158,537 $84,000 Annual Youth Served 407 1986 100 Year Started 1989 The median and average are both provided because of the broad range of responses. The median is the middle value of a set of numbers arranged in order of magnitude. The average is the sum of the observa- tions divided by the total number of observations. Source: National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies. workers who want to pro- vide positive experiences for children and youth. When visual artists at City Center Art in Birmingham, Alabama, noticed neigh- borhood children hanging out at their warehouse, they developed an arts pro- gram — Space One Eleven — for youth who live in the nearby housing complex. In Buffalo, New York, chil- dren knocked on the door of a local artist named Molly Bethel asking her to teach them to paint. That was over 35 years ago, and today, MollyOlga Neighborhood Art Classes remains a neighborhood sanctuary, available to any young person. Television director Roberto Arevalo began The Mirror Project at Somerville Community Access Television in 1992 after meeting eight teenagers at a local park in Somerville, Massachusetts. He began to work with them, helping them to explore their neighborhoods with video cameras. Two of the videos won awards, and now, with partial funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the program operates at hous- ing developments, Boys and Girls Clubs and community centers in the area. Sometimes artists who have retired from their per- forming careers draw upon their backgrounds to help young people. Former bal- lerina turned defense attor- ney Sherry Jason and her public defender husband Bob started the Sentenced to the Stage program for juvenile offenders in © 92% of the aits and humanities programs work with youth ages 13-18: 72%, with children ages 6-12. Topanga, California. In this program, offenders must participate in acting and dancing workshops as a condition of their proba- tion. Similarly, a former Joffrey and American Ballet Theatre dancer leads classes at One Art studio's Kids Off Streets program, in Miami, Florida, located in one of the most violent neighborhoods in the country. Some programs were founded by nationally known artists or organiza- tions. Alvin Ailey Company, for example, ini- tiated AileyCamp for high- risk children, and the dance camp now runs in Frostburg, Maryland, Kansas City and New York City. Since 1966, the Arena Stage in the District of Columbia has run the Living Stage Theatre Company for poor children, teen mothers and incarcer- ated youth. The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre is building a posi- tive record with first-time offenders, teen parents and other at-risk youth through its Project Self Discovery in Denver. For other organizations, the impetus to launch youth outreach programs is more practical. For example, the Settlement Music School in Philadelphia runs an arts- enriched preschool pro- gram for children living in a public housing project across the street. Since the School was empty during the morning hours, it seemed logical to use the space for nearby children. It is impossible to pinpoint exactly what stimulates the personal vision and com- mitment of the individuals behind these programs. Whatever their reasons, perhaps the most com- pelling is that the needs of today's children are so profound. PROGRAM CONTENT These programs provide children with a rich range of opportunities to create and to reflect, from 10- minute skits to Shakes- peare, rap music to opera and rites of passage cere- monies to ballet. Children in these programs produce custom-designed T-shirts, ceramics and murals. They play saxophones and vio- lins and transform public spaces into places of beau- ty. The programs facilitate youth's production of videos to help rival gangs understand each other and to help teens communicate with adults. Teen mothers improve their parenting skills using children's liter- ature. Young people research the history of their communities, sometimes using a video camera and sometimes a pen, in order to gain a perspective on the present. The children learn how to become museum docents and what it takes to become a curator. There is no one cultural discipline that dominates the field. Taken together, the programs report that they spend 24 percent of their time on theater, 1 8 percent on music, 16 per- cent on literature, 15 per- cent on dance, 8 percent Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum Programs involve youth in a wide variety of cultural disciplines. on other humanities and 7 percent on the visual arts. The remaining 12 percent is spent on a variety of other activities, such as folk arts and him. Even though these are not primarily social service pro- grams, they provide an array of support services for children and youth beyond arts and humani- ties activities. Because of the difficult circumstances of many participants' lives, it is not uncommon for pro- grams to offer conflict reso- lution sessions, life skills and job training, job and college counseling, tutoring and sometimes even meals and transportation f services. ° The Manchester Crafts- men's Guild in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in addition to offering an Arts Apprenticeship Training ^ Program in ceramic arts, computer imaging, drawing and photography also pro- vides college counseling services. This combination may account for the fact that 74 percent to 80 percent of participants in the Program are accepted into college, compared to 20 percent in the surround- ing community. East Bay Center for the Performing Arts Tutorial programs in math, reading and computers, as well as dance, heritage arts, poetry and vocal arts are available to the chil- dren participating in the STARS Program— Success Through Academic and Recreational Support, spon- sored by the City of Fort Myers, Florida. When the Program began, the majori- ty of its students had less than a C average, but now 80 percent maintain a C average or better. The city police point to a 28 percent decline in juvenile arrests since the Program was founded rn 1989. Some programs charge a modest fee, but scholar- ships and waivers general- ly are available for children who cannot afford it. Most materials are provided free- of-charge. Prime Time Family Reading Time, a project of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, gives chil- dren's books to families so parents can read them aloud to their children at home. Children on scholar- ship participating in Project LIFT, The Dance Ring DBA New York Theatre Ballet program, receive free ballet lessons, dance clothes, transporta- tion money and books. Project LIFT also provides school clothes, winter coats and emergency medical care when needed. The Sarasota Ballet of Florida provides instruction, dancewear and transporta- tion to scholarship partici- pants in Dance — The Next Generation. These cultural programs serve both large popula- tions and small numbers of youth. Appalshop in Whitesburg, Kentucky, involves 13 youth a year in a program that uses videography as a way to document Appalachian culture. In contrast, 120 teenagers sing in the Oakland Youth Chorus in California, while 2,000 children participate in dance, creative-writing, music, theater and visual arts classes in recreation centers in Columbus, Ohio's Children of the Future program. The average number of children served annually by these programs is 407; the median number, 100. Sixty percent of the pro- grams report annual increases in attendance since they began. PROGRAM STAFF Most programs employ a small number of staff and make additional use of vol- unteers and consultants. The median number of children served by arts and humanities programs annually is 100 "Consultant" is a category that includes the artists and scholars who work directly with children and youth. Each employee works long hours for mod- est pay and little job secu- rity, using his or her skills and energy to provide youth with new perspec- tives and new experiences. Over an average year, programs employ 3.5 per- manent staff members, 23 volunteers and 9.2 consul- tants, primarily artists and scholars. The annual medi- an number of staff is 2, with 5 volunteers and 8 consultants. Most programs provide some type of training for people who work directly with youth. This training is likely to be provided in- house by more experienced personnel. Only one-third of the programs provide ongo- ing training, however. A majority of programs prefer staff who have had previous experience working with children and youth. Who are the individuals working most closely with children in these programs? They are poets, actors, dancers, musicians, painters and museum curators, to be sure. They also are college teachers, historians, PARTNERSHIPS Programs were asked to list the major partners critical to their development and sustainability. Partners provided a variety of services such as funding, mat erials, facilities, visibility, public support and board member service. Source: National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies. Schools (K-12) Federal Government 43% Police 20% Artists Youth Groups 39% Halfway Houses 17% Foundations State Governments 36% Women & Children Programs Homeless Shelters Community Development Corporations United Ways Chambers of Commerce 17% Corporations Arts Organizations Local Arts Agencies Mayors' Offices 33% 31% 17% 16% 15% 11% Media City Governments Colleges/Universities Neighborhood Groups Social Service Agencies Religious Organizations Volunteer Organizations Libraries 28% 28% 26% City Councils County Governments 26% 22% Humanities Councils Governors' Offices 10% 8% recording technicians, commercial artists, mask- makers, muralists, electron- ic and print media experts, lawyers, public health nurses, youth and social service workers, along with many others. Young Aspirations/Young Artists (YAYA) program in New Orleans teaches youth the occupational aspects of art by partnering juveniles with commercial artists every day after school and on weekends to work on projects and commissions, which they create and then sell. Television Executive Producer Chris Schueler staffs, along with lawyers from the University of New Mexico Institute for Public Law, FENCES, a computer- based interactive television show, produced by teens. Teens are exposed to writ- ing, video production, edit- ing, graphic development, set design and construction. In Vermont, public health nurses are an integral part of the Read With Me: Teen Parent Project offered by the Vermont Council on the Humanities. Nurses identi- fy interested teenagers and transport them and their infants to the literacy through children's litera- ture program. Professors from local colleges, librari- ans and independent scholars facilitate these sessions. Tucson-Pima Arts Council © The annual median number of staff is 2, with 5 uolunteeis and 8 consultants. Through home visits made by public health nurses, the project is able to extend its programs to teens unable to visit its site and to reinforce the importance of reading to a child among participants. PARTNERSHIPS While this study focuses on programs outside school curricula, schools remain very much involved. Sixty- eight percent of the arts and humanities programs report that they work in partnership with schools. Schools identify children who would benefit from these programs and make their facilities available after hours. Some programs deliberately build on in- school learning, while oth- ers run in-school programs in addition to community programs. Partnerships are an integral part of these programs. In fact, most organizations seek and develop collabora- tions with other groups, enriching their resources and expanding the oppor- tunities they can provide for children and youth. To a large degree, the impact and sustainability of these programs depends on inno- vative alliances. Partners can be active participants or providers of support ser- vices such as facilities, materials and funding. The Victory in Peace Program, created by the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts in Racine, Wisconsin, is a partnership among the Museum, the Racine Urban League, the Racine Council for the Prevention of Drug and Alcohol Abuse and The Taylor Home and Education Center. In this program, young people create books that are then sold to museums and rare book collections around the country or placed in the local library and the Wustum Museum. California Lawyers for the Arts in San Francisco col- laborates with the San Francisco Unified School District and the Private Industry Council, a non- profit organization that administers federal Job Training Partnership Act funds, to find employment for youth in local cultural institutions. The Community Arts Partnership program, run by Plaza de la Raza in Los Angeles, pairs youth with art students from the California Institute for the Arts. These one-on-one mentoring relationships are developed at community centers throughout the city. Similarly, college students from Brown University, Rhode Island College and Providence College, along with independent music and dance teachers, act as mentors to young people in The Cultural Alternatives Program of The Music School in Providence, Rhode Island. Participating youth also receive training in violence prevention from the University of Rhode Island Teen Crime Prevention Program. The Cultural Center for the Arts in Canton, Ohio, initiated Children's Art Connection for children ages 8 to 12, in partnership with the Canton Ballet, the Canton Symphony Orchestra, the Canton Museum of Art and The Players Guild. Through this program, children attend artist-led classes and perfor- mances held at the partici- pating cultural institutions. BUDGETS AND FUNDING Two-thirds of the programs examined in this report were created by arts edu- cation and arts organiza- tions such as theaters, dance companies and sym- phonies. Some are housed in major mainstream cul- tural and educational insti- tutions such as Lincoln of the programs report that they work in partnership with schools Center for the Performing Arts in New York City, The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in the District of Columbia and The Wang Center for the Performing Arts in Boston. But many others exist in neighborhoods and inhabit modest accommodations. The Teen Project of the Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe resides in a converted warehouse near the railroad for which a dollar a year is paid to the City of Santa Fe. Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center in San Francisco rents a two-room space packed with student work. The Artists Collective, Inc., in Hartford, Connecticut, occupies a former Catholic school while it finishes raising the funds needed to break ground on a new building. While the annual budgets of the community pro- grams surveyed here range from $4,355 to $3,000,000, the average annual budget is $158,537, and the medi- an budget is $84,000. Most piece together their bud- gets each year from a vari- ety of sources. Ninety-five percent of the programs report more than one source of funding. Acquiring funding and seed money has proved much easier than attract- ing long-term support. The majority of donors — individ- uals, foundations, corpora- tions, government — are local. City governments provide funds to 58 percent of the programs; local foundations, to 55 percent; local corporations, to 50 percent; and individuals, to 40 percent. State and federal govern- ments are a significant source of financial support for these programs. Almost half receive some support from their state govern- ment. The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and/or the Institute of Museum Services (IMS) support or have supported 43 percent of organizations surveyed. In all, 43 percent of the pro- grams receive funds from federal agencies, includrng, in addition to NEA, NEH and IMS: U.S. Department of Agriculture (Extension Service); Corporation for National and Community Service (AmeriCorps); Corporation for Public Broadcasting; U.S. Department of Education (Title 1, Compensatory Education); U.S. Depart- ment of Health and Human Services (Head Start; Center for Substance Abuse Prevention); U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Title 1, Community Development Block Grant; Public Housing Drug Elimination); U.S. Department of Justice (Office of Juvenile Justice Prevention); U.S. Department of Labor (Job Training Partnership Act; Summer Youth Employ- ment and Training). Public funds account for the largest source of sup- port for 40 percent of the programs participating in this study. Seventeen per- cent of these organizations identified municipal gov- ernment as their largest donor, while state and fed- eral governments were list- ed as the largest supporters of 11 percent and 12 per- cent of these programs, respectively. Above: Japantown Art and Media Workshop. Left: Appalshop. SOURCES OF PROGRAM FUNDING City County Regional State National Government 58% 18% 6% 49% 43% Foundations 55% 5% 22% 17% 34% Corporations 50% 7% 11% 9% 8% Individuals 40% 6% 6% 4% 7% Earned Revenue 10% 1% 1% 2% 0% Nonprofit Orgs. 50% 5% 12% 11% 20% Other 25% 3% 6% 5% 4% Source; National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies. 27 43% of the programs receive funds fiom the federal government. A Delicate Balance: PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES OF PROMISING ARTS AND HUMANITIES PROGRAMS Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses, Inc. As we have seen in the previous chapter, arts and humanities programs for children and youth vary mensely. Sponsored by different organizations orking in partnership with others, these pro- grams offer a range of cultural experiences in a ariety of locales. re there certain practices, though, that are fundamen- tal to these programs' effectiveness with chil- dren? Are there features that cause programs to be captivating rather than merely available? A substantial body of infor- mation exists on the char- acteristics of successful programs for children and youth. 1 This chapter seeks to describe these attributes from the perspective of artists, scholars and direc- tors of community arts and humanities programs. This study found that the most effective programs maintain a delicate balance between structure and flexibility, creating opportu- nities for growth and building on the familiar. Successful programs focus on specific arts and humanities disciplines without ignoring broader child development con- texts. These programs work with parents while preserving independent relationships with children. Finally, they capitalize on the unique perspectives possessed by artists and humanists. The following characteris- tics were identified through site visits to the nine programs named in the Introduction and Summary 2 The descrip- tions below quote liberally from the people directly involved because their voices embody the vision and character of the pro- grams themselves. Effective programs take full advantage of the capacity of the arts and the humanities to stimu- late ways of knowing and learning. These pro- grams teach children new languages: the language of visual images, of move- ment, of sound. The new skills learned can be excit- ing; for children and youth whose verbal skills are limited, these new lan- guages are empowering. Arts skills can be wonder- fully liberating. "When I teach kids drawing," recalls Carlos Uribe, director of programs at the Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe, Teen Project, "I say, 'The wonderful thing about drawing is you can be anywhere, and you can do it. You can draw any- thing you want. It's an ulti- mate freedom for you. It doesn't have to be the greatest piece of artwork. You can throw it away as soon as you do it. But for the moment, you are ulti- mately free, and there's almost no other place on this planet where you can experience that.'" The Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program at the Settlement Music School in Philadel- phia provides children with alternative techniques for perceiving their world. As Robert Capanna, executive director of the Settlement Music School, explains, "If you sit at a desk and try to understand your environ- ment only through verbal concepts and verbal com- munication, it obviously has a different impact on © "life treat everyone as an actor, or an artist or a writer from the minute they walk in." you than if you get up and move around the space, or if you try to look at the space and reproduce it on paper or if you engage in singing and making sounds through instru- ments. All of those things give you an opportunity to understand your environ- ment differently." The Experimental GaDery in the Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum serves youngsters in juvenile detention cen- ters who have failed in mainstream schools and society. This program encourages them to re- engage, re-define and re- enter their families and communities on new terms. "The youth come to us pretty beaten down and with a pretty low self- image. They start believ- ing, perhaps, what people have said about them. But through their abilities to develop a skill in art or in expressing themselves quite differently, they're able to bring up that self- image," says Carol Porter, superintendent of Maple Lane School, Juvenile Re- habilitation Administration. Respecting young people's arts skills is crucial. "We treat everyone as an actor, or an artist or a writer from the minute they walk in," says Nan Elsasser, execu- tive director of Working Classroom, Inc. Robert Capanna, of the Settlement Music School, agrees. "What is most important to kids is to know that they are in a place that is treat- ing them with respect for their abilities." Elsasser continues, "What happens a lot of times in education is that your imagination and vision is the last thing that you're exposed to. It's like you can't write a play because you can't write a sentence. When you have a perfect sentence, you're allowed to write a paragraph. When you can write a perfect paragraph, you're allowed to write [a short story] . We do the opposite. We start purely with the imagina- tion and then help youth build the technical skills to finesse their expression of that. I think that's really, really important. These are kids whose ideas and imagination have not been encouraged, not even acknowledged." This acknowledgment is often the key to altering positively youth's self- image. "I've seen kids walk in here who have been slumped to the ground because their self-esteem is so low," says Ana Gallegos y Reinhardt, Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum 'These aie kids whose ideas and imagination have not been encouraged, not even acknowledged. The Artists Collective, Inc. director of the Teen Project, Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe. "They make bad grades. Their parents beat them, abuse them. They don't feel like they have any skills. They're coming in here, and we see what they have. You give them a little bit of stimulus, and it's like they blossom. It's giving kids permission to have ideas, because they don't even actually acknowledge that they can have an original idea." Effective programs emphasize dynamic teaching tactics such as hands-on learning, apprenticeship relation- ships and the use of technology. Traditional teaching methods can be abstract and remote for many youngsters. "Children don't want to know about things intellec- tually. They want the experience of doing them," observes Capanna. Experiential learning acts as a gateway to other kinds of learning. "We found that through the exhibit process, you can teach all kinds of important social and academic skills," says Susan Warner, curator of education, Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum. "Our stu- dents have been unsuc- cessful in mainstream schools. But they were will- ing to create the art for the exhibit. And then, by help- ing to plan the exhibit, they learn things like audi- ence identification, what is appropriate in an exhibit. They use basic math skills in determining how you design and lay it all out. Pretty soon, they are improving their reading and writing skills." While the goals of the Educational Video Center in New York City do not explicitly include the teaching of math and sci- ence, both disciplines are involved when making a video. "There's a lot of sci- ence in what we do. You figure out the physics of light and color and dis- tance and motion and time, all the things that are involve [d] in shooting and editing a video," says Steven Goodman, execu- tive director. Apprenticeship relation- ships occur in many of these programs. The 52nd Street Project, for instance, pairs young children one- on-one and two-on-two with professional play- wrights and actors to write and produce mini-plays. The use of computers, video cameras and record- ing and broadcast studios holds enormous appeal for youth who experience the electronic media everyday. Having access to these expensive means of cultur- al production is a special opportunity for many of them, and the challenge of mastering the machines can be motivating. The technology allows youth what Uribe of the Teen Project calls "a fast hit," the experience of success on which the programs can build. Effective programs pro- vide children and youth with opportunities to suc- ceed. Central tenets of these programs include generating the expectation of success and then provid- ing the means to accom- plish defined goals. 30 "Children don't want to know about things intellectually. They want the experience of doing them. For some children, success is completing work, howev- er modest the project. For others, success lies in ful- filling a contract with a community organization, selling works of art or mounting an exhibition or performance. "We try to guarantee suc- cess, because a lot of our kids have not been suc- cessful in school," says Robert Sotelo, artist/educa- tor who works in one of the juvenile detention centers in Washington state. "We make sure they finish pro- jects, make sure they finish what they start, no matter how small. They may do 10 percent of their first pro- ject, and I may do 90 per- cent of it as a way of nurs- ing, basically. But I've had kids go from that to want- ing to stay when I'm sup- posed to go home. Then they will call and want to come over and work because they have these great ideas." These programs dedicate themselves to finding a way for everybody to excel at something. Sometimes it takes a little cleverness. At The 52nd Street Project, actors and playwrights motivate a youngster by writing a play in which he or she will be great, or by performing the child's ideas. The staff also casts according to the unique abilities of the children. "If a kid has a raspy voice, make him or her a pirate. If the kid can't remember long passages, then we're talking a terse pirate. If the kid can't manage to stand still on stage, that terse pirate is tied to the mizzen- mast," says Willie Reale, artistic director. 3 These groups work tireless- ly to construct an environ- ment where young people believe that even if a con- tractor does not pick their design, they are not fea- tured in a performance or their artwork is not picked for an exhibition, it still has value. Dollie McLean, founding executive director of The Artists Collective, Inc., says, "Somebody has to care about what hap- pens to these young people and say, 'No, you can do it better, ' or give them the encouragement to try it again, to try it in another way, and if that doesn't work, try it some other way. If they don't do this well, then you find the thing that they do well and con- centrate on that." These programs, however, put a high premium on excellence. Many of the groups put on perfor- mances and exhibitions, or sell items the students make. The response of the public is one criterion for excellence. "If the audience didn't like it, not only would we be unhappy, but the kids wouldn't be suc- cessful. So it is about creat- ing good theater... it's not so much about social work for kids," explains Carol Ochs, executive director of The 52nd Street Project. Public affirmation can be the most powerful motiva- tor of all. "It doesn't matter if people tell you, 'Oh, you're wonderful,'" says Elsasser. Outside recognition from the public can be much more com- pelling. She goes on to explain: "We opened this gallery last Friday, and there were over 200 people who came and bought commissioned work. Bingo!... The youngsters do need positive reinforce- ment, but they know when it's real and when it's just part of the curriculum." Effective programs begin small and keep their classes small. One of the reasons these programs have an impact on young lives is that the classes are small. Hands-on learning The 52nd Street Project "Hie try to guarantee success, because a lot of our kids have not been successful in school. Educational Video Center and apprenticeship pro- grams necessitate small classes. Since mentoring, academic, artistic and per- sonal, lies at the heart of the power of these pro- grams, any dilution of the adult-child relationship diminishes their impact. "There is a lot of one-to- one time that is spent with adult role models, people who are respected, who pay attention and who give sensitive guidance to the young people," says Bernie Lopez, executive director of the Center for Contempo- rary Arts of Santa Fe. "That's something that's almost totally absent in their lives. They get almost no one-to-one time with an adult anywhere, certainly almost none at school." There are practical reasons for beginning small, as well. Putting programs such as these in place requires intense labor. Ensuring success is even more challenging. Beginning with a small number of children is important until a step-by- step strategy for expansion can be implemented. Effective programs build on what young people already value. The experi- ences that children and youth bring with them are not only valid, but also the core around which the learning process is built. Not all children and youth, however, come to these programs believing that the arts and the humani- ties are particularly rele- vant to their lives. "You cannot throw somebody who has been beaten down most of their life into a drawing class and expect them to understand the beauty of drawing. They're not there yet," recognizes Uribe. "Getting them there" means beginning with what youth value and understand. For many of the young peo- ple in these programs, eco- nomic survival is a critical issue. Getting a job relates to this primary concern. "I like to have pragmatic goals for these kids," says Dennis Taniguchi, execu- tive director of the Japantown Art and Media Workshop, "and something real for them to get into, that they can see how they can make some bucks. That's a very good way to reach these kids." These young people are not rejecting the adult world, but trying to figure out how effectively to play a role in it. "You can't exclude kids from the adult world because that's where they're headed and that's what much of their frustra- tion and longing is about," says Lopez. The staff of The Artists Collective, Inc. would agree. Among its offerings is a Summer Youth Employment and Training Program that rewards discipline, appropriate dress, grooming and good behavior with a small stipend. The Artists Collective, Inc., located in one of Hartford, Connecticut's poorest neighborhoods, now is known locally as the "oasis on Clark Street." But if learning art for pay "buys a little patience," so does the use of technology for this media-sawy gener- ation. The Japantown Art and Media Workshop uses computer games to teach design and offers an apprenticeship in comput- er graphic design. The Educational Video Center recognizes that learning to communicate through a video camera is part of the attraction of its program. The apprenticeship pro- gram in videography capi- talizes on young people's interest in media. © 'There is a lot of one-to-one time that is spent with adult role models. Both of these programs apprentice youth to profes- sionals who are completing specific projects under contract. Working on "real- world" projects in a "real- world" environment with a client and a contract, dead- lines, telephones and fax machines makes the task more compelling. It also addresses a central con- cern many young people have about their futures: their employability. Future employment is exactly what is behind the YO-TV program at the Educational Video Center. Designed for a small group of high school graduates, YO-TV provides them with advanced, pre-professional training and allows them to create broadcast-quality documentary videos on issues of concern to the community. Some programs build on current teen fads. Both the silk-screening classes at the Japantown Art and Media Workshop and the Teen Project focus on T- shirt design as a beginning activity. "A lot of kids don't really care about the design aspect. They'd rather leave that to the artist," says Uribe. "But the work of it, the result of pro- ducing 500 T-shirts, the mini-thrill of possibly see- ing them on the street somewhere appeals to them." For the same rea- son, the Teen Project is also planning a custom car-painting service to draw at-risk youth to the program. In a related way, the Vermont Council on the Humanities, which serves teenage mothers, builds on the importance of their babies to them to encour- age literacy. The Read With Me program provides a place for isolated teens to talk with others about common concerns, hopes and dreams. Effective programs have clear goals and high expectations. "These kids, if put into the right kind of environment, can absolute- ly flourish," says Capanna, reflecting the positive expectations the directors of these programs have concerning the children they serve. The "right envi- ronment" includes clearly articulated goals with a reliable structure. Clear goals provide securi- ty to children whose lives are often chaotic and over- whelming. Knowing what the expectations are and learning the relationship between effort and results is a potent experience. For many youth in these programs, it is a new one. In some programs, contracts with outside businesses and organizations — with defined goals, timetables and stan- dards — provide a structure within which artistry takes place, just as preparing for a performance or exhibit pro- vides it in others. Some programs have set up specific mechanisms for rewarding positive perfor- mance. For instance, the Working Classroom, Inc. has a point system: Teens earn points for keeping up their grades in school and participating in classes. These points can be "cashed in" for special events or related travel, or, for some, financial assis- tance for college. While programs emphasize mutual respect and open- ness to the ideas of the children, they also recog- nize that it is important for adults to set certain para- meters; it's not just "any- thing goes." Willie Reale at The 52nd Street Project describes this arrangement as a "benevolent dictator- ship." "The rules are demo- cratic in that everybody gets fair and equal treat- ment under the law. But the law is the law. " At The Artists Collective, Inc., youth wanting to receive a check from the Summer Youth Employ- ment and Training Pro- gram must meet certain grooming, dress and behavior standards. "They know that we're strict. But they also know that we care about them," says Founding Executive Director Dollie McLean. However, setting expecta- tions for behavior and per- formance is different from being inflexible or authori- tarian. Such rigidity, in Japantown Art and Media Workshop © "You can't exclude kids from the adult world because that's where they'ie headed. part, makes many of these children rebel against school, home and commu- nity. As Carlos Uribe points out, "If you come across as an authoritative hard-line, no-flexibility figure, kids are going to turn away from you immediately. That's why the kids turn away from education. That's why they turn away from parents or religious institutions that don't give them the permission to fig- ure it out." Effective programs pro- vide youth with an acces- sible and safe haven and a broader context within which to learn. Creating a site where children are physically safe is a crucial requirement. Programs must be located in safe places, accessible by pub- lic transportation. When necessary, entrances to the building should be monitored. The program directors also speak eloquently about the critical need to create a safe haven for ideas and relationships: a "petri dish" where youth can develop caring and respectful rela- tionships with each other and with adults, a place in which children "come away looking at themselves and society differently." Humanities programs where the emphasis is on exploring ideas are key to developing a broader perspective. Many directors noted that youth are thirsty for infor- mation about their racial and ethnic cultures. Part of The Artists Collective, Inc.'s mission is to provide youth with a more com- plete picture of their cultural heritage and, therefore, of themselves. "You can't just tell a person that you are somebody. You have to learn who that somebody is, who that somebody was, what those accomplishments were. You have to give them faces that they look at, that look back at them, that say, Tm special. I'm somebody special,' whether it's the face of a Wynton Marsalis or a Harriet Tubman," says McLean. Effective programs are voluntary and are shaped by youth themselves. All nine arts and humanities programs that were visited are voluntary programs. Even within the juvenile detention center, participa- tion is optional. This volun- tary participation is an important part of "not being like school." It also means that pro- grams must be account- able to children, youth and , families; if the program does not "measure up," the children will not come. For youth, "measuring up" includes giving them the chance to hold themselves accountable for the suc- cess of their experience. Allowing children and youth to accept responsi- bility is part of what makes these programs work. "It's not learning to please some external thing. The kids are in charge of the project. We give them the responsibili- ty, and they come through every time," says Warner, of the Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum program. "They make the choice to change because they aren't being made to." Effective programs pro- vide quality staff and quality programming. Directors stressed the importance of quality pro- gramming and top-notch staff. They believe that economically disadvan- taged children, like more affluent children, should have access to the best society has to offer. "The system says the good stuff is for Suzi, but the good stuff is not for Nadine. Arena Stage [Tine theory of our program is that everything good belongs to everyone That's from eating a diet with Victor's going to get to read The Odyssey, and Dawn is going to get to read we-don't-even-know- what because we don't read it ourselves. But the theory of our program is that everything good belongs to everyone," says Victor Swenson, executive director of the Vermont Council on the Humanities. Capanna concurs, "It is very important for kids to come into contact with adults who are experts, because kids get it on a visceral level that they are dealing with somebody who knows all there is to know about a particular area. Even if you are dealing with kids of very average ability, or even below aver- age ability, when you put them in an art activity or a music lesson with a highly trained person who is at the top of the held, that commu- nicates." Effective programs emphasize excellence. It is also important to put children in frequent, direct contact with artists and scholars themselves. "Artists process their envi- ronment differently," explains Capanna. "When you put an artist in a teaching environment, they stay an artist. When you put a teacher in that envi- ronment and give them some art skills, they are a teacher with some art skills. And the kids know the difference." The talent of children is never an issue in these programs. Effort is. "The kids may not have the abil- ity to become what the teacher is, but when they work at their own level of ability, they do it with the same degree of concentra- tion and commitment that their teacher demon- strates," confirms Capanna. Effective programs recog- nize that positive adult relationships are central to success. Directors stressed the importance of finding people who care about young people and are comfortable around them. Effective adult mentors choose to work in commu- nity programs, are honest, respectful and flexible and able to adapt quickly to individual situations. Directors also discussed the need to locate artists who have a sense of fun, who "put a little wink in the work" and who under- stand that the program is not about them but about functions at that level." 5 On the other hand, artists and teachers do not ignore the pain, anger or frustrations that may emerge through their work with children. It can be a fine line to tread. the children. "Ego must be checked at the door before entry," says Reale. 4 Terms such as "facilitator" and "shepherds" often were used to describe the role of artists and scholars. The directors considered it essential that the process of creation belong to chil- dren and youth. The adults working with youth must understand the dynamics of working with vulnerable children. "Problems, big emotional problems, are not solved on our stage," declares Reale. "Leave the therapy to the therapists.... The theater is a medium of metaphor, and it is far more beautiful and far more moving when it Finding people with all these characteristics is not easy. "It is very difficult because we look for some- body who's skilled in his or her craft. But people who are really skilled can make a lot more money in the industry. So they have to have some inner commit- ment to work with the kids," says Steven Goodman of the Education- al Video Center. © Top Left: Department of Cultural Affairs. Above: California Lawyers for the Arts. "Ego must be checked at the dooi before entry." Keeping quality staff also presents a challenge. The pay is low; the perquisites, few; the burn-out, fast; and in some fields, the compe- tition, stiff. "I wish we had more resources to give staff sabbaticals and profession- al development so that this is a career and not a side thing," says Goodman. But there are benefits for the teachers and volun- teers, which help to create a mutually sustaining com- munity. "I think one of the big linchpins in our suc- cess has been creating a You can't make a policy out of this. We're just a bunch of people who happen to want to affect a bunch of other people. You can't codify it. It's as individual as any relationship is." Effective programs work in partnership with par- ents, but recognize their different relationship with youngsters. Every program stresses the importance of parents. Acceptance and apprecia- tion by parents is very important to young people, program that is both satis- fying to the people we're serving and the people who are volunteering," says Reale. "What we're able to do is give people, give our volunteers, a way to use their skills and to serve the community. I think when- ever you can do that, peo- ple feel good about them- selves. And that's it. We're not changing our world. even children living with family difficulties. As Abe, one young person at a juvenile detention center, says, "Kids like to send stuff home. They give it to their parents and say, 'Hey, look. I did this.'" "We are desperate to main- tain relationships with par- ents," acknowledges Carol Ochs. "Nothing makes kids feel better than the parents showing up for the show and being there. So we try to be as communicative as possible in terms of every- thing that we're doing." Reale points out, "Most of the kids who we work with have remarkable, hard- working, decent parents — folks trying to do the best for their families and them- selves. Getting to know the parents is part of the job. As your relationship with a child deepens, you can work together with a parent to help the child through difficult stretches. When a kid exhibits behavior that is difficult to understand, ask his or her parents to shed light. They usually have the answers.... Above all, the parents must be treated with respect." 6 Even so, creating an inde- pendent relationship is important, particularly with older children. For many adolescents, parents are "part of the problem." And sometimes youth are more willing to talk about impor- tant issues with caring adults outside of their families. For some programs, how- ever, the distinction between being a parent and being a child has van- ished. Programs for one are often for the other, as exemplified by the Vermont Council on the Humanities' Read With Me program for teen parents. Many of the parents of the children who attend the Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program are young themselves. These parents are required to attend five hour-long parenting seminars each semester. "The Program has provided a mentor-type relationship between par- ents and faculty. It has been very beneficial. We have had a number of par- ents who have decided to go back to school to get GEDs and to go to commu- nity college. We have been very conscious that it's important to pull the fami- lies into the whole mix," says Capanna. Effective programs exist in institutions committed for the long term. For Robert Capanna, offering sustained programming and a stable community 36 Nothing makes kids feel bettei than the parents showing up for the show and being there." home-away-from-home is not just practical, but moral. It is "cruel" to bring children into a positive environment that cannot be sustained. "You have to commit to being there for kids for all of the time you've said you are going to be. So if it is a 3-year program, you have to be funded for 6 years, so that the kids coming in at the beginning and the kids leaving at the end both have the full range of the 3- year experience.... If you are going to build a relation- ship with the community, you have to say, 'We are here, we are it, and we are going to keep doing this. We are really committed to doing it.'" Being available means more than providing activi- ties. It means creating a location children can come to over time for a variety of reasons; a place that is a stable element in their lives. For instance, The 52nd Street Project, in look- ing for new space, made it a priority to move back into the heart of the neighbor- hood it serves and to find space suitable for youth to just drop in. The challenges of building and maintaining sustained, long-term programs are considerable. Raising gen- eral support and multiyear funds, particularly in the midst of government fund- ing cuts and over-stretched foundation resources, is very difficult. While the hybrid nature of these pro- grams — part arts and humanities and part youth development — is one of their strengths, it makes fund-raising efforts more dif- ficult. "The frustration is, some funders can be remarkably and painfully inflexible in their areas of interest," observes Capanna. Effective programs are gateways to other ser- vices for children. While the directors are clear that they offer arts and humani- ties programs and not social service programs, they also recognize that the programs can be gate- ways to other services for their constituents. They can teach children how to navigate other networks. They can advocate on their behalf. "Obviously, part of the kid needs to brush his teeth, and part of him needs to go to the dentist, and part of the kid needs shoes on his feet and the other part of the kid needs a stimulating environment and an opportunity to express himself artistically and to be fed and nurtured. It is all part of the kid," says Capanna. Recent Head Start funding has allowed his Kaleidoscope Preschool Program to hire a full-time social worker to coordinate services for children and act as a bridge to families. Because both the Washing- ton State Historical Society, Capital Museum and the Vermont Council on the Humanities programs work in partnership with health, social service and/or edu- cation systems, the artists and scholars are part of a multidisciplinary team. Nan Elsasser does not have a social worker on staff, but she advocates for the Working Classroom teens herself. "The sad part of it is, there's a real difference when I go to school for someone, and the parents do." Most programs do not have formal links with other ser- vice providers, but like Elsasser, going the "extra mile" for children is part and parcel of the program's work. This commitment to service is the overriding reason these programs can make such a difference in the lives of young people. Above Left: Center of Contemporary Arts (COCA). Far Left: East Bay Center for the Performing Arts. Below:The Brooklyn Children's Museum. 'You have to commit to being there foi kids for all of the time you'ue said you're going to be. Looking Ahead: A NEXT-STEP AGENDA Upper Right: MERIT Music Program of Chicago. Right: Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center. Lower Right: MollyOlga Neighborhood Art Classes. This survey paints an enticing picture of the effect community arts and humanities programs have on children and youth. It also suggests the value of supporting these programs, promoting their prolifera- tion and conducting more extensive studies of their effectiveness. THE NEED FOR TECH- NICAL ASSISTANCE Most of these community organizations operate with limited staff and small bud- gets. Technical assistance programs, perhaps support- ed by the corporate sector, community foundations or local arts or humanities councils, should be devel- oped to strengthen their administrative and fund- raising capacities. With increased resources, new areas could be explored to expand the effectiveness of programs and enhance staff opportu- nities. For example, staff could learn from and train at other centers. Travel grants, paid sabbaticals, staff mentorship programs and performance exchanges would all con- tribute to creating a net- work to enrich existing programs. In time, new types of communication could lead to new collabora- tions and partnerships among centers. COMMUNITY LINKS The needs of families and children are usually multi- ple, changing and varied. However, in most cases, community services are organized narrowly to respond to specific prob- lems. A common conse- .es to visit other community institutions. Strategies link cultural programs with schools, public agencies and other community orga- nizations are greatly need- ed to develop coordinated responses to interrelated problems. Such a linking of services and providers would reap the added ben- efit of allowing scarce resources to yield greater returns. quence of this segmenta- tion is that children and their families must go to different agencies to receive different but relat- ed services. Thus, families receive fragmented and insufficient assistance. Many of the children and youth in these arts and humanities programs also ASSESSMENT AND EVALUATION Cultural leaders currently are searching for an approach to assessment that enriches understand- ing of effectiveness and provides programs with an ongoing tool for evaluating and improving their prac- tices. To this end, Project Co-Arts at the Harvard University Graduate School of Education began a study Technical assistance should be developed to strengthen program capacities. in 1991 of community arts education centers with sustained programs in eco- nomically disadvantaged communities. The University published in- depth portraits of five exemplary centers in Safe Havens: Portraits of Educational Effectiveness in Community Aits Centers that Focus on Education in Economically Disadvan- taged Communities. Harvard also developed and published, in The Co- Arts Assessment Hand- book, an assessment technique that uses assessment forums and "process folios" to describe effectiveness. With increased competition for fewer dollars, however, finding ways to measure results takes on a new urgency. Several nation- wide initiatives expect to yield important information. The GE Fund, both individ- uaUy and in collaboration with the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation and the President's Committee on the Arts and the Human- ities, funds several research projects whose goal is to demonstrate the impact of arts education. The National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies is col- laborating on two studies with local arts agencies to evaluate arts programs that also have social goals. The first study, a partnership among the City of Los Angeles Cultural Affairs Department, the Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs, will measure the effectiveness of arts pro- grams that are designed to address public safety issues and reduce crime. Evaluation and research methods for this study are being developed and con- ducted by the Rand Corporation. The second multiyear study is a collaboration among the Regional Arts and Culture Council in Portland, Oregon; the City of San Antonio Department of Arts Cultural Affairs; Fulton County Arts in Atlanta, Georgia. The. project seeks to develop and test models fogevi ating programs dajj improve the lives azldW^ culminate in the develop- ment of a handbook to guide additional agencies in community arts program development and artist training. Startup funds for the project were provided by the National Endowment for the Arts, and the U.S. Department of Justice is an active partner in its evalua- tion component. Strategies Tor developing and. funding, assessments must be an integral compo- nent of program planning. reduce criminal activity of at-risk youth. As a, portion of the study, the tragS for artists and soc: vice personnel also^rakbe- evaluated. This project 39 With increased competition foi fewer dollars, finding mays to measure results takes on a neui urgency. Above: Asian Americans United. Right: Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe. Far Right: Artists Raising the Consciousness of Humanity (ARCH) Productions. Donors can play an impor- tant role in ensuring the evaluation of community arts programs for at-risk youth both by funding this component of projects and by providing technical assistance for developing useful, practical and credi- ble research. THE ISSUE OF FINANCIAL SUPPORT Even as these programs for youth make striking advances, their financial future is threatened; many of their sources of support are in jeopardy. Govern- ment funding cutbacks will affect these programs severely. The substantial reduction in federal funds for the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humanities and the Institute of Museum Services will mean not only less money for programs like these, but also marked- ly increased competition with other programs for the reduced number of grants. Other government programs in education, housing, job training and social services also face reductions or elim- ination at the federal, state and local levels. In fact, cuts in public sup- port may signal an unprecedented upheaval in the entire nonprofit sector. A recent study by Nina Kressner Cobb for The Rockefeller Foundation, published by the President's Committee, with the Texaco Foundation, shows that donations by individuals for any charita- ble purpose are stagnant, even as individual wealth has increased. "For the first time since 1986, total giv- ing has fallen below 2% of Gross Domestic Product; private charitable giving is not growing with a stronger U.S. economy." 1 While private foundations alone cannot be expected to "save the day," their leadership and decisions are pivotal, now more than ever. Some already support community cultural pro- grams with funding and research. But programs will not survive without sustained support and new resources. The organizations in this survey do not pretend that they have all the answers for at-risk children and youth. The arts and humanities are not "mira- cle solutions." At the same time, something very important is being achieved. These programs have a positive impact on the lives of youth. Their fresh, sometimes novel, approaches, implemented by caring, committed artists and scholars, are worthy of a closer look and increased support. 40 Progiams need sustained support and new resources sfi •i V. o Hundred Plus: PROFILES OF ARTS AND HUMANITIES PROGRAMS \ The arts and the humani- ties programs profiled in this section were identified by a broad range of organi- zations and agencies: arts organizations; national arts and humanities service groups; national networks of community institutions, such as Boys and Girls Clubs, libraries, museums and parks; national youth and social service organi- zations; foundations and government agencies. The President's Committee did not visit or review every program profiled in the study. Each of the 600 identified programs was screened to select those working primarily with at- risk children, offering sustained arts and humani- Creative Writing Dance Design ties programs outside of the public school curricu- lum. In addition, the selected programs focus on youth development through the arts and the humanities as one of their expressed goals. Staff at the 218 programs that met these criteria were interviewed to gather information on: • Why a program was created • What arts and humani- ties activities are offered • What community conditions and resources exist • Who the program serves • How services are delivered # ft Film History Humanities • Whether staff, including artists and scholars, are trained • Who the program's partners and supporters are • What the impact is on participants • How effectiveness is measured The following arts and humanities program descriptions are arranged alphabetically by organiza- tion. Organizations that begin with "The," or with the Spanish equivalent "El" or "La," are alphabetized without regard to the arti- cle. For instance, The Village of Arts and Humanities will be found under Village; El Puente, Media Arts Multi- disciplinary Arts Music under Puente. An alphabet- ical list of organizations and their programs by state begins on page 154. While most of the headings in the profiles are self- explanatory, a few deserve comment. Both the "Youth Served" and "Budget" numbers are annual numbers. "N/A" means "not available." To assist the reader in identifying the program- matic focus of each pro- gram, icons representing different cultural disciplines have been developed. The key to the icons follows. Theater Video Visual Arts „ L- I Literature ^\ I Photography © Organization: Administrative Office of the Courts/ Juvenile Services Kenton County Building, Room 606 303 Court Street Covington, KY 4101 I 606-292-642 1 Program: Theater in Diversion Year Started: 1993 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 20 Ages: 8- 1 7 Budget: $ I 5,000 Organization: African Heritage Dancers and Drummers 4018 Minnesota Avenue Washington, DC 200 1 9 202-399-5252 Program: African Heritage Dancers and Drummers Year Started: 1 960 Focus: Dance & Music Youth Served: 250 Ages: 3-2 1 Budget: $ 1 00,000 This program is designed to divert teen offenders from the formal court system, reduce delinquent behavior, increase positive peer interaction, enhance criti- cal thinking abilities, bond youth to the community, develop in youth an appreciation for the arts and increase their understanding of the legal system through dramatic interpretation of concepts such as authority, justice and responsibility. Program goals are met by engaging youth in role-playing and impro- visational theater techniques in classes conducted by professional actors over a 10-week period, culmi- nating in a final production. Youth continue to be involved by training to be junior facilitators or technical production staff. Other youth participate in the program through creative-writing classes leading to script development and through visual arts class- es involving set design. The program, originated by Peg Phillips, an actress of recent Northern Exposure TV fame, can be summed up best in her words: "It went over with a 'bang' right from the first. Kids are in love with the drama exercises and theater impro- visations taught in the program. The kids' enthusi- asm and the way they respond is all we need to justify our presence in their lives." The African Heritage Dancers and Drummers, located in Washington, DCs inner city, teaches dance traditions in an environment that, according to Exec- utive Director Melvin Deal, serves as a surrogate fami- ly and a repository for African cultural research and documentation. The teen program includes an inten- sive regimen of 2- to 3-hour dance and drumming classes 5 days a week, during which participants also learn performance skills and study the costumes and history of the dances. Supplementing the cultural program are mentoring services that encourage character development, teach life skills, advise on teen pregnancy prevention, assist with truancy problems and support general equivalency diploma preparation. "We've come to realize we need to make a whole person before we can make an artist," says Deal. The dancers and drummers receive a stipend and community service hours toward high school graduation for performing throughout the year at local community centers, schools, festivals and cultural centers. They recently performed at New York City's Lincoln Center. Participants move through the program in stages from student to per- former, performer to teacher and teacher to mentor. This progression helps youth gain exposure to the larger world and see options for becoming positive contributors to the community. "Staff and instructors evaluate the program almost daily. We need to con- stantly assess the morale of the youth and outside influences to ensure solidity," says Deal. (j) Organization: Alliance for the Progress of Hispanic Americans 83 Hanover Street Manchester, NH 03101 603-627-5127 Program: ALPHA TEEN Theater Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 53 Ages: 12-19 Budget: $50,000 Organization: American Indian Contemporary Arts 685 Market Street San Francisco, CA 94105 415-495-7600 Program: In Our Own Words Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1 5 Ages: 12-18 Budget: $25,000 Hispanic youth have an outlet to express themselves, develop cultural pride and receive the mentoring and guidance they need to be successful in school and life because of the ALPHA TEEN Theater program. During the school year, the teens attend the program twice weekly after school for 1 hour of academic tutoring and 1 hour of theater work. The teens do theater exercises under the guidance of an artistic director. The theater work helps them develop deci- sion-making skills, address social issues, improve coping skills and build their self-esteem. The teens write five scripts based on issues or conflicts in their own lives. They perform these and other skits before audiences of peers in community settings. ALPHA makes a commitment to work with youth until they are accepted into college. An intensive, 8-week sum- mer program also is offered to these youth, with a shared focus on academic and theater skills. ■ ■ Hispanic youth have an outlet to express themselves, develop cultural pride and receive the mentoring and guidance they need to be successful in school and life because of the ALPHA TEEN Theater program. * * ^^K v In Our Own Words uses the arts to M FA m provide Native-American youth in v5j^^^, ' San Francisco with a supportive peer "^B ^^ group and positive role models. The 1994/1995 program taught young people how to integrate modern technology with native traditions to produce videotapes and radio programs. Meeting once a week for 3 hours at the Indian Education offices in the participants' community, the program was divided into three phases. In phase one, youth learned about poetry from a poet and Lakota drum- mer, wrote their own poems and compiled an anthol- ogy. In phase two, they worked with the local public radio station to produce their own radio program: They read their poetry on tape, edited the tape and then aired the program with a live call-in session. In phase three, working with computer technology, youth learned how to combine imagery, music and words into a videotape of their poems, which was shown at a final event for families and friends. "I know that this program helped prevent at least one of the participants from dropping out of school," says Janeen Antoine, director of American Indian Contemporary Arts, adding that youth had to stay in school to participate in the program. "Even though they didn't get paid to participate, they came dili- gently every week and often on Saturdays." © Organization: American Variety Theatre Company 2027 W. Broadway Minneapolis, MN 5541 I 612-521-4439 Program: American Variety Theatre Company 4-H Year Started: 1 98 1 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 250 Ages: 4- 1 9 Budget: N/A Organization: Andrew Cacho African Drum- mers and Dancers, Inc. P.O.Box 15282 Washington, DC 20003 202-889-03 50 Program: In-School and After-School Program Year Started: 1 969 Focus: Dance & Music Youth Served: 30 Ages: 6-2 1 Budget: $85,000 ^^R v The American Variety Theatre Compa- M WA % ny (AVTC) is an outgrowth of a 4-H ^sj^^^k ▼ garden project developed to meet the "^B ^^ changing needs of youth in the program as they grow older. Using an old abandoned theater, AVTC offers classes in jazz, tap, ballet, acting, impro- visational theater, piano, voice and recording. Each discipline is split into different classes by age and proficiency level. The classes all culminate in a pro- duction at the end of each session. Students, ages 4-19, come to the theater after school at least three times a week to take different, 90-minute classes. The program is open to all county residents and relies heavily on community volunteers. Transportation is provided, and the $10 annual fee is waived for those unable to afford it. Using points awarded for good work and behavior, students buy items donated to the theater store by local corporations. The AVTC encourages youth to express themselves, share ideas and explore new and challenging topics as they work together to present a theatrical production. ■ ■ The AVTC encourages youth to express themselves, share ideas and explore new and challenging topics as they work together to present a theatrical production. * * Over 25 years ago, Andrew Cacho started teaching African dance and drum- ming to youth at Friendship House, a community center in Washington, DC. When he saw how young people responded, he developed a new organization to focus on these art forms and African cultures. The mission of Cacho's Program is to provide youth with positive alternatives in their lives. Three evenings a week and on Saturday afternoons, participants come together to learn about African cultures through dancing, drumming and mask-making in anticipa- tion of mounting a final production. There is a daily summer program in which young people are paid for participation through a government youth employment initiative. Fifteen children have been with the Program for almost a decade, and a number have gone on to earn college degrees. © Organization: Appalshop 306 Madison Street Whitesburg, KY 41858 606-63 3-0108 Program: Appalshop Media Institute Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Video & Humanities Youth Served: 1 3 Ages: 13-17 Budget: $ I 1 0,000 Organization: Arena Stage 6th and Maine Avenue, SW Program: Living Stage Theatre Company Year Started: 1 966 Focus: Theater Washington, DC 20024 Youth Served: 300 202-234-5782 Ages: 3-18 Budget: $585,000 ^H^^ ^^^^ Located in central Appa- ^^T^^^M fe lachia, Appalshop is an arts ^^^^^^^^ wM W and education center that ^^ ^^ w^EJ provides local people a mod- ern vehicle with which to tell their stories. There are two primary programs for youth at Appalshop; both are designed to reform traditional education and to help teens better understand Appalachian culture. The Roadside Theater Company, a storytelling theater company, conducts extended school residencies. Youth interview community members and turn the stories they hear into theater pieces, which they pre- sent to the community. Appalshop Media Institute (AMI) is a 6-week summer video production project for sophomore and junior high school students. It emphasizes analytical thinking, good study habits and collaborative learning through the teaching of media production skills and their use in examining community issues. College students who have gradu- ated from the program act as group leaders to teach technical, research and leadership skills. Youth are paid to participate in classes and production exercises for 40 hours a week. For the last 2 weeks of the pro- gram, participants go into communities, interview residents and produce a documentary based on the interviews. "The program teaches youth about their history and fosters community responsibility and the idea of giving back," explains Educational Services Director Robert Gipe. "We find that the rate of college attendance for kids going through the program is much higher than the average rate here. The program helps focus kids on who they are and what they want for themselves." During the school year, AMI interns work with teachers to develop media studies curricula and teach portions of classes to pass on their video skills to other students. Living Stage Theatre Company is the outreach arm of Arena Stage, one of the country's preeminent professional regional theaters. Living Stage is an improvisational theater program that draws from the lives and concerns of audience members to develop the content for its performances. The four ongoing workshops, for physically disabled toddlers, impoverished second graders, teen mothers and incarcerated youth, give traditionally overlooked populations a voice. The first part of each workshop focuses on a scenario in which the main character is always the same age as the participants and faces a dilemma. At a crucial moment, the scene freezes, and the group improvises how the scenario can be resolved. During the second part of the workshop, the participants work on theater exercises to develop skills in communicating emotions and creating char- acters, on building sets and more. Then, each group works together to create an improvisational perfor- mance of its own. Professional actor/educators lead the workshops, tailoring each to the specific needs of the group. Youth participate weekly over a 5-month period, working VA to 3 hours in groups of no more than 20. © turn Organization: Arkansas Arts Center Museum 9th & Commerce Little Rock, AR 72203 SO I -3 72-4000 Program: Museum School: Outreach Programs Year Started: 1 990 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 3,917 Ages: 5-2 1 Budget: $3 1,000 Organization: Armory Program: High School Center for the Arts 145 N. Raymond Avenue Pasadena, CA 91 103 818-792-5101 After-School Program Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 60 Ages: 14-18 Budget: $65,000 The Museum School: Outreach Programs of the Arkansas Arts Center Museum work with 1 6 sites in the greater Little Rock area to develop hands-on, respon- sive arts programming primarily in the visual arts. Working with each site, the director of the Museum School and a faculty member help determine specific goals for the site. Once a faculty match is made, that artist works with the site contact to decide on Pro- gram content, on recruitment and on the nature and frequency of youth participation. For instance, at a homeless shelter, staff wanted to give participants some sense of control over their environment. As a result, the art project focused on constructing boxes and environments within these boxes. Sites include a variety of organizations serving at-risk populations: shelters for battered women, teen mothers and home- less families; youth organizations; a housing authori- ty; an alternative school for delinquent youth and a variety of multipurpose social service centers. David Bailin, director of the Museum School, believes that the Programs have improved his organization: "The community respects the Arts Center as a good neigh- bor. It promotes the feeling that art can have a place in the well-being and health of the community; it does enhance and enrich the lives of our children, youth and families." Armory Center for the Arts offers a vari- ety of arts education programs in the schools, the community and at its stu- dios and gallery. The Armory's High School After-School Program is run in partnership with the Cal Arts Community Arts Partnership (CAP) program and Pasade- na's Visual Arts and Design Academy, a public school "acade- my" (a school within a school). Twice a week for 3 hours and on Fri- days and Saturdays for open studio time, students selected for the Program come to Armory to study letterpress or photography. Profes- sional artists and teaching assistants from Armory and Cal Arts instruct the classes. Youth learn the technical aspects of each discipline on design pro- jects that reflect their personal concerns and on con- tracted projects such as bus posters and other public art projects. Pieces completed for the community are then displayed in public venues. At the end of each school year, youth can continue working through the Summer Youth Employment Program. They can become assistants in Armory's in-school photogra- phy workshops, apply for (and many have been accepted into) the Summer School for the Arts at Cal Arts or enroll in programs run by other CAP partners. "This is our last opportunity to reach at-risk youth," Director Elisa Crystal explains. "Once they leave high school, they are really out on their own. Through the Program, kids are staying in school and becoming increasingly ambitious." © Organization: Art in General 79 Walker Street New York, NY 1 00 1 3 212-21 9-0473 Program: Summer Program With Project Reach Year Started: 1993 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 50 Ages: 14-21 Budget: $44,000 Organization: The Artists Collective, Inc. 3 5 Clark Street Hartford, CT 06 1 20 203-527-3205 Program: The Artists Collective, Inc. Year Started: 1 970 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts & History Youth Served: 600 Ages: 2/2-2 1 Budget: $690,000 Joining forces with Project Reach, a community youth crisis counseling center, Art in General has created a summer visual arts program that serves young people from the Chinatown, Little Italy and Two Bridges neighborhoods of New York City. This intensive Summer Program meets four times a week and includes a series of art-making workshops explor- ing painting, sculpture, photography and computer- based art. Instructors place as much emphasis on process as on product, with the intention of provid- ing a forum for communication and a means by which to demystify contemporary art. Workshops are supplemented by field visits to cultural institutions and by discussion groups about a variety of social, personal and aesthetic issues. Art created by partici- pants is exhibited at the Art in General gallery and in various storefronts in lower Manhattan. This pub- lic display of the participants' work adds to their pride in the skills that they acguire. ^^K V .i^^^V Housed in a former Catholic M W^ ^^^fj^k school in the Clay Hill neigh- ^ l^^^l^P borhood of Hartford, The "^B W^ -^^^ Artists Collective, Inc. has developed a series of multidisciplinary programs for children and youth based on African, West Indian and Latin- American cultural traditions. The Artists Collec- tive, Inc. offers regular classes in dance, music and African percussion, as well as an after-school program in the performing arts and African history; youth receive high-guality arts training and opportunities to perform throughout the school year. The Summer Youth Employment and Training Program prepares disadvantaged young people for employment in both arts-oriented and non-arts-oriented careers. During the 6-week Program, youth study martial arts, dance, African percussion or vocal and instrumental music with professional artists. Students also participate in Life Skills Training, which focuses on job readiness and career development. Receiving minimum wage, the 105 youth are paid from city and foundation job training funds. A culminant production at summer's end includes a side-by-side performance by both professionals and youth. © Organization: Artists for Humanity 288-300 A Street Boston, MA 02210 617-737-2455 Program: City Teens Design Company Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 200 Ages: 14-18 Budget: $228,000 Organization: Artists Raising the Conscious- ness of Humanity (ARCH) Productions c/o Pittsburgh Public Theater, Allegheny Square Pittsburgh, PA 15212 412-323-8200, ext. 21 Program: CityKids Program Year Started: 1989 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 50 Ages: 14-18 Budget: SI 8 1,000 A safe place for young people to go dur- ing their free time and engage in mean- ingful work — that was the vision of a group of young people and founder Susan Rodgerson. What emerged is an organization where youth create art and learn the business of selling it. The only criterion for participation is that youth must attend school. A group of 26 at-risk youth, the City Teens Design Company (CTDC), are paid staff who both market their own artwork and help administer Artists for Humanity. They serve on a Peer Evaluation Review Board that conducts monthly evaluations of members' attendance and work; meets with prospective business clients to learn about the clients' objectives and target audi- ences; and works directly with artists and business advisors. In addition, there is a large space for other youth, who are not paid, to work with the artists and CTDC members on a variety of short-term or person- al projects. The businesslike environment stresses team-oriented projects and mutual respect. Young people create unique works of art that have generat- ed over $50,000 in sales over 3 years. Most important- ly, youth who thought they had few options are learning they can be successful. Artists are using the theater as a means of support for former gang members, substance abusers or youth from trou- bled homes. The CityKids Program, housed at the Pittsburgh Public Theater, turns teens' negative experiences into tools for self-awareness and growth. An intensive, 6-week summer course trains and employs youth, who leam voice, improvi- sation, movement and audience interaction. Two or three different troupes perform a repertoire of five shows, four times a month. Throughout the year, teens attend monthly sessions to talk about both per- sonal and theater subjects. Participants sign 1-year contracts in which they agree to be punctual, attend all classes and rehearsals, refrain from alcohol and drug use, cease all gang activity and commit to per- sonal transformation. Productions focus on such teen problems as participating in gangs, driving under the influence and living with chemically dependent parents. Recently CityKids toured 64 performances to public schools and to Pennsylvania-area chapters of MADD, SADD, Blue Cross, the Center for Victims of Violent Crimes and other groups working to make a difference. 49 Organization: The ArtsCenter 300-G E. Main Street Carrboro, NC 27510 9 1 9-942-2787 Program: Carr Court Community Center Artist Residency Project Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 23 Ages: 4-16 Budget: $ I 1 ,000 Organization: Arts Commission of Greater Toledo 2201 Ottawa Drive Toledo, OH 43606 419-475-2266 Program: Young Artists at Work (YAAW) Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 75 Ages: 14-21 Budget: $ 1 60,000 ^^K v Once a week at the Carr Court Commu- M vA m nity Center, children and youth from v5tj^^ ' low-income families participate in arts "^B W^ workshops and activities led by local professional artists and assisted by volunteers from the community. The Artist Residency Project is made up of a series of 3-month residencies, during which children learn about various arts disciplines and explore African- American culture through the arts. They re-create the music, dance, arts and crafts, food and stories of African village life; design and make African story and collage quilts; build and learn to play steel drums and other instruments. These arts activities are part of a larger after-school program that includes tutoring; mentoring; taking field trips to local museums, arts exhibits and performances; as well as participating in social activities, personal health and safety presentations and athletics. Speak- ing about the African Village Celebration the chil- dren perform at The ArtsCenter for parents, friends and the public, Susan Gamling, director of the Pro- ject, says, "The kids confronted and worked through their own fears of speaking and performing in front of others. Their communication and social skills have improved dramatically. They have learned to express themselves through words, rather than acting out physically." The ArtsCenter, "St. Joseph's Methodist Church, the Carrboro Community Police Officers Association, AmeriCorps service students and other local volunteer and community organizations have teamed up with the Carr Court Junior Association, the community's youth group, to provide these safe, enriching after-school activities for children. Young Artists at Work (YAAW) uses the arts to create summer jobs for economi- cally disadvantaged students. Every summer, 75 youth are apprenticed to established artists to study a craft while creating public art for the city, fulfilling art commissions and participating in community workshops. Professional artists and college arts instructors oversee the pro- gram and serve as mentors to youth. Participants must be in school to apply. During 30-hour workweeks, the participants learn about job responsibility and what is required to be a working artist. Activities have included painting park benches; designing and painting a mural downtown; developing five murals for installation at Boys and Girls Clubs; and attend- ing workshops in music, drama, metalsmithing, jew- elry making and black-and-white photography. In addition, YAAW works with local schools, social ser- vice agencies and museums to enhance their build- ings with artworks. ■ " Every summer, 75 youth are apprenticed to established artists to study a craft while creating public art for the city, fulfilling art commissions and participating in community workshops. * * ® Organization: ARTScorpsLA (The Art Army) P.O. Box 65803 Los Angeles, CA 90065 213-223-3879 Program: La Tierra de la Culebra Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 300 Ages: 5-2 1 Budget: $100,000 Organization: Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County 508 Main Street Fort Worth, TX 76102 817-870-2564 Program: Neighbor- hood Arts Program Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 500 Ages: 5- 1 8 Budget: $200,000 ARTScorpsLA is a public arts organiza- tion that works with low-income Los Angeles communities to transform fal- low land into gathering and learning places. The current site, called La Tierra de la Cule- bra (The Land of the Serpent), the symbol of fertility and growth, was once a vacant 2%-acre unauthorized garbage dump. Under the direction of artist Tricia Ward, in collaboration with community youth, it is now a cultural art park with a 450-foot serpent fabri- cated of rubble, stone and pique tiles. The site is a model of community renewal; a safe haven; a labora- tory for learning for disadvantaged and under-served youth. Youth meet daily at La Tierra de la Culebra for 3 hours after school. During the first hour, youth receive school tutoring from members of AmeriCorps and teens in the Culebra project. The 17- and 18-year- old tutors receive honoraria while the younger teens give their time in exchange for field trips and partici- pation in other arts programs. The remaining 2 hours are spent working with local artists on arts and com- munity projects, such as the development of commu- nity parks, which include murals; creation of arts spaces; and cultivation of flower and vegetable gar- dens. Youth use the arts to develop their communica- tion and cooperative learning skills, job preparedness, community awareness and leadership skills. ^^B v The predominantly Mexican-American M VA m Northside and the African-American v^^B^ ▼ Eastside low-income neighborhoods "^J ^^ of Fort Worth are home to two of the city's flourishing and culturally rich arts programs. The Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County's multidisciplinary Ballet Folklorico Azteca and Jubilee Theatre are 2 of 14 hands-on Neighborhood Arts programs occurring daily around the city to "maintain a two-way street between the Anglo mainstream arts institutions and neighborhood arts institutions, schools and audiences," according to President Ken- neth Kahn. Ballet Folklorico Azteca stages Mexican folk dance performances based on weekly year-round classes. Jubilee Theatre participants, meeting once a week after school, create original musicals and adaptations of classics. Other dance classes and the Mondo Drum Ensemble also are offered. Class and performance spaces are shared with other arts groups, making the space a community focal point. "The programs instill a sense of self-worth that comes with recognition from the community," says Kahn. "We have a high level of retention and repeat enrollment. There's a demand for expansion into other neighborhoods." 51 Organization: Arts Council of New Orleans 82 1 Gravier Street Suite 600 New Orleans, LA 701 12 504-523-1465 Program: Urban Arts Training Program Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1 05 Ages: 14-18 Budget: $ 1 20,000 Organization: Arts in Progress 555 Armory Street Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 617-524-1 160 Program: ACT IT OUT Peer Performers Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 10 Ages: 15-21 Budget: N/A ^0K v The Arts Council of New Orleans has M v4 m conducted summer arts programs over ^55^^ l ^ e 13ast ^ Y ears an d in January of 1995 "^B ^^ initiated an after-school program. These programs have been funded with Job Training Part- nership Act monies from the Orleans Private Indus- try Council. The number of young people served each year varies, depending on available funds. In 1992, over 50 young people (ages 14-18) were introduced to the visual arts. In 1993, the Arts Council broad- ened the Program to include instruction in five arts areas — visual arts, dance, music, theater and com- puter graphics — and involved 250 young people. In 1994, the Arts Council implemented the Program with 43 students as part of the Brandeis Summer Beginnings Project. Students worked in small crews to create public art projects for community groups. Major learning activities took place through "real work" projects. Students were heavily involved in nearly all aspects of development, implementation and evaluation. Once students identified a project that they thought would provide a valuable service to the community, they conducted research to de- termine what it would take to execute the project, designed it, carried it out and helped to evaluate it. For the summer of 1995, the Arts Council of New Orleans initiated an integrated work and learning pro- gram for 105 youth in three areas: visual arts, theater and video. The classes took place at Southern Uni- versity and Xavier University. The Arts Council hired 13 artist/teachers to mentor students and serve as role models. Youth created stylized sculptures repre- senting the letters "R," "E," "A" and "D" that were installed in the window of a library; another team made mosaic tile murals for a health center. The ACT IT OUT Peer Performers inte- grate training in violence prevention, conflict resolution, teen health issues and creative decision making with drama. Trained in violence prevention and other health-related topics by two Boston health agencies and in drama by Diane Beckett of Arts in Progress, ACT IT OUT actors carry a message of healthy life- styles to their peers while learning discipline and communication and job skills. Participants are recruited from the high schools where the group has performed. The intensive program runs year-round. Between October and May youth meet after school and on weekends to learn acting techniques, develop an original theater piece and perform the piece in Boston-area schools and throughout Massachusetts. During the summer, the group performs almost every day, often creating a new piece for the summer tour. The group also has produced work for television and video and is working on a new CD-ROM about vio- lence prevention. ACT IT OUT is a program of Arts in Progress, a nonprofit agency that provides artist/teachers to Boston-area schools, as well as to social service and community agencies. (5) Organization: Asian Americans United 80 1 Arch Street Philadelphia, PA 19107 215-925-1538 Program: Asian American Youth Workshop Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 40 Ages: 14-18 Budget: $50,000 Organization: Asociacion de Musicos Latino Americanos (AM LA) 2757 N. 5th Street Philadelphia, PA 19132 215-634-4150 Program: AM LA Latin Music School Year Started: 1 986 Focus: Music Youth Served: 370 Ages: 5-2 1 Budget: $85,000 ^^f v For Philadelphia's Asian-American M WA m youth , Asian Americans United (AAU) v^^A ▼ is one of the few places where they "^B ^^ can find refuge from discrimination and street violence. At the Asian American Youth Workshop, one of several AAU programs, Asian- American youth are provided a safe haven. Youth meet once a week throughout the year to work with Asian-American artists on projects ranging from public murals and an in-house literary magazine to dance performances and a video project. Youth make all of the important creative decisions — from what projects to do to the content of each project. Teenage participants share their common experi- ences as Asian-American youth. "The underlying thread throughout all the projects is for youth to be the major decision-making force," says Juli Kang, the arts program coordinator. " ■ The underlying thread throughout all the projects is for youth to be the major decision- making force. * ' Juli Kang -Arts Program Coordinator ^^9^^ The Asociacion de Musicos Latino ^^>^A Americanos (AMLA) Latin Music School, ft U| I located in Philadelphia's highest crime ^^3^^ and lowest income neighborhood, is dedicated to promoting understanding of Latino oral and musical traditions. The AMLA School operates after school, 3 days per week and all day on Satur- days. Private and group instruction is provided in guitar, classical and Afro-Cuban piano, voice, per- cussion, chekere, flute, clarinet, trumpet, trombone, music theory and salsa dance. Student ensembles give youth the opportunity to perform at community festivals as well as with well-known local and nation- al Latino musicians. The music classes, ensembles and recitals engender artistic excellence while teach- ing children the values of delayed gratification, goal setting and cooperation. Student registration is $5 every semester; classes cost $28 to $45 per month. However, many full and partial scholarships are awarded. Through AMLAs other community music programs, such as the faculty concert series and performances that feature national and local Latino artists, students also are exposed to their Latino heritage and cultural role models. © Organization: Bake- house Art Complex 561 N.W. 32nd Street Miami, FL 33127 305-576-2828 Program: Bakehouse Children's Art Workshop Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 4,500 Ages: 5-2 1 Budget: $9 1 ,000 Organization: Baltimore City Life Museums 800 E. Lombard Street Baltimore, MD 2 1 202 410-396-5290 Program: Jonestown Community Photo Documentation Project and Neighborhood Kids Mural Project Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 19 Ages: 10-15 Budget: $28,000; $10,000 Even in Miami's turbulent times — hurricanes, increased immigration and decreased tourism — the Bakehouse Art Complex is there to help sustain the community, particularly its socially, physically and emotionally challenged youth. Shortly after artists converted the historic bakery into 70 studios, they were deluged with requests from local schools, social service agencies, family shelters and individuals to start public arts programs. The Bakehouse artists initiated the Children's Art Workshop to stimu- late an interest in alter- native, off-the-street activities and to teach basic mechanical and social skills to youth. Hour-long, after-school and weekend workshops are held at the complex, at social service agencies and at schools. Students are shown how to use materials found in their imme- diate environment, as well as traditional arts supplies, to make art. Activities intensify over the summer during a 4- week daily program of arts classes. Artists team-teach classes to increase one-on-one interaction, with some older students taking on teaching respon- sibilities. "We're able to see a difference between the positive behavioral patterns of repeat students and the newer students," notes Education Coordinator Donna Sperow. The Bakehouse Art Complex's impact on youth gained widespread attention and challenged it to move beyond the immediate neighborhood to conduct art workshops in neighborhoods throughout Miami. -•>«#' ^ Located in a neighborhood with several public housing developments, the Balti- more City Life Museums (BCLM) initiat- ed arts programs to provide area youth with opportunities to learn new skills and to build stronger relationships with city residents. Last sum- mer, in the BCLM's Jonestown Community Photo Documentation Project and the Neighborhood Kids Mural Project, youth worked with professional artists to create interpretations of their neighborhood through photography and murals. They also learned practical skills, such as reading, writing, working as part of a team and goal setting. These Projects took place 3 days a week and included field trips to cul- tural institutions and relevant points of interest in the city. "The programs elicited a wonderful response from the neighborhood as evidenced by the large turnout for the final celebration of the Mural Project," reports Curator of Objects Victoria Hawkins. "It drew one of the greatest audiences to the Museums ever. The programs and community response to them show the kids they have something to give; setting goals and seeing projects through to completion is helping build self-confidence." Youth have been encouraged to stay involved by partici- pating in the development of the upcoming inaugur- al exhibition of the new Community Gallery. Children will help select photos from their work and write autobiographies and brief labels. "I can not empha- size strongly enough," says Hawkins, "that what children need is a sustained effort; programs which endure from year to year, season to season." 54 Organization: Bayview Program: Community Opera House P.O. Box 24086 San Francisco, CA 94124 415-824-0386 Recording Studio Year Started: 1 993 Focus: Music Youth Served: 2 1 Ages: 13-17 Budget: $37,500 Organization: Beacon Street Gallery and Theatre 4520 Beacon Street Chicago, IL 60140 708-232-2728 Program: Art Jobs and Cultural Heritage Programs Year Started: 1983 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 78 Ages: 10-21 Budget: $3 1 0,000 ^^0JW The Bayview Opera House, the oldest ^P^flA theater in San Francisco, is the host M m M site for the Community Recording Stu- ^^3^^ dio. Youth from the community and in the juvenile justice system come after school to the Recording Studio to create their own music. They work with the two instructors; one focuses on music, and the other, on lyrics. By creating their own pieces, mostly rap music, students learn about keyboards, music composition and lyric writing. The students produced a compilation tape, which is being used to teach them about the music industry, marketing and distribution. Students also learn about producing a successful public performance, including advertis- ing, preparation, technical and staff requirements. "Instructors have dropped the theoretical approach to teaching in favor of a more experiential curriculum which encourages students to develop and utilize their critical thinking skills, become more self-disci- plined, develop academically (writing in particular) and learn how to work cooperatively," explains Steve Cohn, a consultant on the project. The program was launched by funding and equipment from the popu- lar rock music band The Grateful Dead. Youth also can participate in the Bayview Opera House Dance Troupe and the Young and Gifted Choir, which some- times performs with the Zaccho Dance Theatre. The visual arts program at the Bayview Opera House takes the notion of neighborhood beautification to heart. Murals created and executed by professional artists and elementary school children dot the com- munity. Funded in part by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Neighborhood Beautifica- tion Fund, these murals foster neighborhood pride and intergenerational participation. ^£ v ^^^^ The Beacon Street Gallery M WA M ^ and Theatre started the v^^^k '^ ^M W Art Jobs Program to provide "^B W^ ™^fc» youth with the opportunity to learn about poetry, music, dance, painting, pho- tography and other arts while making positive changes in their lives. Realizing that the needs of the immigrant community should be addressed, the Gallery developed the Cultural Heritage Program. In this Program, participants learn both the history and the art forms of different cultures, frequently becom- ing members of the Marimba Ensemble, West Indies Dance Troupe or the Laotian Dance or Cambodian Dance groups. Both Programs meet at the Gallery twice a week for 10 weeks, with a core group of par- ticipants continuing for several 10- week sessions. Teachers who identify any behavioral problems are backed up with support from a social service agency. "The Programs are keeping the kids in school as well as getting those who have dropped out back in school," says Executive Director Patricia Murphy. "Some have gone on to college, and others have entered vocational training programs." * * The Programs are keeping the kids in school as well as getting those who have dropped out back in school. * * Patricia Murphy -Executive Director 55 •>■'*-' Organization: Believe In Me 413 1 Spicewood Springs Austin, TX 78759 512-345-3357 Program: Believe In Me Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 425 Ages: 9- 1 4 Budget: $350,000 Organization: Boulevard Arts Center 601 I S.Justine Chicago, IL 60636 3 I 2-476-4900 Program: Employment Training Program in the Arts Year Started: 1 984 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 80 Ages: 14-21 Budget: $ 1 80,000 r^PH I The Believe In Me program uses dance WjM I to give youth, many of whom are involved with drug and gang activity, the tools needed to be successful in the commu- nity. Modeled after New York City's National Dance Institute program and St. Louis's Personal Responsi- bility Education Process (PREP), Believe In Me offers an in-school program, the special dance teams Swat and Celebration and a 2-week, intensive summer dance institute. The in-school program teaches choreography and performance skills. Members of the Swat Team and Celebration Team are chosen from the in-school program. They work on choreog- raphy skills, rehearse more advanced pieces and perform in the community throughout the year. At the summer institute, 80-100 children participate 8 hours a day, with a performance at the end of the 2 weeks. The programs incorporate PREP methods by engaging youth in evaluations of community needs and discussions of values, such as making a commitment and working as part of a team, that youth can adopt to meet those needs. "Youth are excelling in other areas of their lives, such as in school," reports Executive Director Rachel Carter. "We're seeing less participation in drug and gang activity and a decrease in dropping out of school." ^^K V The Employment Training Program in M vA m the Arts pays youth in the Englewood ^^^■L t section of Chicago to bring art and "^J ^^ culture to their economically deprived neighborhood. The youth, who apply for the Program in January, work 20 hours per week for 8 weeks in July and August. They work in groups of 10 to 12 under the guidance of a master artist to conceive, design, create, critique and present an artistic piece of public art to their community. Projects have included stone and wood sculptures, murals, photo- graphic billboards, silk-screened posters and videos. Both a dance and theater company are created out of the summer work. "We've had 98 percent of our kids complete high school," reports Pat Reed, director of the Boulevard Arts Center. "The Program helps kids realize that there is another direction open to them, away from the gangs and violence." During the year, programming includes basic instruction in drawing, painting, photography, videography and performance and instruction in business development. The arts and business programs assist both youth and adults in developing viable careers in the arts. ■ ■ The Program helps kids realize that there is another direction open to them, away from the gangs and violence. * ™ Pat Reed -Director of Boulevard Arts Center 56 H IMH Organization: Boys and Girls Club of Easton 508-A Charles Street Easton, PA 18042 610-252-6983 Program: Smart Moves Players Theater Arts Ensemble Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Dance & Theater Youth Served: 74 Ages: 9- 1 8 Budget: N/A Organization: Boys and Girls Club of Morristown 3 1 I Sulphur Springs Road Morristown, TN 37816 615-586-2331 Program: Challengers Art and Music Year Started: 1*993 Focus: Multi- disciplinary A. fe ts Youth Served: 200 Ages: 6- 1 8 Budget: $27,000 [M|| P^^^W What started as an educa- LHkZ I ^ ^ I I .«. I tional program to prevent children and youth from participating in high-risk behavior has grown into a performance group of youth that tours schools, civic organizations and conferen- ces. The Smart Moves Players Theater Arts Ensem- ble includes an all-female dance group, Sisters With Soul; the Smart Moves Touring Ensemble, a theater group; and the full troupe of 74 youth who write, choreograph, stage and perform at least three pro- ductions a year. The performances are adapted from literature, including works by Langston Hughes and original work by Director Sandra Riley, and feature soliloquies, music and dance. Rehearsing on average twice a week after school and three times a week in the summer, the youth can either specialize in one area or do a bit of everything. The Touring Ensemble performed A Piece of Black History, a play related to Martin Luther King's birthday, at schools, churches, civic organizations and private corporations. "The kids are coming up with their own ideas for shows and setting up their own rehearsals. They feel like the program is theirs because they have such a strong role in creating the pieces," says Riley. "They get a lot of admiration from their peers for their perform- ances, which helps them steer away from risky behav- ior that might elicit the same type of admiration." ^^K v To enhance at-risk youth's quality of M KA m life through a greater appreciation of v^fl^ ' their cultural heritage, the Boys and "^^ ^^ Girls Club of Morristown created an after-school, drop-rn arts program with classes in ceramics, oil painting and watercolor, sculpture and sign-making. Participants work individually in media that interest them with the help of volunteers. In the Fine Arts Room, more structured and advanced classes and workshops are offered, including acting, clogging and choral singing. Community artists work 1 to 2 days a week helping students with art projects which they exhibit locally, regionally and nationally through Boys and Girls Club competitions. Recently, the Morristown Club had seven first-place winners in the national competition. Performances of youth- written plays on issues such as domestic abuse are given for the community. The Club is open every day from 2:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m., and membership is $8 a year. Other Club services include citizenship/ leadership development, health, physical education and recreation programs. 57 Organization: Boys and Program: Creative Girls Clubs of Broward Arts Unit County 1401 N.E. 26th Street Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33305 954-537-1010 Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 30-45 Ages: 12-18 Budget: $ I 1 6,000 Organization: The Boys Choir of Harlem 2005 Madison Avenue New York, NY 10035 212-289-1815 Program: The Boys Choir of Harlem Year Started: 1985 Focus: Music Youth Served: 450 Ages: 8- 1 8 Budget: $3,000,000 Realizing that sports, games and com- puter programs did not meet the needs of all Broward County's young people, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County created a musical theater program for youth. Program auditions are held each January at partici- pating Boys and Girls Clubs, which are located in high-risk neighborhoods. Selections are made on the basis of interest and commitment as well as talent. For 14 weeks, the participants are transported to the Creative Arts Unit — at first, 3 afternoons; later, 5 days a week. They begin the process by brainstorm- ing for a theme dealing with critical issues in their lives. Themes to date have dealt with inner-city vio- lence, teen pregnancy and domestic abuse. After the theme is picked, each person chooses a character; then an outline for the scene is created. The partici- pants divide into small groups based on their areas of interest, such as dialogue, music or set construc- tion. At the end of each session, participants' work is coordinated into a single show, which, after many weeks of rehearsal, is performed at a major theater. The 1995 play Cry No More was seen by audiences totaling 1,800. In the fall of 1995, a new segment was added to the program — coaching in acting, voice and diction and performance skills. ^^9^^ Created as an after-school program to ^fA*^^L provide an alternative to the despair in m \ip W the community and the standard edu- ^^3^^ cation and social programs, The Boys Choir of Harlem has grown into a nationally recog- nized school and after-school program. This artisti- cally driven program uses an intergrated model of education, counseling and the performing arts to prepare inner-city youth to become disciplined, con- fident, motivated and successful citizens. Five days a week from 8:30 in the morning until 6:30 in the evening, young boys and girls in grades 4-12 study academics and music at the Choir Academy, which operates in partnership with the local school district. After school, they rehearse up to 3 hours and partici- pate in counseling and tutoring sessions. Each year, auditions are held for entering students at the school, at public schools throughout the city and at commu- nity sites such as Kmart and McDonald's. Before being accepted into the intensive program, students and their families meet with representatives who describe the commitment involved in attending the Choir Academy. All of the students perform in some man- ner, and those who perform outside of the school must maintain their grades. Students study all aspects of music, and their performance repertoire ranges from classical to jazz, spiritual to hip-hop. Many alumni say, "The program changed my life," and some have returned as instructors, counselors and interns. "Ninety-eight percent of our graduates go on to col- lege," explains Director of Development Audry Wax- man. "The Choir helps increase the expectations that children have of themselves and that the com- munity has of them. We are using art to change all aspects of our children's lives and to open doors for them, both emotionally and in their everyday lives." Organization: Brandywine Workshop 730 S. Broad Street Philadelphia, PA 19146 215-546-3675 Program: Philly Panache Year Started: 1 978 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 6 Ages: 14-19 Budget: $25,000 Organization: Braval for Women in the Arts 2 1 80 Bryant Street San Francisco, CA 941 10 415-641-7657 Program: Drama Divas Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 20 Ages: 15-21 Budget: N/A Partnering with housing developments, a horticultural society, community organi- zations and the Philadelphia Department of Sanitation, the Philly Panache program matches a professional artist with a small group of high school students for 6 weeks during the summer to visually improve the neighborhoods where they live. The youth, who are paid for 30 hours a week, design and paint murals and issue-oriented billboards at sites chosen by Brandywine Workshop and the partner groups. The Philly Panache participants learn about computer graphics and design their murals and bill- boards using computers in Brandywine 's Video Tech- nology Center, a youth computer graphics and video training program started in 1994, which reaches many disadvantaged youth through its after-school and Sat- urday classes. When the design is complete, the artist guides the participants through the painting process. At the end of the program, the group holds an unveil- ing for the community, parents and friends. "Every time the kids put up a mural or billboard, we get new requests from other organizations," says Cindy Lee Hauger, director of development and marketing. "There are no graffiti on the murals, and the projects seem to bring the community together. The artists are all from the same type of communities the kids grow up in, so they are great role models." Since 1978, 130 teenagers have benefited from Philly Panache. Over 50 murals and 14 billboards were completed, and mural panels painted with trompe l'oeil scenes are used to seal off 90 abandoned homes. More than 70 artists have been employed through the program to date, and in 1983, the organization won the Foundation for Architects' Environmental Art Award. In addition to Philly Panache, Brandywine Workshop also runs the Henry O. Tanner Youth Gallery, of which one floor is an art gallery organized by, and devoted to, high school students. For 3-6 hours every week, a group of 15-20 gay and lesbian youth, most of whom are Latino, meet at Brava!, a nonprofit arts organization, to talk, write and act. Once a year, the participants put on a per- formance at Brava !'s theater. But, on any given day of the week, these young "Divas" may perform one of their pieces at a local conference, an awards din- ner, a banquet, youth shelter or festival. The perfor- mances, which are all scripted, are based on real-life experiences and deal with such issues as relation- ships, gender, class, family and race. The youth learn not only about acting, but also about lighting, stage design and theater direction and production. Most of the youth are paid through the Mayor's Office on Children, Youth and Families to participate in the program, assist with Brava! 's adult performances and attend career training workshops. "Through the Drama Divas program, the participants have gained work experience, have been able to travel, have had access to many talented professional artists and have received positive recognition. This program provides some constancy in the crazy lives of these youth," sums up Cathy Arellano, general manager. © Organization: Bronx Dance Theatre 286 E. 204 Street Bronx, NY 10467 718-652-7655 Program: Bronx Dance Theatre Year Started: 1 976 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 500 Ages: 4-20 Budget: $530,000 Organization: The Brooklyn Children's Museum 1 45 Brooklyn Avenue Brooklyn, NY I 1 2 1 3 718-735-4402 Program: Museum Team Year Started: 1 987 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 1 ,200 Ages: 7- 1 8 Budget: $250,800 r^Wfl I The Bronx Dance Theatre is using WjM I dance to teach life skills and provide professional arts training. The students, most of whom come to the program with no experience, begin by taking classes in mod- ern dance and ballet. Those who show commitment are eligible for scholarships and reduced tuition fees and are offered the opportunity to join 100 of their peers in an intensive program of instruction, which includes classes four to five times per week. These students take prescribed courses, specifically struc- tured to their individual levels, in ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance; acrobatics and choreography. If the students miss a class, they are called; if they begin having trouble meeting their commitments, the staff meets with their parents or guardians. The students perform 12-24 times a year. The performances teach cooperation, independence, persistence and quick response. The directors stress the relationship between these principles in dance and in life. When youth are ready to enter high school, the Bronx Dance Theatre teaches them what will be expected of them in both the interview and, if applicable, the performance competition. "We have established ourselves as a place where a child can achieve," explains Director Neil Goldstein. "Our children have had tremendous success both in the field of performing arts and per- sonally, because we are not just a dance program. Our holistic approach uses the discipline required in the performing arts to prepare the kids to acquire the skills necessary to become productive adults." Recently the Bronx Dance Theatre received funding from the New York Board of Education to start a public school based on dance. ^^K v ^^^^ Museum Team is an educa- M vA vfl i ^ tional, job training and em- v^M^ *^ ^M W ployment program for youth "^B. ^r HHr at The Brooklyn Children's Museum, an institution established for youth in 1899. Museum Team, recipient of the 1995 Institute of Museum Services National Award for Museum Ser- vice, is open to youth ages 7-18 and targets residents of the Museum's immediate neighborhood of Crown Heights and Bedford Stuyvesant. The program has a four-tier structure to meet the needs of participants in an age-appropriate manner. Kids Crew (ages 7-14) combines on- and off-site education activities, includ- ing daily science, cultural, arts, library research and gallery-based programs. Members are involved in a writing club and publish their own newspaper. Volunteers-in-Training (ages 10-14) builds upon Kids Crew activities with artist- and scientist-in-resi- dence programs and short-term work experiences in a specific gallery or Museum department. Volun- teers (ages 12-14) participate in a career preparatory program as well as in Museum-related program- ming and maintain longer term work placement. Paid Interns (ages 14-18) work in a variety of positions throughout the Museum and in other sites in the community. Ongoing workshops support continued skill development, with emphasis on college and voca- tional training. A youth advisory council helps plan for and evaluate the program. According to one young participant, "There is a lot of stuff going on around my block. Becoming a Volunteer was the best chance to do something good for myself." ® Organization: California College of Arts and Crafts 5212 Broadway Oakland, CA 946 1 8 510-597-3642 Program: T.E.A.M. Year Started: 1 990 Focus: Media Youth Served: 200 Ages: 14-19 Budget: N/A Organization: California Lawyers for the Arts Fort Mason Center Building C-255 San Francisco, CA 94123 41 5-775-7200, ext. 293 Program: Arts and Community Develop- ment Project Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 800 Ages: 6- 1 7 Budget: $125,000 Teens in Oakland, California, are chang- ing public perceptions of youth and influencing policies and institutions that affect their lives. T.E.A.M. (Teens + Education + Art + Media) unites a coalition of artists, educators and media professionals with teens to produce innovative interdisciplinary projects that influence media images of youth and institu- tions serving youth. One project, The Roof Is on Fire, resulted in an hour-long, nationally televised perfor- mance based on significant issues in the teens' lives. Each T.E.A.M. project has three components: media literacy, in which teens learn to analyze images of youth in popular culture; public conversations staged as public performances, in which teens learn to speak out and the community learns to listen; and active citizenship, in which teens seek and develop solutions to problems. Students from eight public high schools and a number of community agencies attend the program each week at various sites. "T.E.A.M. continues to grow in scope of activities and in the ways it integrates art with public institu- tions related to youth," says School of Fine Arts Dean Suzanne Lacy. "We're committed to a complex cultural analysis that integrates artists and teens as planners in the public agenda." ^^R v For the young people of the San Fran- M vA m cisco Bay Area, the Arts and Communi- v5j^^BL ty Development Project of the California "^B W^ Lawyers for the Arts (CLA) provides an avenue to summer employment in the arts as well as multicultural after-school instruction in visual, literary and performing arts. Working in partnership with the San Francisco Unified School District and the Private Industry Council, a nonprofit organization that administers federal Job Training Partnership Act funds, CLA finds employment in local arts and cultural institutions for youth city-wide. Teens in the program work 20 hours a week for 8 weeks at mini- mum wage. CLA meets with teens one-on-one and matches them with an appropriate site. Once the young people go to work, CLA coordinates enrichment seminars that focus on life skills such as conflict reso- lution, peer counseling, communication and job readiness. Additionally, CLA incorporates sessions on careers in the arts, some hands-on sessions on the creation of artworks and backstage visits with professionals of major arts institutions; a mentoring program is part of the career development experience available to youth. The after-school instructional pro- gram is offered in collaboration with eight nonprofit multicultural arts providers. The collaborative Project fosters the self-esteem, personal identities and cross- cultural exchanges among children and teens from different communities by teaching and sharing art forms. Older youth in this collaborative Project also develop marketable employment skills appropriate to the arts and other fields. 61 Organization: California Museum of Science and Industry 700 State Drive Los Angeles, CA 90037 2 1 3-744-7444 Program: Avalon Gardens Curators Kids Club Year Started: 1993 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 45 Ages: 10-13 Budget: $55,000 Organization: Carlota Santana Spanish Dance Company 1 54 Christopher Street New York, NY 10014-2839 212-229-9754 Program: Bronx Project Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Dance & Humanities Youth Served: 40 Ages: 8- 1 2 Budget: $23,000 When Diane Miller, director of outreach at the California Museum of Science and Industry, identified a grant program to support science education for at-risk students, she turned to her own experience as some- one who grew up in an impoverished inner-city com- munity. Miller talked to a lot of people, put together an advisory board and focused on programs she would have liked as a child. Working with the Avalon Gardens public housing community, she designed a 3-year pilot program through which youth could learn about persistence and self-motivation while exploring physics, chemistry, mathematics and biol- ogy. The second year of the program, sensing chil- dren's uncertainty about their creativity, Miller brought in photographers, printmakers, jewelers and mask-makers to oversee afternoon arts projects. Participants take at least one field trip each week, which combines science and the arts. At the program's conclusion, youth curate a presentation for family and friends. In the following year, partici- pants serve as mentors to new participants whom they have personally recruited. VWPI ^^^^ The Carlota Santana Spanish iKfl flfl fe Dance Company offers a IS^^HV ^M W dance program at Public LL^JI X^mJ School 42 (PS 42), a Bronx elementary school. Integrated into the program are all 8- to 12-year-olds who live in a nearby battered women's shelter. These children are enrolled in the dance program to help lessen the burden and stigma of living in a shelter. The children are brought to the school to learn dance as well as to help them feel more comfortable in the school. The comprehensive program covers dance technique and music, as well as Spanish culture, history and geography. Classes are held twice a week for 2 hours after school and are taught by a Company guitarist and dancer who emphasize the development of the children's movement and cognitive skills. "The kids are committed throughout the year. Teachers report that the kids were repeatedly asking when the flamenco was going to begin," says Santana. "It was especially compelling to observe the boys' progress in getting involved in the art form." Perform- ances for seniors are helping to promote an intergener- ational understanding among community members. This year the Bronx Project will be offered to more of the school's students, in an effort to provide long-term programming to all the children at PS 42. 62 Organization: Center Program: Teen Project for Contemporary Year Started: 1 990 Arts of Santa Fe Focus: Multi- 1614 Paseo de Peralta disciplinary Arts Santa Fe, NM 8750 1 Youth Served: 86 1 505-989-4423 Ages: 13-21 Budget: $250,000 Organization: Center of Contemporary Arts (COCA) 524 Trinity Avenue University City, MO 63 130 314-725-6555 Program: Arts Connection Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 93 Ages: 7- 1 2 Budget: $42,000 ^^f v "No place to go, nothing to do," was A vA m the overall response of local youth to the v^^^k ' Center foi Contemporary Arts of Santa '^ ^r Fe's (CCA's) survey, conducted shortly after the public schools cut back arts programs. After surveying museum-based programs around the coun- try, the Center's director decided it was important to move away from the short-term or consumption- based model of most museum programs to an ongo- ing program for young people managed by young people. One hundred youth were invited to plan and develop a teen center. CCA raised the funds and found the space, an old warehouse by the railroad tracks on the outskirts of downtown Santa Fe. The teens' "ownership" of the Center gives them a place to develop creatively in a comfortable environment. A broad range of free workshops are offered in music, dance, visual arts (including mural arts) and media arts, while ongoing theater, photography and radio programs are also available. The Teen Project also sponsors cultural events for community families and young people: street theater, art exhibitions, video nights, live music dances, lectures and open-mike poetry nights. The Rainbow Pilot Project targets gang members and teens at risk for delinquent activities, providing programs designed to appeal to them, such as Peace in the Streets, a lowrider car show that drew the largest audience of any event offered in recent time, and a theater group made up of former gang members. Some participants are paid stipends for producing the radio show and publishing the news- paper. "When kids walk out with a product, they are learning business; they're understanding what employment is and feel they have a name in the community," says CCA Teen Project Director Ana Gallegos y Reinhardt. The Center of Contemporary Arts (COCA) is a partner in Arts Connection, an artist-initiated project to involve neighborhood children from public housing projects in arts projects. COCAs partners, artists and art and social service agencies, create a community web that fosters creativity and self-confi- dence. Artists design their programs in consultation with the partners in preparation for a year-round schedule of classes. A variety of classes meet in the summer, one to three times a week, and in the fall, on Saturdays and after school 1 to 2 days a week. Past projects include planning a garden and creating scarecrows based on masks from diverse cul- tures. A recent annual exhibition at the COCA gallery resulted in the sale of the older partici- pants' portraits of them- selves and others, as well as an invitation to install •stcvcn slaughter • posters made from the portraits in city bus shelters. During the exhibition, one of the artists and a student led a workshop to demonstrate how the portraits were created. "The program has caused community agencies to collabo- rate in ways they never have before," says Director of Visual Arts Kathryn Adamchick. "And students who had no interest in the arts are developing self- esteem and seeing art as a vehicle for expression." 63 Organization: Central City Hospitality House 290 Turk Street San Francisco, CA 94102 415-749-2139 Program: Youth Program Year Started: 1 967 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: S50 Ages: 15-21 Budget: N/A Organization: El Centro de la Raza 2524 16th Avenue S. Seattle, WA 98 1 44 206-323-1283 Program: The Hope for Youth Year Started: 1 987 Focus: Creative Writing & Literature Youth Served: 60 Ages: 8- 1 8 Budget: $ 1 20,000 "Central City Hospitality House is a place to hear a 'y es ' when so often in their lives these kids hear 'no,'" says Executive Director Kate Durham. "Many of our youth have been sexually abused or have been thrown out of their homes because they are not het- erosexual. They come to San Francisco seeking refuge and hoping to find support and acceptance for who they are." Hospitality House is a drop-in center and an off-site home for 12 runaways. Both drop-in and resident youth can take advantage of a number of programs, including employment or substance abuse counseling and literary or fine arts instruction. Many who participate in the Youth Program attend 6-week art courses that meet once a week for 3 hours. The courses are strictly instructional, but because they are nestled among a variety of other support services, there is a relationship between studying the arts and addressing runaway and homeless issues. Artists teach ceramics, painting, silk-screen process and other arts, according to the participants' interests. A hands-on computer workshop for skills training includes a creative-writing component. On average, 75 percent of the youth who participate in these and other Hospitality House Youth Programs leave the street. The program gains the runaway youths' trust and, in turn, creates a stabilizing element in their lives. I V ^0^^^^. What began as an arts and ^ V^^tf^ *— *""* 1 poetry workshop to get ■•V 91 I ,-, - youth off the street has BuflSfl ^^^^ become a significant after- school leadership training program. In the poetry workshops, youth read poems by poets of diverse cultures that deal with community issues, analyze their structure and content and then write poetry that is critiqued by other members of the group. The workshops are held in 10- week cycles at 15 different public schools. The Kingian Nonviolence workshops use poetry to help youth learn how to channel their anger and frustration into positive and disciplined behavior. Participants who receive a minimum of 120 hours of nonviolence training become Varsity Team Players of El Centro. Varsity Players participate in Get a Life Productions and conduct nonviolence training and poetry workshops at conferences, universities and political and com- munity events. They produce concerts and poetry readings by both renowned and lesser known artists. Fear of violence in the Latino community has led many parents and their children to El Centro, where youth can be safe and learn something valuable. " * Fear of violence in the Latino community has led many parents and their children to El Centro, where youth can be safe and learn something valuable. * * ^B ^^^^^H Organization: Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts 25 1 9 Northwestern Avenue Racine, Wl 53404-2299 414-636-9177 Program: Victory in Peace Program Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Creative Writing & Visual Arts Youth Served: 60 Ages: 6- 1 I Budget: $ 1 00,000 Organization: Chau- tauqua Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Council (CASAC) 2-6 E. 2nd Street Jamestown, NY 14701 716-664-3608 Program: Awareness Theatre Year Started: 1 985 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 45 Ages: 14-18 Budget: $53,000 The effectiveness of team- work evidenced by the partnership of four diverse Racine agencies — the Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts with the Racine Urban League, The Taylor Home and Educa- tion Center and the Racine Council for the Preven- tion of Drug and Alcohol Abuse — is a paradigm for the youth they serve. Program participants are rec- ommended by teachers in 27 public schools and include children with learning disabilities, gang participants and children acting out in classrooms. The agencies are introducing the Museum to a con- stituency it had not yet tapped, and the Museum is showing the agencies how the arts can serve their common goal of steering youth away from destruc- tive behavior. The 1-year program engages students weekly for VA hours through arts projects and, more intensively, a summer book workshop that takes participants through the process of creating and producing a book — writing the stories, making the paper and designing the pages. The books have been so successful that some copies have been placed in the public library and the Museum; some have been sold to museums and rare book collections around the country. The other arts projects take advantage of such opportunities as a Fair Housing Poster con- test. Victory in Peace participants also receive help with their homework, transportation from school and to their homes and other needed support services through the Program. Victory in Peace also organizes field trips to museums, libraries, concerts and other special places. Two troupes of youth are recruited at the beginning of every school year to perform scenes about alcohol and sub- stance abuse before student audiences throughout the county. Performers receive intensive theater training and then meet once a week for 214 hours for rehearsals and discussion. Once a month, guest speakers and trainers meet with youth to work on special issues such as AIDS and alcohol and sub- stance abuse treatment. There is a basic outline for each of the scenes. However, improvisation and audience participation are encouraged, so every performance is different. In performance, youth and peers talk about substance abuse and alcoholism, thus creating an interactive program between per- formers and audience members. This interaction has resulted in a regular following and requests for repeat performances. In 1994, 245 performances (mostly in schools) were given. © Organization: Chicago Children's Choir Cultural Center 78 E. Washington Street Chicago, IL 60602 3 12-849-8300 Program: In-School, After-School and Concert Choir Programs Year Started: 1 956 Focus: Music Youth Served: 2,000 Ages: 4- 1 8 Budget: $986,840 Organization: Chicago Public Art Group (CPAG) 1255 S.Wabash Avenue Chicago, IL 60605 3 1 2-427-2724 Program: Youth Training Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 75 Ages: 14-18 Budget: $ 1 70,000 ^»W The Chicago Children's Choir (CCC) ^fA^^^L uses choral music to enhance racial and m m W cultural understanding among inner-city ^^3^^ groups and to confront violence and gang activity. CCC gives children the opportunity to work and perform with youth from other Chicago neighborhoods through In-School, After-School and Concert Choir Programs. The In-School Program provides participants with introductory training in music by visiting conductors. The After-School Pro- gram provides choral and performance training at graduated skills levels at five neighborhood locations. Youth meet twice a week for 90 minutes to work on music theory, vocal training and performance skills that prepare them for four public concerts each year. After reaching a certain proficiency, students can join the Senior Choir. The next step is to become a member of the Concert Choir, which tours throughout Chicago, the United States and internationally, including perfor- mances in Russia, Japan and Mexico. Choir members meet twice a week — more often just prior to major con- certs — and serve as mentors to the younger singers. "By nature, choral music is communal," says Director of Development Don Klimovich. "There is a goal of excel- lence, but the nonthreatening environment nurtures socialization and cooperation." Chicago Public Art Group (CPAG) has a summer employment program that guides youth with paints and brushes to create permanent murals in low- income communities. CPAG co-sponsors the program with social service agencies that identify the teens for participation and provide them with counseling and other services as part of the project. Paid through the Job Training Partnership Act, youth work in small groups with two to four artists who help them design and execute public art projects suited to spe- cific sites. During the 8-week projects, teams work 25 hours a week to create wall and canvas murals, concrete sculptures and mosaics. The program helps integrate youth into the larger community and into discourse with adults. "Young people in the program are learning creative problem-solving skills and are developing transferable work skills," says Executive Director Jon Pounds. "They are accomplishing some- thing they never thought they could and, as a result, are gaining a new understanding of themselves and their capabilities." The commitment of the artists to help youth develop life skills, as well as arts skills, is critical to the program. As tensions arise in the group, the artists work with the youth to find ways to resolve issues. Chicago Public Art Group also works in schools, restores public art, conducts mural tours and develops intergenerational mural projects. 66 Organization: The Children's Aid Society 2 1 9 Sullivan Street New York, NY 1 00 1 2 212-533-1675 Program: The Children's Aid Society Chorus Year Started: 1 990 Focus: Music Youth Served: 100 Ages: 8- 1 6 Budget: $ 1 42,000 Organization: The Children's Art Carnival 186 E. 122nd Street New York, NY 10035 212-234-4093 Program: The Children's Art Carnival Year Started: 1 969 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 6,874 Ages: 4-2 1 Budget: $640,477 ^^9^^ "We're trying to bring the community of ^P^fl^ New York City together through song," m ^P M says Francisco Nunez, founder and ^^3^^ director of The Children's Aid Society Chorus, a professional, premier choral group. Nunez's program crosses gender, race and economic lines to unite city children and offer them a rare chance to develop life-long skills and build new friendships through singing. To join the rigorous performance- based education program, students must pass an audition and maintain a B average at school. They also are required to pay a $35 admission fee to demonstrate their commitment; however, more than 50 percent of the participants are on full or partial scholarship. Twice a week the young singers meet at a Children's Aid Society community center in Greenwich Village, where they rehearse after school and 1 weekend a month. Composers help singers create new work to perform at 30 public concerts throughout the year and on tour, during which they work with other young choruses. The program is structured to meet a variety of needs beyond quality music instruction: Academic tutoring, high school entrance counseling, family life and sexuality classes, on-site social work counseling at every rehearsal, transportation services and a summer mini-camp also are offered. Recently, the Alvin Ailey Dance Company choreographed movement to the music; several youth were accepted into specialized arts high schools, and the Chorus began performing at prestigious halls such as Lincoln Center. "The Cho- rus is raising the expectations of everyone involved," says Nunez. Originally an outreach program of the Museum of Modern Art, The Children's Art Carnival (CAC) in Harlem has existed as an independent community school for the past 26 years. CAC enriches the lives of inner- city youth through the use of visual and communica- tion arts. Faculty believe creative thinking is a necessary ingredient of intellectual development. Theme-based arts activities draw on collage, pup- petry, 3-D construction, painting, ceramics, photog- raphy, videography, cartooning, illustration, drama, textile design, computer graphics and other media. CAC programs include in-school, after-school and Saturday programs for youth, teacher training work- shops and parent advocacy. After-school programs, for youth ages 4-7, 8-13 and 14-21, take place at the CAC. Summer programs, for children ages 4-7 and 8-13, incorporate arts activities into local park pro- grams. Apprenticeship training and employment experience is provided for youth ages 14-21. Class instructors are professional artists who also help par- ticipants gain exposure to career options. CAC's strength lies in the partnerships it forms with city institutions. A relationship with North General Hospital resulted in the sale of 33 paintings from the advanced painting and collage class. The Chil- dren's Clinic of the Hospital commissioned a series of soft sculptures from an after-school arts work- shop. Organizations such as the Studio Museum of Harlem, the Schomburg Center for the Study of Black Life and Culture, the New York Urban League and others arrange summer apprenticeships and jobs for CAC students. 67 Organization: Children's Museum at Holyoke, Inc. 444 Dwight Street Holyoke, MA 1 040 413-536-7048 Program: Museum Adventure Club, Junior Volunteers, Junior Leadership Incentive Program Year Started: 1 982 Focus: Design, Visual Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 1 70 Ages: 6-17 Budget: $46,000 FISSIj) The Children's Museum at Holyoke, Inc. offers a trio of programs through which youth can experience the Museum from an arts and humanities perspective. For the Museum Adventure Club, a range of activi- ties, from papermaking to studies of architecture, are based on Museum exhibits and stimulate partici- pants to use problem-solving skills. Youth ages 6-10 can join the Club, which runs 3 afternoons a week for 2 hours. The Junior Volunteers program is a way for youth, ages 10-17, to learn how a museum oper- ates and to gain work experience. Volunteers work one shift a week, assisting visitors, demonstrating exhibits, facilitating workshops for young children and answering phones. Junior Volunteers showing motivation and dedication are selected to take part in the Junior Leadership Incentive Program. Partici- pants must be 1 3 years old and available to meet every other week for leadership training conducted by Museum staff with the assistance of community partners. "Having a community partnership adds so much depth to the Program; the assistance from Merrill Lynch has been invaluable," says Program Director Amy Landry. Youth set their own goals in the Junior Volunteers program. They also have opportunities to represent the Museum at city-wide conferences and to apply for Museum jobs. Organization: Children's Museum of Indianapolis 3000 N. Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN 46208 317-921-4142 Program: Neighbors' Program Year Started: 1985 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 200 Ages: 6- 1 2 Budget: $64,000 ^^K V ^^—. For 50 years, from the same M W^ MM W inner-city neighborhood ^5M^ ^m ^M W l° catlon ' tri e Children's "^.JP* r ■■■ Museum of Indianapolis has worked to provide cultural enrichment for the area's children. Local artists familiar with the neighborhood children teach classes that use visual arts, dance, music and storytelling to explore African-American history and culture. Pertinent Museum exhibits and collections contribute to in-depth explorations of topics. A year-round schedule of activities takes place at the Museum on weekends, during the school year, on school breaks and during the summer. Sum- mer months are spent preparing dance performances, songs and stories for the popular Family Night and for special events such as Black History Month and Martin Luther King Day. Participants meet daily for 4 hours in the afternoon. "The kids are very committed to this Program and stay for years. Many have grown up in the Program and return to work for the Muse- um," says Museum Programs Coordinator Leon Jett. The Program also includes a career ladder compo- nent, which allows participants to move from volun- teer to paid staff. A $1 fee per day per family is required, though half of the participants attend free- of-charge through scholarships. "The Program is sustainable because staff genuinely care about shar- ing their art and themselves with the children. They establish long-term relationships with these kids and have created a real sense of family," says Jett. (=) Organization: The Children's Museum Seattle Center House 305 Harrison Street Seattle, WA 98 1 09 206-441-1768 Program: Rainier Vista Arts Program Year Started: 1995 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 200 Ages: 5- 1 4 Budget: $92,000 Organization: The City, Inc. I 545 E. Lake Street Minneapolis, MN 55407 612-377-7559 Program: The City, Inc. Year Started: 1 987 Focus: Film & Theater Youth Served: 80 Ages: 7-20 Budget: N/A ^^R v ^^^^ In conjunction with the M WA M ^ Seattle Housing Authority ^^& T^ ^M W and the Children's Museum "^1 ^^ Uar of Seattle, which has worked extensively with youth since 1988, the Rainier Vista public housing community runs a year-round Arts Program for its young residents. The Program is designed to enable children and youth from cultural- ly diverse backgrounds to stretch their minds, mus- cles and imaginations in surroundings that stimulate creativity and build self-confidence and cultural understanding. Children come and go as they wish. However, they are asked to finish at least one project before leaving. During the school year, the after- school Rainier Vista Arts Program offers children hands-on experience in the visual, performing and literary arts supplemented with field trips to muse- ums, libraries, cultural institutions, galleries and artists' studios. The Program focuses on the arts of specific cultures and brings in guest artists, actors, musicians and dancers to instruct the children and to help develop exhibits and performances. In the 11 -week summer program, students are provided with breakfast and lunch and participate in disci- pline-specific classes. Each week a new discipline is explored, with participants taking related field trips to learn about the practical applications of the art form. The Program has been cited by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development as a model for public housing communities. It receives funds from the Seattle Housing Authority's Public Housing Drug Elimination Program. . flj M J k^^^^H ^ ou won 't find a "program" A I _ _ ! I ^^ ^^1 for the arts at The City, Inc., 1 1 ™ ~ I r^^^^^l a muit iservice social service ,11" 1^*4 agency that assists more than 3,000 young people and their families each year. More than 80 percent of the young people have been involved in juvenile court. Although some teens come to The City, Inc. because of its arts offerings, the term "program" implies beginnings and endings, says the artist-in-residence and conflict resolution teacher, Bobby Hickman. He calls the arts "stuff to do in their lives" and works with the students on arts projects of their own choosing every day after school hours. Most of the work is in theater, filmmaking and video- graphy, which are Hickman's crafts. Over the course of the school year, approximately 80 youth are invol- ved in arts projects, many of which are done in collab- oration with local arts organizations, such as Creative Theater Unlimited and the Minnesota Museum of the Arts. During the summer, 30-50 participants col- laborate on one project, such as a play or a mural. Prize- winning plays, such as A Raisin in the Sun by Lorraine Hansberry and Fences by August Wilson, have been performed. The purpose of these projects is to help youth develop their problem-solving and conflict resolution skills. © Organization: City Hearts: Kids Say Yes to the Arts P.O. Box 13 14 Topanga, CA 90290 3 10-455-2898 Program: The Early Years, Sentenced to the Stage, Youth Arts Diversion, From Gangs to the Stage Year Started: 1 984 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 300 Ages: 3-18 Budget: $80,000 Organization: The CityKids Foundation 57 Leonard Street New York, NY 10013 212-925-3320 Program: The CityKids Repertory Year Started: 1 985 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 80 Ages: 14-21 Budget: $ 1 00,000 ^^B v Sentenced to the Stage and Youth m 7A m Arts Diversion are programs to which v5jM^ * tne L° K Angeles Juvenile Court refers '^B W^ young offenders to participate in act- ing and dance workshops as a condition of proba- tion. City Hearts, founded by former ballerina turned defense attorney Sherry Jason and her husband Bob, a 26-year veteran public defender, allows young offenders to take part in a 12-week workshop with up to 1 5 other youth for community service credit. The youth write an original performance piece, which they perform at the end of the session. The program operates both in juvenile detention facilities and in the City Hearts downtown Los Angeles studio. Youth who have learned to refer to themselves by their criminal classification ("I'm a 601," for incorrigibles and runaways; or "602," for juveniles who have com- mitted crimes) are finding a new identity and focus through the arts. Interested participants may contin- ue with City Hearts in ongoing 25-week programs in theater arts, circus skills, voice and movement classes. Additionally, City Hearts has an Early Years program, for at-risk children ages 3-11, and From Gangs to the Stage, which works solely with incar- cerated youth in an inten- sive, 12- to 15-week program in which the youth write their own play The CityKids Foundation was started to bring together young people from diverse backgrounds — youth who would not ordinarily get the chance to meet each other — and provide them with a "safe space" for discussion and growth through participation in the CityKids Coalition. At Coalition meetings, held every Friday night, young people speak their minds, discuss issues of importance to youth and are heard with respect. The discussions at the CityKids Coali- tion meetings are the basis for original dramatic and musical material developed and performed by The CityKids Repertory, a nationally recognized company of 80 youth. CityKids Repertory meets on Saturdays at the CityKids Foundation facility. Half the day is devoted to the Life Training Institute, which provides training in conflict resolution, anti-violence tech- nigues and other life skills. The other half of the day is spent in developing performance skills and rehearsing. A CityKids alumni/ae program provides opportunities for graduates, many of whom work in youth- serving community programs. "The kids are involved in every move the organization makes," says Director of Special Projects Carla Harman. "Some of the youth are on staff — they're invested." Harman reports that many of the youth are going on to col- lege and getting into careers in teaching or social services, and others have become professional dancers, singers and performers. Organization: City of Fort Myers 2200 2nd Street Fort Myers, FL 33901 941-3 38-2287 Program: STARS Program-Success Through Academic and Recreational Support Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 765 Ages: 8- 1 4 Budget: $257,000 Organization: City of Kalamazoo Department of Recreation, Leisure and Cultural Services 24 1 W. South Street Kalamazoo, Ml 49007 616-337-8191 Program: Fine Arts Skills Enhancement Program Year Started: 1 990 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 85 Ages: 12-13 Budget: $64,000 ^^K v The) City of Fort Myers police claim M WA m a 28 percent drop in juvenile arrests v^^A ▼ since the inception of the award-win- "^B W^ ning STARS Program — Success Through Academic and Recreational Support. Held at an expansive recreation complex built in the heart of the city's minority community, STARS provides area youth much-needed recreational and artistic outlets. Once educational abilities and recreational interests are identified, youth are enrolled in a variety of class- es, including modern dance, African folk dance, cultural and heritage arts and celebrations, poetry, creative writing and vocal arts. Tutorial programs in math, reading and computers also are available. The classes run in 6- to 10- week segments through- out the year. Participation in STARS is a family affair: Both parents and children must agree to participate in the activities. Children are required to maintain good behavior and at least a C average in school. At the start of the STARS Program, 75 percent of the children were making less than a C average; now 80 percent are making a C average or better. ■ ■ At the start of the STARS Program, 75 percent of the children were making less than a C average; now 80 percent are making a C average or better. * " ^^R v The Fine Arts Skills Enhancement A vA m Program of the City of Kalamazoo's v^^fek ' Department of Recreation, Leisure and '^ ^^ Cultural Services recruits disadvantaged youth from the city's three middle schools to partici- pate in an after-school arts program. The Program runs 2 days a week for 1 weeks during both the fall and spring semesters in local schools and arts insti- tutions, with transportation available for classes con- ducted off school grounds. Taught by professional artists, students select from classes in photography, dance, theater, drawing, painting, ceramics, weav- ing and videography, with each class culminating in an end-of-the-semester performance or exhibition. The Program has received an Innovative Program- ming Award from the Michigan Recreation and Parks Association. Before the City of Kalamazoo supported the Program, local foundations funded a 3-year pilot program. The impact of the funding transition is not yet fully apparent. © Organization: The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre I 1 9 Park Avenue W. Denver, CO 80205 303-295-1759 Program: Project Self Discovery Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 500 Ages: 13-18 Budget: $300,000 Organization: The Cleveland Music School Settlement I I 125 Magnolia Drive Cleveland, OH 44106 216-421-5806 Program: Extension Department: Teens in Training Year Started: 1953 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 400 Ages: 6- 1 8 Budget: $86,2 1 I ^^■7 v Through a carefully designed program M Wm M of therapy, visual arts, drama, move- f^^ft T merit and ongoing evaluation, Project '^B^^^' Self Discovery is building a record of success with first-time offenders, teen parents and other at-risk youth. Harvey Milkman, a psychologist and drug prevention counselor, and Cleo Parker Robinson, artistic executive director of The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre, started this program to formally integrate the arts into drug prevention work. A rigorous screening process helps identify youth who would benefit most from this program. The selected youth pick an arts discipline for their focus and are assigned a personal counselor. The arts programming is complemented with a daily therapy session over a 12-week period, which also includes a rights-of-passage ceremony and wilder- ness activities. Their graduating ceremony, with parents and friends in the audience, includes a dis- play of their artwork with a discussion of their goals and plans. The first half of this year the Project will focus exclusively on youth who have been through the juvenile justice system in order to assess the pro- gram's impact on that target population. The second half of the year will expand the services offered by Project Self Discovery to its graduate program. Initial evaluations indicate that the program is successful in increasing participants' resiliency skills. ^^R v Teens in Training is an educational M 7A m program that provides job opportunities vjj^^^k ' to teenagers. Arts instruction in a non- '^B ^^ competitive atmosphere, which encour- ages personal achievement through discipline, takes place in 19 community centers. The program is struc- tured around three components: lessons in the arts, participation in leadership training sessions and paid apprenticeships assisting arts instructors in conduct- ing classes. Classes are offered in African dance and drumming, choral singing, modern dance, drama, visual arts and intergenerational programs. The free ongoing classes are held throughout the school year, with a public performance at the end of each year. "Teens in Training is increasing students' desire to learn and has resulted in higher achievement at school," reports Executive Director Robert McAllister. "We have a high retention of youth who want to con- tinue in the program, and there is a waiting list to get into the program." " ' We have a high retention of youth who want to continue in the program, and there is a wait- ing list to get into the program. * ' Robert McAllister -Executive Director © Organization: Cleveland School of the Arts 2064 Stearns Road Cleveland, OH 44106 216-791-2496 Program: Youth At Risk Dancing Year Started: 1993 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 1 8 Ages: 14-18 Budget: $25,000 Organization: Community Adoles- cent Resource and Education Center (CARE) 74 Essex Street Holyoke, MA 1 040 4I3-S32-6350 Program: Teen Resource Project Year Started: 1988 Focus: Theater & Visual Arts Youth Served: 1 54 Ages: 13-19 Budget: $100,000 HVJH I How did some inner-city high school WjM I football players become professional dancers? Ask Bill Wade, a modern dancer and choreographer at the Cleve- land School of the Arts. Wade conducts after-school classes 3 days a week for 2% hours for at-risk males. In the classes, "youth talk and discover similarities among themselves that become the subject of their performances." For these inner-city youth, the self- discipline associated with dance is helping them grow into manhood. The current troupe has been together for 4 years and is performing around the state, on television and with Pilobolus, a professional dance company. A new program is offered 2 days a week to boys in grades 6-8. Some program partici- pants have made remarkable strides, winning schol- arships to the Interlochen Arts Academy, Ohio State University, the Julliard School and the Martha Gra- ham School. One dancer was recently hired by the Bill T. Jones Dance Company. The Teen Resource Project is a community, after-school and summer program of the Community Adolescent Resource and Education Center (CARE), which works in Holyoke, Massachusetts, to prevent substance abuse, AIDS and teen pregnancy. In an effort to pro- mote teens' self-esteem and to provide them with better decision-making skills, the Project keeps teens active and engaged in outdoor activities and the arts, particularly theater. In partnership with the Uni- versity of Massachusetts at Amherst, Holyoke teens meet 5 days a week to create original theater pieces and use different visual arts media to build skills and explore issues relevant to their lives. The Project's theater company, the New Visions Theater, performs in English and Spanish. Their most recent perform- ance dealt in a comic way with the serious problems facing new immigrants. Because of a recently formed partnership with the acclaimed Amherst-based New World Theater, teens will receive additional theater training and work with professionals of color. © Organization: Community School of the Arts 200 W. Trade Street Charlotte, NC 28202 704-377-4187 Program: The Neighbor- hood Arts Program Year Started: 1 985 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 980 Ages: 3- 1 4 Budget: $43,335 Organization: Community Television Network 2035 W.Wahansia Chicago, IL 60647 3 1 2-278-8500 Program: After School Program Year Started: 1 986 Focus: Media Youth Served: 45 Ages: 6-2 1 Budget: $48,768 ^£ v The Neighborhood Arts Program (NAP) M h4 m provides arts programming to children ^J^Kk ' an d youth at park and recreation cen- ~^^_^^ ters located in public housing and low- income neighborhoods. Community School of the Arts has customized programs to meet the needs and interests of the host sites, often based on sug- gestions by the participants and the teachers. Arts programs include creative writing, tap dance, video production, Native-American culture, visual arts, African dance and choral music. Classes of 10-20 students meet once a week for 10-20 weeks. It is not unusual for a child to take more than one class at a time or to take NAP classes for several years. Professional artists teach these classes and are selected for both their teaching competence and their ability to serve as role models. At the comple- tion of a class, students receive a certificate of achievement and exhibit their creative talents at an "art sharing" open to the public. "A stabilizing factor of the Program is the instructors," says Carol Nash, the Program's outreach director. "The teachers know the parents, attend community meetings and recruit students. Many teachers are an integral part of these communities." Students from Chicago's poor and high-risk neighborhoods are developing award-winning cable television programs about critical issues in their lives. This 9-month After School Program of Community Televi- sion Network (CTN) brings together young people to develop programming ideas for a show called Hard Cover. Youth share responsibility for generating story ideas, operating cameras, editing and coordi- nating publicity. A new TV show is cablecast every 2 weeks throughout the school year. Hard Cover will celebrate its 10th anniversary this summer. The teamwork and individual responsibility required gives students an opportunity to look for solutions as they are exploring problems. Videotapes created by participants have won awards nationally. Partici- pants report that the program makes them more aware of issues, more likely to think through issues and solutions and gives them a voice and a chance to build relationships. CTN also is working in the public schools. ■ ■ Participants report that the program makes them more aware of issues, more likely to think through issues and solutions and gives them a voice and a chance to build relationships. * * (u) Organization: Corcoran School of Art 1680 Wisconsin Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20007 202-628-9484 Program: Corcoran Art Mentorship Program Year Started: 1993 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 1 2 Ages: 15-18 Budget: $21,820 Organization: Corner- stone Project, Inc. 4323 W. 29th Street Little Rock, AR 72204 501-664-0963 Program: Creative Expressions Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 40 Ages: 12-18 Budget: $50,000 Working to provide talented youth from low-income Washington neighborhoods with an opportunity to develop their visual arts skills, the Corcoran School of Art developed the Art Mentorship Program. High school age youth are nominated by school or local community center visual arts teachers and then interviewed by Corcoran staff. Focusing on youth for whom the arts are an important part of their identity, Corcoran staff match teens with an artist/mentor. Once matched, both youth and mentor sign a 1-year contract, requiring that they meet at least twice a month, with phone calls weekly. Meetings include visiting museums, the artist's studio and the youth's home; buying arts supplies and even attending sport- ing events. Youth are paid a small stipend for travel and wages for 4 hours a month; the mentors are paid a nominal fee with which to buy arts supplies. As part of the Program, youth are entitled to take art classes at the Corcoran School for free and are given a membership to the Corcoran Gallery. Additionally, participants have access to two social workers who are associated with the Mentorship Program. The Mentorship Program has been recognized as a nation- al model by the Hearst Foundation. In addition, the Corcoran provides free art classes to inner-city children at a variety of community sites, including churches and youth and neighborhood centers. ^^K v Creative Expressions is an after-school M vA m program that weaves the arts into vH^^Hk ' Cornerstone's job training, substance '^ ^^ abuse prevention and academic enrich- ment programs. Through hands-on experience with professional artists and field trips to cultural institu- tions, young people learn about theater, graphic design, dance and visual arts. All of the projects are chosen and shaped by the participants with the help of an artist on staff and guest artists who are invited to assist with special projects. Personal experience and trips to cultural institutions are used as a spring- board for the creation of projects. For example, youth created a play based on their personal experiences: They wrote the script, built the sets and performed in public. Youth who are admitted to the program make a year-long commitment to attend 4 days a week from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. If a participant fails to meet the commitment, a caseworker calls the family. * * Youth who are admitted to the program make a year-long commitment to attend 4 days a week from 4:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. If a participant fails to meet the commitment, a caseworker calls the family. * * © Organization: Cornerstone Theater Company 1653 18th Street Suite 6 Santa Monica, CA 90404 3 1 0-449- 1 700 Program: Community Collaborations Year Started: 1 986 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 200 Ages: 6-2 1 Budget: $450,000 Organization: Cultural Arts Institute 5502 York Road Baltimore, MD 21212 410-435-2787 Program: After- School Program Year Started: 1977 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 300 Ages: 6- 1 2 Budget: $65,000 From 5 to 7 evenings a week, Latino and African-American residents of the Watts community in Los Angeles rehearse The Central Ave. Chalk Circle, a play based on one by Bertolt Brecht but adapted to address specific issues of their community. This is one of the many plays that citizens throughout the county have written and produced through Corner- stone's Community Collaborations. Using a 3- to 4- month-long residency format, Cornerstone collabo- rates with a community host organization to lead young residents from creation to production. Those who want to join the program must commit to rehearsing 5-7 days a week after an initial 3-day training session. Participants can study any aspect of theater, including acting, directing, producing or designing sets. "After working together, participants have an increased sense of their own community and the diversity of it," explains Managing Director Leslie Tamaribuchi. "Both adults and youth no longer have a sense of alienation from art because they begin to see themselves as artists and believe that they have the right and the ability to participate in the creative process. Nurturing this belief," she notes, "is an explicit goal of the program." ^^K V The Cultural Arts Institute sponsors m vA « after-school classes in eight schools ^^^fe t for students chosen by their teachers *^B ^^ and principals. Working when possible with teachers and parents, the Program offers two 12-week sessions. Students are first introduced to the basics of drama, dance, rhythm and vocal music. The second session focuses on a production based on participants' interests and/or school curricula. The final public performance gives the students a feeling of accomplishment and pride in seeing a project through to completion. At the end of the 24 weeks, the students are awarded a certificate acknowledging their commitment. "It is hoped that through an appreciation for the arts, students will develop creative, academic and life skills," notes Executive Director Sheila Childs. "We do see the growth of teamwork and students being supportive of one another. " The dedication of the artist/instructors and the active involvement of the Board of Directors of the Cultural Arts Institute are important parts of developing children's motivation and self-worth. ■ " It is hoped that through an appreciation for the arts, students will develop creative, academic and life skills. * ' Sheila Childs -Executive Director 76 Organization: Cultural Center for the Arts 1001 Market Street N. Canton, OH 44702 330-452-4096 Program: Children's Art Connection Year Started: 1 98 1 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1,000 Ages: 8- 1 2 Budget: $60,000 Organization: Dallas Parks and Recreation Department 5620 Parkdale Dallas, TX 75227 2 1 4-670-0200 Program: Juvenile Gang Prevention Program Year Started: 1991 Focus: Theater & Visual Arts Youth Served: 90 Ages: 8-2 1 Budget: N/A ^^K V In an effort to provide at-risk youth M VA m with the chance to develop skills in v^^^k t the arts and to work with artists, the "^( ^r Cultural Center for the Arts initiated after-school and summer arts programs that bring low-income youth (95 percent of whom qualify for the subsidized lunch program) in contact with Canton's arts organizations. Professional artists lead a chang- ing array of 1 -hour, after-school classes at both the Center and at schools. For example, youth in grade 3 are taking 12 weeks of movement classes at the Canton Ballet, and there is a 10-week program in steel drums for youth in grades 4 and 5 offered by the Canton Symphony Orchestra. In addition, each school has a 1 -month residency in creative drama, with after-school classes for students and teachers provided by The Players Guild. Ongoing visual arts instruction is held twice weekly and includes trips to the Canton Museum of Art. The students also attend performances by the Canton Ballet, Canton Symphony Orchestra, The Players Guild and the Canton Civic Opera. Activities also are held in school (during the school day), but are not part of the school's curriculum. Enrollment in the program has grown steadily, and there is a long waiting list for additional after-school programs. The Dallas Parks and Recre- ation Department (DPRD) started its Juvenile Gang Prevention Program in city parks, where an influx of gang members was caus- ing alarm. The DPRD formed a citizen task force to serve as the governing board and help shape posi- tive pathways for at-risk youth. Now, free 2-hour classes held weekly at four recreation centers are generating student presentations, performances and exhibitions around the community. Usually half a year is dedicated to theater and the other, to visual arts. Teachers from Junior Players, a local nonprofit arts group, help participants create their own plays based on personal experiences, or expose them to various visual arts. Transportation is provided to encourage attendance, which is reported to be 80 percent of the participants on a regular basis. "The Program has the kids thinking and reflecting on their actions and how they affect themselves, peers and families," says Community Outreach Supervisor Boadicea White. "Previously territorial gang mem- bers are now working as a team and relating to each other as they take on challenges and work hard to achieve something." 77 Organization: The Dance Ring DBA New York Theatre Ballet 30 E. 3 I Street New York, NY 10016 2 1 2-679-040 1 Program: Project LIFT Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 23 Ages: 6- 1 4 Budget: $2 1,000 Organization: Delta Blues Education Fund 29 1 Sunflower Avenue Clarksdale, MS 38614 60 1 -627-6820 Program: Delta Blues Education Program Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Music Youth Served: 120 Ages: 9- 1 5 Budget: $20,000 rWPI I Once a year, during the Christmas I holidays, children come from homeless shelters to the New York Theatre Ballet, a professional dance school and perfor- mance company Every day for 1 week they get a hot breakfast followed by ballet classes, a hot lunch and open reading time. At the end of the week, children who show a particular interest in continuing are given full scholarships to attend Project LIFT. Of the children who receive scholarships, generally half become consis- tent students and are integrated into the dance classes as regular participants. "Dance is the hook in this pro- gram," explains Director Diana Byer. "These children have no real opportunities in life, and through LIFT, we can instill the values of self-discipline, teamwork and respect for others, which helps to keep them moti- vated to stay in school. All of the scholarship students have made vast improvements in their school work, and one of the little girls received a certificate for academic excellence at her sixth grade graduation." The scholar- ship students, who have to keep their grades up in order to participate in the program, receive not only free ballet classes, but also all necessary dance clothes, transporta- tion money and books which they can keep. Additional- ly, they are provided with school clothes, winter coats, toys, special things for the holidays, emergency medical care and help for their families in budgeting money if they move out of the shelter. After 1 full year of classes, the children can perform with The Dance Ring DBA New York Theatre Ballet company in a performance of The Nutcracker. "Through dance, the children learn to care for each other. The Nutcracker gives them some- thing to look forward to, and they begin to understand that through hard work they can achieve their dreams. We show the children that it is not where you come from that determines success, but how hard you work," explains Byer. ^^0^^ Using the rich heritage of the Missis- ^gA^^^ sippi Delta Blues tradition, the Delta m ^f^P Blues Education Fund is giving youth a ^^3^^ healthy alternative to the harsh realities of Clarksdale streets. Classes concentrate on instru- mental technique and performance. Instruction on the instruments of the Delta Blues (bass, guitar, key- boards, harmonica, drums and voice) is augmented by teaching participants the keys to success as pro- fessional musicians. Instructors, professional artists themselves, teach personal conduct, effective com- munication and money management. After-school classes are held at the Delta Blues Museum for 3 hours, 5 days a week. On Saturdays, students take classes at the Elks Club and Chamber of Commerce. The after-school program complements a daytime program at six area schools. A large number of youth partici- pate in both the daytime and after-school programs. Students perform publicly, with many of the perfor- mances generating income that is put into a trust account. Older students who have graduated from the Program perform the Delta Blues in Delta-area communities. "The children have become profession- al musicians and are performing all over Mississippi, Tennessee, Alabama and Illinois. They have been on television, and some are now important wage earn- ers for their families," says Co-Director Rex Miller. © Organization: Demicco Youth Services 825 N. Hudson Chicago, IL 606 1 312-337-2723 Program: Northern Horizon Cultural Arts Program Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 400 Ages: 7-20 Budget: $3 1 5,000 Organization: Depart- ment of Arts and Cul- tural Affairs 222 E. Houston Suite 500 San Antonio, TX 78205 210-222-2787 Program: Urban smARTS Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 320 Ages: 11-14 Budget: $250,000 ^^K v The Northern Horizon Cultural Arts M 7A m Program provides arts programming to v^^^k ▼ the young people of the Cabrini-Green/ '^B W^ Near North neighborhood of Chicago, a community with high rates of unemployment, gang violence and other social problems. Youth participate daily in a variety of performing and visual arts activi- ties, some of which center on the African and African- American heritage of the residents. Artists have developed comprehensive curricula for drama, choir, dance, fine arts, arts and crafts and African folklore and rhythms. The artist/instructors are assisted by teenagers from the community. Classes are held in churches, community centers, parks and residential centers in the neighborhood after school and on weekends, year-round. All classes meet once or twice a week, are organized around issues that affect the community and include quarterly per- formances and special events. A 2-day summer festival of the arts celebrates the accomplishments of students in the Program. ■ * The Northern Horizon Cultural Arts Program provides arts pro- gramming to the young people of the Cabrini-Green/Near North neighborhood of Chicago, a community with high rates of unemployment, gang violence and other social problems. * * ^^R V Urban smARTS is an intervention pro- M vA m gram designed to divert youth from v^Tj^^k ' entering the juvenile justice system. "^B ^^ The San Antonio City Council initiated the program, bringing together the city's Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs with the Department of Community Initiatives, which provides case man- agement services to youth. The partnering of depart- ments has resulted in a multidisciplinary program that combines innovative arts activities with conflict resolution training and other prevention services. At each of seven school sites, three artists and five caseworkers are joined by a volunteer and a school teacher to lead daily after-school, 2-hour classes, using visual arts, dance, theater, literature, music, photography and videography. Activities, which include field trips, are tailored to the needs of each site. Participants are encouraged to get involved in a number of different classes as a way of discovering where they feel most comfortable. While each 14- week session throughout the school year culminates in a performance or exhibition, it is the process that is emphasized to show young people that steps have to be taken to achieve something. "Urban smARTS has been effective in changing the kids' attitudes and increasing self-esteem," reports Program Man- ager Berti Rodriguez Vaughan. "They're realizing there are other possibilities for them." Organization: Department of Cultural Affairs 78 E. Washington Street Chicago, IL 60602 312-744-8925 Program: Gallery 37 Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1,000 Ages: 14-21 Budget: $1,000,000 Organization: The Door— A Center of Alternatives, Inc. 1 2 1 Avenue of the Americas New York, NY 1 00 1 3 2 1 2-94 1 -9090, ext. 252 Program: Creative Arts Program Year Started: 1 972 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 617 Ages: 12-21 Budget: $75,000 ^^R v Gallery 37 is a summer arts education M VA m and job training program in which city ^^^Hk t hrgh school students are employed by '^B W^ the City of Chicago to create art for public spaces and fulfill private commissions. Archi- tecture, metal jewelry making, bookbinding, paper- making, painting, creative writing and journalism, public art, furniture painting, textile art and urban landscaping are offered as part of a changing array of classes. Located in the heart of downtown Chica- go, Gallery 37 transforms a vacant 3-acre lot each summer into a lively outdoor studio where the apprentices/artists work and train and where the public is welcome to visit. The benefits of the pro- gram to Chicago youth in the summer months are numerous: meaningful employment, develop- ment of job skills and arts education. In addi- tion, 12 satellite programs in other city neighbor- hoods are employing young people in their own communities. The Gallery 37 model also has been replicated in communities across the country. Most recently, Gallery 37 was invited by the Board of Education to bring its job training program to Chicago's public schools. Beginning this spring, Gallery 37 will initiate an after-school program in 15 Chicago public schools, following the guidelines of its summer program. ^^K V The Door, a full-service youth agency, A VA m provides a comprehensive, integrated ^55^BL ran g e of services to youth, including '^B ^r an average of 20 classes a week after school and in the evening in dance, vocal and instru- mental music, theater, painting, drawing, ceramics, photography, tie-dying, jewelry making, woodworking and airbrush design. Staff artists are supplemented by artists-in-residence who teach in exchange for rehearsal and studio space. The Creative Arts Pro- gram also includes lectures/demonstrations, master classes, trips to cultural events and institutions and student performances/exhibitions. Classes are designed to help youth develop their skills and learn about the world through art and the resources of New York City. For example, youth may go to see an exhibition and then use the theme of the exhibition for their own work. Every 2 months, one of the young artists exhibits his/her work at The Door. The partic- ipants' work, which has been shown at other sites throughout the metropolitan area, has won awards in city-wide contests and has been highlighted in the press for its creativity and uniqueness. "Through the arts, participants learn about the planning process; they learn how to appraise their own strengths and weaknesses, how to get organized and how to focus in order to complete tasks," explains Eileen Bethea, coordinator of the Program. "The kids in the Creative Arts Program are motivated by the activities, and that excitement spills over into other areas of their lives." © H Organization: Dougherty Arts Center 1 1 1 Barton Springs Austin, TX 78704 512-397-1456 Program: Youth at Arts: Graffiti as Art and Texas Young Playwrights Program Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Theater & Visual Arts Youth Served: 8 1 1 Ages: 3-19 Budget: N/A Organization: DrawBridge: An Arts Program for Homeless Children P.O. Box 2698 San Rafael, CA 949 1 2 415-456-1269 Program: Art Groups, DrawBridge School Education Project, Traveling Art Exhibit Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 550 Ages: 4-16 Budget: $134,000 The City of Austin's Youth at Arts program gives chil- dren an opportunity to learn about the arts and build self-esteem by developing their creative abilities. The program includes more than a dozen activities for youth ages 3-1 9 at locations all over the city. Two of the programs are Graffiti as Art and the Texas Young Playwrights Program. Graffiti as Art looks at the artistic merit of graffiti and helps youth learn how to draw distinctions between vandalizing and creating art. Working with well-respected mural- ists and graffiti artists, participants gain an histori- cal understanding of graffiti and create murals and other works at sites throughout the city. The Texas Young Playwrights Program works with youth at the Arts Center and at housing projects, high schools and recreation centers around Austin. With assis- tance from the University of Texas' Department of Theatre and Dance and the Capitol City Playhouse, students learn about scriptwriting. Each develops a one-act play about issues of concern. The students' plays are produced and critiqued by theater profes- sionals during the Texas Young Playwrights Festival. The programs range in duration from 1 intensive week to 3 months, depending on the host site. " ■ Graffiti as Art looks at the artistic merit of graffiti and helps youth learn how to draw distinc- tions between vandalizing and creating art. * * Operating in nine Bay Area homeless shelters in three counties, DrawBridge provides a safe environment where homeless children use art to express their needs, fears and hopes. DrawBridge brings art facilitators and trained volunteers to shelters on a regular basis in order to give children a voice and an opportunity to feel valued. High-quality and varied materials are provided, including paint, clay and collage materials. An important component of Draw- Bridge's program is the inclusion of formerly home- less mothers and teens as staff. They relate to children because of their shared experience. The DrawBridge School Education Project takes a video about a home- less boy to local schools as a means of helping youth understand family homelessness and substitute fact for fiction. Formerly homeless teens help with these presentations and assist students with art projects. Through Our Eyes, DrawBridge's Traveling Art Exhib- it, features the artwork of homeless youth. Summing up the program, one 11 -year-old participant noted, "It's like when you play telephone, and it never comes back the way you mean it. When you draw your feelings, people can't misunderstand you. Like if you're really mad and you may not be able to tell the exact words, you can draw lightning flying down or something like that." ® Organization: East Bay Center for the Performing Arts 3 39 llth Street Richmond, CA 9480 1 510-234-5624 Program: East Bay Center for the Performing Arts Year Started: 1 969 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1,600 Ages: 1-18 Budget: $974,000 Organization: Eco-Rap 3435 Cesar Chavez Studio 222 San Francisco, CA 941 10 510-835-9213 Program: Eco-Rap After-School Workshops Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: I 5 Ages: I 1-19 Budget: $20,000 ^^K v To promote intercultural awareness and M vA M social reconciliation, East Bay Center v^^^k ' for the Performing Arts developed an '^B ^r educational model that integrates art and culture into the community. Participants explore three interrelated components: repertoire and tech- nique; comparative studies across cultures and disci- plines; participation in community life through which community issues are explored through the arts. Youth from low-income, culturally diverse communities participate in traditional West African, Mexican and Southeast Asian music and dance; vocal and instru- mental jazz; contemporary ballet; theater; film and video. Sessions run for 10 weeks, each on a year-round basis. Youth participate at the main site in Richmond and at 1 5 other sites throughout the East Bay. One specific project, the Juvenile Justice Diversion Project, is run in partnership with Contra Costa County Juve- nile Hall. Selected students exchange time in deten- tion for training in the performing arts. Students take a rigorous schedule of classes, participate in counseling by trained professionals and are given the chance for positive community recognition at a final performance/ exhibition event. ^^K V Eco-Rap uses hip-hop to educate peo- m vA m pie primarily in the Northern California ^V^fl^ ' Bay Area and the Bayview Hunters '^l ^^ Point community, in particular, about issues ranging from toxic spills to teenage pregnancy. Eco-Rap makes numerous presentations at school assemblies and in classrooms regarding these issues. The After-School Workshops have been held in such places as the Bayview Opera House and San Fran- cisco Educational Services; presently, the environ- mental group SLUG (San Francisco League of Urban Gardeners) also is hosting Workshops. Eco-Rap opens each 3-month program with a community Toxic Tour led by environmentalists and A.K. Black, Eco- Rap 's artistic director and artist-in-residence. The tour gives youth different perspectives of their com- munity. Next, the group examines environmental issues presented in news articles and a diverse range of periodicals. Meeting 4 days a week for 3 hours, each youth is assigned an article to read and share with the group and is encouraged to work on an individual performance art, poetry or book project. At the end of each session, the group presents to the community a hip-hop performance art piece that addresses an issue the youth examined. "Our aim is to bring knowledge out of youth, not always to instill it," says Black, a native of the Bayview Hunters Point community. Describing the success of the program, Black notes, "We have consistent requests for perfor- mances and continued student attendance. And we see a change in the outlook of the youth from hope- less to hopeful." (-) Organization: Edgehill Center, Inc. 935 Edgehill Avenue Nashville, TN 37203 615-256-5108 Program: PAVE WAY (Preventive Arts and Video From Edgehill With Artists and Youth) Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 29 Ages: 10-18 Budget: $ 1 8,000 Organization: Educa- tional Video Center 55 E. 25th Street Suite 407 New York, NY 1 00 10 212-725-3534 Program: High School Documentary Workshop Year Started: 1 984 Focus: Video Youth Served: 60 Ages: 15-19 Budget: $500,000 Youth from low-income housing devel- opments are being given opportunities to beautify the city of Nashville through commissioned outdoor murals in a pro- gram of the Edgehill Center, Inc. The Center hires professional, African-American male artists who work in a variety of visual arts. These artists are role mod- els and guides for participants and come from the same background as the youth. Nonprofit organiza- tions, schools and private companies reguest murals and designate a theme for the art. Youth talk about what the theme means to them and collaborate with the artists in designing a mural that encompasses their visions. Depending on the size of the mural reguested, 7 to 10 young people participate in each project and may work nights and weekends, later returning to a regularly scheduled weekly 2-hour meeting. There is strong family participation in the program. The older youth are mentoring newcomers and their younger siblings. "When there are kids with a natural ability in the arts, often the parents have this same ability that never was developed," says Community Services Director Cathy Roberts. "The parents are being given opportunities to learn and grow with their children." ©New York City high school students from all five boroughs are creating award- winning videos about the daily problems young people face at home, in school and on the streets. Through the Educational Video Center (EVC), a nonprofit media center housed in an alternative public school, groups of 12 to 15 students become members of a video production crew. The 3-hour classes are held during and after school at the Center 4 days a week. The crews brainstorm topics, choose an issue, write text and map the video content. Using newly learned camera and interview- ing skills, students shoot footage, produce a rough- cut, get feedback and make final edits. Videos, such as Guns and the Lives They Leave Holes In, are used in classrooms and by libraries and other nonprofit organizations. Participants are evaluated on the basis of a portfolio reviewed for writing, research and com- munication skills, as well as technological compet- ence and creative expression. Youth Organizers Tele- vision (YO-TV) provides a very small number of high school graduates who have participated in the Work- shop with an advanced pre-professional program for producing broadcast-guality videos that address community problems. Organization: Elders Share the Arts 57 Wi Hough by Street Brooklyn, NY I 1 20 1 718-488-8565 Program: Living History Program Year Started: 1 979 Focus: History & Multidisciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1 50 Ages: 5-18 Budget: $300,000 Organization: Evansville Housing Authority 41 1 S.E. 8th Street Evansville, IN 47713 812-428-8522 Program: Dance Awareness Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 57 Ages: 6- 1 6 Budget: $20,000 ■ ^J v Elders Share the Arts (ESTA) J^^^J^A 7A m links generations and cul- \T 1 i^^55^^ tures through year-long Liv- ^m^ m ^- "^B ^ r ing History Programs that transform life experiences into dance, theater, writ- ing, visual arts and storytelling. ESTA's programs facilitate relationships among community members, bringing together neighbors of all ages and ethnici- ties to build community, address community issues and celebrate common ground. In the Living History Program, youth and elders come together throughout the year in 30 weekly workshops at 20 New York neighborhood community centers, schools, libraries and other sites. Youth interview seniors and develop oral histories of their lives. At the end of each year's workshops, youth and elders stage dramatic literary and visual presentations based on those oral histo- ries at a city-wide Living History Festival. Through the Living History Program and another ESTA activi- ty, the Conflict Mediation Program, elders and youth form relationships that are maintained beyond the Program. As a vendor agency for the New York City Board of Education, ESTA helps youth participating in these Programs to improve their school attendance, increase attentiveness and gain arts and communi- cation skills. Moreover, youth's involvement with elders stimulates their curiosity and interest in learn- ing, making historical events from the pages of a textbook more vibrant and real. fWPH I The Evansville Housing Authority's WM I award-winning Dance Awareness pro- gram started because of the determina- tion of one individual who witnessed the impact of dance on children in another city. Brenda Murry-Pittman, now the Housing Authority's director of community service, returned to Evansville from Washington, DC, and formed a partnership with a local dance group to teach children personal discipline and build self-esteem through dance. The resulting school-year program meets 3 days a week, for 45 minutes in the early evening, to teach children ballet, jazz and ethnic dance. A Housing Authority van provides free transportation from three housing sites to a dance space donated by the Tri-State Food Bank. The dancers are provided with leotards, tights and shoes and perform once a year at a spring recital at the University of Evansville. In addition, the Evansville Museum has invited them to perform during Black History Month. "The kids are learning to trust that people outside their world care about what happens to them," says Murry-Pittman. Dance Awareness reports an 80 percent youth retention rate in the program. The program is supported by a variety of public and private sources, including funds from a U.S. Housing and Urban Development Drug Elimination Grant. Organization: Everyday Theater, Inc. P.O. Box 70570 Washington, DC 20024-0570 202-554-3893 Program: Everyday Theater Youth Ensemble Year Started: 1 984 Focus: Music & Theater Youth Served: 9 Ages: 16-21 Budget: N/A Organization: Ewajo Dance Workshop 2719 E.Madison Seattle, WA 98 1 1 2 206-322-0155 Program: After- School Program Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Dance & Humanities Youth Served: 60 Ages: 5- 1 2 Budget: $6,300 Everyday Theater Youth r >^ I Ensemble, a company of ^fefl^^^^—l African-American youth, electrifies audiences with powerful plays that illuminate issues surrounding sub- stance abuse, violence and AIDS. Using music, rap, African oral traditions, dance and drama, Ensemble players create original productions based on personal experiences, such as the rap opera trilogy Outside My Window, about commitment to family and com- munity, self-help and spirituality. Out-of-school youth are paid for a 40-hour workweek. They work year- round with Theater staff and guest choreographers and other consultants. Participants start with inten- sive training in acting, diction and music, among other areas. The Ensemble puts together a participa- tory production with complementary workshops for school children to encourage them to examine some of the critical issues affecting their lives. Theater skills are further developed through 6-week workshops led by Ensemble members in the schools. A summer program involves youth who have attended Every- day Theater programs during the school year. They work daily for 6 weeks, gaining new skills and sub- stance abuse awareness through the help of a sub- stance abuse coordinator. A performance is presented three times for parents and community members. As a tool for social change, the program is helping participants "better articulate information about the issues," says Artistic Director Jennifer Nelson. The program works, she notes, because "most of the peo- ple in the Ensemble are from the communities that receive the presentations." f JMH ~~ ^^^^ The Ewajo Dance Workshop Bffifl flfl V ^ as c J rown irom a small IS^^B dH W dance studio to a multifac- ^h^b^^ V^Hhv eted organization that helps youth from diverse backgrounds find common ground while building individual skills. The After- School Program offers dance classes that reflect Seattle's African- American, Brazilian, Filipino and Native- American populations. Taught by guest artists called Cultural Heritage Specialists, classes take place in local schools during after-school hours, twice a week for 2 hours during the school year. Before the start of each class, students take part in chat sessions that allow them to talk about their thoughts and learn about social, cultural and histori- cal issues. The Program concludes with city- wide community performances by the students. "This is a dance program for kids who wouldn't otherwise have the chance to be involved with dance. Its goal is to develop cultural and social skills through dance and through working together with other kids from a variety of backgrounds," notes Executive Director Edna Daigre. A recent 2-year grant from the City of Seattle is enabling Ewajo Dance Workshop to increase the number of youth served and to expand services such as transportation for the participants. The After-School Program complements a number of other Ewajo programs, such as Artist-in-Residence and Dance as a Cultural Expression, which works with homeless children through a collaboration with an elementary school. Organization: Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses, Inc. 90 Cushing Avenue Dorchester, MA 02 1 25 617-282-5034 Program: Art Express Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 340 Ages: 6- 1 8 Budget: $400,000 Organization: The 52nd Street Project 500 W. 52nd Street 2nd Floor New York, NY 1 00 1 9 212-333-5252 Program: The 52nd Street Project Year Started: 1 98 1 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 80 Ages: 7- 1 7 Budget: $350,000 ^^K V Arts programming is offered daily to M 7A m elementary school children in an after- ^y^^^ school program in Dorchester. Through "^B ^^ the auspices of the Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses, a social service agency, artist/ educators and group leaders design programs in fiber arts, sculpture, theater, painting, drawing, photo- graphy and film for children at four sites. A pool of artists rotate among the sites, providing youth with exposure to a variety of disciplines. In December, each site holds an annual holiday open house craft fair so the children can display and sell their work. Older participants meet weekly for a hands-on inter- active program that introduces teens to the visual arts. Working side-by-side with artists and gallery staff, teens create their own work, learn the basics of gallery administration and design and mount an art exhibition to display their work. To supplement their technical instruction and expand their horizons, both younger children and teens go on field trips to local cultural institutions. The purpose of The 52nd Street Project is to give every child the experience of success through writing and performing his or her own plays. Economically dis- advantaged children from the "Hell's Kitchen" neigh- borhood of New York City are paired with professional theater artists to create, mount and perform original theater pieces. The individual child is the focus of this Project's work. Workshops take place in local community centers and theaters, as well as during out-of-town retreats. They include One on Ones, in which youth are paired with adults to create a work especially for them that is performed by the child with that adult. In Two on Twos, a professional playwright creates a play performed by two 52nd Street Project participants. Playmaking is a series of playwriting classes for young people developed by Daniel Judah Sklar from his book Playmak- ing: Children Writing and Performing Their Own Plays. These classes were adapted to include a per- formance component. An ongoing acting company of children is under devel- opment. In addition, based on their experience, The 52nd Street Project has written a practical guide to teaching theater arts to children. © Organization: Flynn Theatre for the Performing Arts 153 Main Street Burlington, VT 05401 802-863-8778 Program: Flynn/ Wheeler School Partnership Year Started: 1 990 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1 75 Ages: 5-1 1 Budget: $10,250 Organization: Fools Company 311 W. 43 rd Street New York, NY 10036-6413 212-307-6000 Program: Artsworker Apprentices Year Started: 1983 Focus: Dance & Theater Youth Served: 25 Ages: 16-21 Budget: $133,000 ^^R v After-school programs offered as part M WA % of the Flynn/Wheeler School Partner- Vv^^fek t ship take place at the Wheeler School, "^( ^^ located in the Old North End, the neigh- borhood that has the highest concentration of low- income and minority residents in Burlington. Classes are organized in three sessions a year; each session generally includes three classes, which meet once a week in such areas as creative dance, ballet, creative drama, theater production and string instruments. Performances or presentations of works-in-progress are given throughout the year. In addition to classes and performances, children have the opportunity to participate in workshops with visiting professional artists. Each child is given free access to student matinees at the Flynn Theatre and is offered tickets for a Sunday series for families. The City of Burling- ton was just named recipient of a U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development Enterprise Com- munity Grant. Some of these funds will be used to hire an arts enrichment coordinator for the Flynn Theatre's work in the Old North End. [MV ^^^^B I In a year-round program, LW^E I -^ ** I I .^ , | Fools Company's Artswork- er Apprentices exposes teens to the performing arts. Teens are referred by community organizations and schools and learn about the program through public service announcements or by word-of-mouth. Participants attend free 2-hour workshops once a week and learn about performance and production. Additionally, by helping the Company with its mail- ings and fund-raising efforts, they also learn about arts administration. Workshops are complemented by the Company-sponsored International OFFestival, which is staged several times a year and exposes youth to contemporary performances by artists from around the world. Visiting artists conduct the regular workshops during the weeks they are at the Festival, and the teens help with the Festival's administrative and technical needs. As participants build their job skills, they can work part time with Fools Company or with other artists who perform in the Company's theater space. "The kids are gaining knowledge about jobs in the performing arts and are increasing their general job skills," says Executive Director Jill Russell. "They are showing heightened self-confidence and an increased ability to articulate and express themselves." * ■ The kids are gaining know- ledge about jobs in the performing arts and are increasing their gen- eral job skills. * ' Jill Russell -Executive Director © Organization: Fourth Avenue Cultural Enrichment (FACE) P.O.Box 15134 Tallahassee, FL 32317 904-224-8600 Program: Fourth Avenue Cultural Enrichment Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 70 Ages: 6- 1 7 Budget: $26,9 1 5 Organization: Free Street 1419 W. Blackhawk Chicago, IL 60622 3 I 2-772-7248 Program: TeenStreet Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 4 1 Ages: 14-20 Budget: $73,000 ^^K V Fourth Avenue Cultural Enrichment M WA m (FACE) is a multicultural, interdiscipli- ^W^^^ " nar Y program designed to provide "^B ^^ children and young adults with a con- sistent artistic outlet. FACE works with school per- sonnel, city government officials, community leaders and parents to interest young people in African dance, drumming and culture; public mural painting; ceramics and field trips to area cultural institutions to see ballet, theater and other performances. Year- round classes meet three times a week at a space donated by the Department of Parks and Recreation and start with a half-hour of academic tutoring. Pro- fessional artists direct the arts projects, which have ranged from painting murals on a homeless shelter and bus station to presenting public performances at community festivals and senior citizen homes. Older children are eligible to become summer youth leaders and are paid through the Job Training Partnership program. "The children are wonderful human beings," observes Executive Director Jill Harper. "They are still in school, are more respectful of each other and are bringing their younger siblings to the program." Harper runs the program single-handedly, visiting the public housing community and schools to market the program. But as she notes, "The pro- ject is a community effort. It improves the whole community because it promotes communication between people from diverse backgrounds." II The children are wonderful human beings. 11 Jill Harper -Executive Director ^^K V Free Street provides jobs and job train- M W^ m ing in creative writing, dance, music ^Vjfll^ anc ^ theater through its TeenStreet "^J ^^ program. The program emphasizes being punctual, taking direction, assuming personal responsibility and working as part of a team. Working under an artistic director, youth create theater pieces based on their lives and views of the world. "The performances are built from the kids' lives, so they get to work out their anger," says Executive Director David Schein. TeenStreet is a two-tiered program with both a summer and year-round ensemble. The summer program runs for 8 weeks. Teens attend 20 hours a week and take part in a rigorous perfor- mance schedule of two performances a day during the last half of the session. Participants must audition to become members of the year-round ensemble, which meets 8 hours a week for 5 months. The ensem- ble performs throughout Chicago and has appeared nationally and internationally as well. TeenStreet is also a jobs program: The Job Training Partnership program pays youth in the summer; Free Street pro- vides wages during the school year. To reinforce the employment training aspect of the program, youth are taught interviewing and other job acqui- sition skills. In addition, guest artists meet with the ensemble to discuss the entertainment business. "TeenStreet enables kids to face the realities of their lives and know what they have to do to attain better lives for themselves," notes Schein. "Kids learn how to work the system and how to connect with people who have access and can help them." Schein reports that TeenStreet participants are going on to college and successfully building careers. 88 Organization: Friends of Photography 250 4th Street San Francisco, CA 94103 415-495-7000 Program: Ansel Adams Center for Photography/ Education: Partnership and Community Outreach Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Photography Youth Served: 300 Ages: I 1-17 Budget: N/A Organization: Fringe Benefits 530 N. West Knoll Drive, Suite I Los Angeles, CA 90048 3 10-657-8149 Program: Fringe Benefits Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 70 Ages: 14-21 Budget: N/A For nearly 30 years, the artist-founded Friends of Photography has promoted the development of creative photogra- phy. When it relocated to San Francis- co, Friends opened the Ansel Adams Center for Photography and initiated a youth outreach and education program to create new partnerships and involve a broader spectrum of the community. The program involves a variety of youth with special needs who are identified by partner organizations. These organizations pay any nominal fees. Artists work once a week over 8- to 12- week sessions with teen girls, English-as-a-Second-Language youth and others attending after-school programs at com- munity organizations. During the ongoing sessions, youth not only work on technical skills in photogra- phy, but also take part in other activities such as writing projects. The program always includes gallery and museum visits and concludes with a student exhibition. "Learning takes place in many different ways, and photography provides an outlet for those who may be more visual learners," says Deputy Director for Public Programs Deborah Klochko. Friends of Photography conducts several specialized programs, including a Saturday Teen Docent Program, which provides paid training for high school students who gain appreciation of art and public speaking skills, and a Teen Girls Program, which is run with the San Francisco Educational Services and focuses on how self-image is defined by media. The programs are about more than just photography and art. "We want young people to become visual consumers and see how media can influence what we think about ourselves," says Klochko. "When I had been honest, I was told to shut up. When I had felt passion, it had ultimately been ignored.... [A]nd when I had been courageous, I ended up alone." These emotions, expressed by a homeless gay youth in Fringe Benefits, are the very ones that Director Norma Bowles and Co-Director Ernie Lafky tap to help youth create performances that clearly express their views of the world. Fringe Benefits contracts for 6 months with shelters and transitional homes for homeless gay and lesbian youth. The staff meet youth at each site at least twice a week to conduct writing and acting classes. The young people's experiences shape the content of their work. In one- on-one sessions, youth focus on improving their creative-writing skills and on finding erfective ways to dramatize their individual stories. Over a 6-month period, 70 youth collaborate on writing a play that is performed by approximately 12 participants at the Highways Performance Space in Los Angeles. "The performing arts provide a bridge from the street to other kinds of work. Kids learn' the concept of delayed gratification; they leam how to work very hard, through the frustration, to get to the end result. Some of the youth in our program," Bowles continues, "have gone on to college and summer repertory programs; one youth got a poetry prize from a local museum. Their work is top notch, classy, intelligent, powerful and quite beautiful." ® Organization: Georgia Museum of Art University of Georgia Athens, GA 30602-1719 706-542-3255 Program: ArtReach Year Started: 1 987 Focus: Humanities Youth Served: 6 Ages: 15-17 Budget: $ 1 6, 1 88 Organization: Greater Columbus Arts Council 55 E. State Street Columbus, OH 43215 614-224-2606 Program: Children of the Future Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 2,000 Ages: 5- 1 2 Budget: $528,800 ^^^^ ArtReach is a summer program for a ^k ^ small number of Athens-area low-income V ^M W teens. The program is run by the Geor- W^Kkm gia Museum of Art in cooperation with the Northeast Georgia Regional Development Center using funds from the Job Training Partnership Act. Students work with two arts education instructors. They study art history and research a wide range of related topics, such as the architecture, music and dance of the same period, as well as the daily lives of the people who lived at the time the art was pro- duced. The teens learn research, computer graphics and word processing skills. Their work culminates with presentations at sites around Athens, including nursing homes, day-care centers, Boys and Girls Clubs and libraries. The presentations are tailored to each audience and include hands-on arts activities. ^^K v Children of the Future creates safe M vA m neighborhood havens for youth and \W^^k ' provides them with daily after-school "^B ^^ arts activities, as well as weekend programs featuring visiting artists. Twenty-three AmeriCorps participants work at seven recreation centers in inner-city neighborhoods. Each center offers programs in dance, creative writing, music, theater and visual arts, depending on each center's facilities. The centers develop exhibits and perfor- mances that can be seen at sites throughout the city, as well as at the neighborhood centers. The program emphasizes teaching basic analytical skills critical to all learning. Some activities include instruction in conflict resolution and development of communication skills. The program is a partnership among the City of Columbus Department of Parks and Recreation and Department of Public Safety, the Columbus Metropolitan Housing Authority and the Greater Columbus Arts Council. ■ ■ Children of the Future creates safe neighborhood havens for youth and provides them with daily after-school arts activities, as well as weekend programs featuring visiting artists. ' * 90 Organization: Greater Golden Hill Community Develop- ment Corporation 2469 Broadway San Diego, CA 92 1 1 2 6 1 9-696-9992 Program: After- School Cultural Club Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 250 Ages: 6- 1 7 Budget: $40,000 Organization: The Greenwood Cultural Center 322 N. Greenwood Tulsa, OK 74120 918-583-4545 Program: Summer Arts Program Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 50 Ages: 8- 1 2 Budget: $8,500 ^^K v Joining the circus is not just a dream A vA m for youth living in San Diego's Golden v^^Bk ▼ Hill community. The Greater Golden "^B ^^ Hill Community Development Corpora- tion is making this universal childhood dream come true through an after-school program sponsored with the Fern Street Circus. Youth train with the Circus troupe at the neighborhood recreation center. They study juggling, mime, clowning and trapeze. Eventu- ally, youth perform circus acts at community events. Children preferring other arts can attend a semester- long after-school program at Brooklyn Elementary School. Local bilingual artists teach sketching, paint- ing, sculpture, crafts, cartooning, playwriting, dance and choir to the 80 percent immigrant population of the school. Classes meet twice a week for 1 hour and on Free-For-All Fridays. Dance, theater and choir students perform at annual open houses and at sites throughout San Diego. "The programs are filling a void created by the elimination of art and music pro- grams in the school," says Program Manager Rafael Ramirez. "The youth are participating on a regular basis because they're getting attention and being nurtured by instructors and volunteers." ^^K v ^^^^ Founded by a retired African- M VA v^ ^ American educator, the Sum- v^j^^k *^ ^1 W mer Arts Program in Tulsa "^B ^^ W^^BV works to provide at-risk children with a social and cultural education as well as to enhance a sense of self. The 8-week Arts Program runs during the summer every day from 8:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Participants, who are separated by age, rotate through every class, including classes in the visual arts, African-American history, music, dance, drama/speech, nutrition and etiquette. The nutrition and etiquette classes are funded in part by the state's Health Department. At the end of the summer, partici- pants stage a production, including a dance and music performance; mount an exhibition; make oral presentations about their artwork and stage an eti- quette performance. The Arts Program has a van to transport youth to and from the program site and the performances. Scholarships are given to those who are unable to pay. As a testament to the Program's popularity, youth come back to the Program year after year. Students who are too old to participate often come back to work as assistants. * ■ As a testament to the Program's popularity, youth come back to the Program year after year. * * © Organization: Guadalupe Center, Inc. 1015 Avenida Cesar E. Chavez Kansas City, MO 64108 8 1 6-472-4770 Program: El Grupo Folklorico Atotonilco Year Started: 1 979 Focus: Dance & Humanities Youth Served: 55 Ages: 3-2 1 Budget: $20,000 Organization: Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center I 300 Guadalupe Street San Antonio, TX 78207 210-271-3151 Program: Grupo Animo Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 20 Ages: 13-18 Budget: $40,000 MH ^^^^ El Grupo Folklorico Atotonil- KKfl mM m C0, ^ e c ' ance an d perform- BS^^^H V rf| W ance company of Guadalupe tl M *kMJ Center, Inc. (GCI), teaches Latino children and youth about their culture and history through dance. Participants study traditional Mexican dance, Caribbean dance and the cultures from which these dances developed. Visiting artists who are specialists in a particular dance form are brought to the Center. The participants, most of whom are teenagers and from low-income families, practice one to five times per week and perform at festivals year-round throughout the county. There is an open enrollment policy; new young people join classes, which are organized by age and experience, all the time. El Grupo puts on 3 major performances and some 45 other performances a year. According to Bernardo Ramirez, GCI's director of development, "El Grupo 's excellent reputation and extremely high level of instruction has allowed several longtime partici- pants to spin off and form their own dance groups." The Guadalupe Center, Inc. is a multiservice center. Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center is run by and for the El Barrio community, an area of San Antonio with public housing, latchkey children, drugs, violence and school dropouts. The Center provides an extensive range of programs that stress Latino heritage. Grupo Animo, a multidisciplinary theater program, engages youth in issue-oriented theater. Working 5 to 7 days a week during the summer, participants write and produce a play. The work is done through workshops, individual writing assignments and collaboration with a well-known guest director, who comes for a 1 -month residency. During the school year, Grupo Animo tours the play to 12 to 15 community sites. Participants continue to meet twice a month for dis- cussions and to work with visiting artists. Twelve summer performances take place at the historic Gua- dalupe Theater. "The future of our community is in the hands of youngsters," says Executive Director Pedro Rodriguez. "We have to work hard and have a can-do attitude." Through Grupo Animo, San Anto- nio youth have a community program on which to rely year-round. At the Center, they are exposed to professionals from around the country and to posi- tive role models. "The staff has witnessed that just being around other kids, all thinking about positive things, has had a good impact on the participants," says Rodriguez. 92 Organization: The Guilds of the Santa Fe Opera P.O. Box 2408 Santa Fe, NM 87504-2408 505-986-5928 Program: Pueblo Opera Program Year Started: 1 973 Focus: Music Youth Served: 200 Ages: 6-22 Budget: $50,000 Organization: Harlem School of the Arts 645 St. Nicholas Avenue New York, NY 10030 2 1 2-926-4 1 00, ext. 3 1 Program: The Bridge Program Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 25 Ages: 9- 1 Budget: $35,000 ^tft^^ With the assistance of Native-Ameri- ^F^flA can coordinators and leaders from local m \Jp M pueblos and reservations, The Guilds ^^3^^ of the Santa Fe Opera's Pueblo Opera Program is expanding cross-cultural awareness, dispelling opera misconceptions and reciprocating pueblo hospitality through music, dance and drama. "There is an important sharing of Native-American traditions and operatic traditions," says Education and Outreach Coordinator Andrea Fellows. The Pueblo Opera Program engages children in creating and producing an original opera. The semester-long Program meets 8 hours per week at local schools and then moves to the Santa Fe Opera for rehearsals. Santa Fe Opera artists serve as mentors to the par- ticipants by helping them develop the story, libretto and music and by coaching them at rehearsals. The young opera singers perform for their schools and communities and bring their production to the Santa Fe Opera open house, as well. "Many of the same children return year after year and later work as Pueblo Opera Program coordinators in their commu- nities," says Fellows. The Guilds of the Santa Fe Opera also runs a teacher training program. II 1 There is an important sharing of Native-American traditions and operatic traditions. * * Andrea Fellows -Education and Outreach Coordinator ^£ v The Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) A K4 m offers programs to people of all ages. vHj^hL ^ e bridge Program is for students in "^J ^^ grades 4 and 5, many of whom have participated in HSAs school-based program. The school program provides children in grades 1-3 with experience in dance, music, theater and visual arts. The Bridge Program helps these children make the transition to the School of the Arts, where they can take at least two classes a week after school. While participants are not reguired to audition, the classes are rigorous, with artist/teachers stressing consisten- cy and effort. Students are given weekly homework assignments. There are ample opportunities for chil- dren to perform and exhibit their work. In an effort to provide these young people with role models, HSA gives children the opportunities to work with people of color in a professional setting. 93 Organization: Harlem Textile Works, Ltd. 1 86 E. 1 22 Street New York, NY 10035 212-534-3377 Program: Harlem Textile Works Year Started: 1 984 Focus: Design Youth Served: 24 Ages: 14-21 Budget: $ I 1 0,000 Organization: Henry Street Settlement Abrons Art Center 466 Grand Street New York, NY 1 0002 2 1 2-598-0400 Program: Abrons Art Center Youth Programs Year Started: 1 975 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 4,000 Ages: 2-2 1 Budget: $800,000 Harlem Textile Works, Ltd. provides arts education and employment opportuni- ties to students and artists interested in fabric design and related fields. This Harlem-based organization provides job training to minority and economically disadvantaged students through design workshops. Students are recruited from The Children's Art Carnival, an independent Harlem-based school; community service programs at alternative and specialized high schools and college internship programs. Designs are inspired by authentic textiles from Africa and the African Diaspora, as well as from Harlem's urban environs. Participants develop original designs for hand-printed fabrics, organize sales presentations and exhibits, design and screen-print T-shirts and products for client organizations and conduct tours for visiting school groups. Students earn hourly wages, stipends, school credits or honoraria for design work. While not all participants go on to careers in design, many appreciate working in a creative environment in their community and sharing their talents with peers and adult artists. ^^K v The Henry Street Settlement Abrons M 7A m Art Center is an expansive, 1 -block ^55^Bk facility in Manhattan's Lower East Side. "^ ^^ It is home to three theaters; one amphi- theater; galleries; dance and art studios; and an array of theater, dance and visual arts programs. The Henry Street Settlement began using the arts 100 years ago as part of its neighborhood social ser- vice mission. In 1975, the Abrons Art Center was built to bring all of the arts programs under one roof. The Youth Programs provide opportunities for New York City's at-risk youth to "express their view of the world and envision the way things could be," according to Program Associate Jonathan Ward. Most courses meet weekly for 15 weeks. Students study acting, musical theater and movement; take classes in ceramics and painting; learn ballet, jazz, tap and modern dance; or study any of 25 different musical instruments, as well as voice. Performances and art exhibitions are held regularly at the Art Cen- ter. Recently, the Center added a career awareness component and apprenticeship program for members of the resident theater company. The Center also runs a special year-long workshop in acting, scene design, stagecraft, movement and choral music in an effort to prevent students from one area high school from dropping out of school. Finally, through the Summer Enrichment Program, immigrant youth use folk tales from their countries of origin and their experiences in America to create skits that they perform for the community at the end of the summer. 94 ■ Organization: The Hills Project Fox Plaza 1390 Market Street Suite 9 1 8 San Francisco, CA 94102 415-554-4605 Program: The Hills Project After-School Program Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 230 Ages: 7- 1 5 Budget: $3 50,000 Organization: Humanities Council of Washington, DC 133 1 H Street, NW Washington, DC 20005 202-347-1732 Program: City Lights Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Humanities Youth Served: I 50 Ages: 5-2 1 Budget: $ I 10,000 ^^K v Artistic organizations in San Francisco M vA m are collaborating in an arts education v5j5^^^ After-School Program for elementary "^1 ^^ and middle school children living in an under-served part of San Francisco. The San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Ballet, San Francisco Opera and the Fine Arts Museum all contract with profes- sional artists to teach children every weekday after school and in an intensive summer program. Two days a week instrumental music lessons are offered. Children are given a flute, clarinet, violin or cello so they can practice at home. Two other days, classes are held in visual arts, acting, voice, world dance and ballet. A theater production class, run by the San Francisco Opera, is offered on Fridays. Through a new partnership with The National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, Inc., a rap and rhythm and blues class was added last year. Field trips to the San Fran- cisco Ballet, museums, artists' studios and other cul- tural institutions, as well as visits by artists, are part of The Hills Project After-School Program. There is a $3 registration fee, but everything else is free. Coun- selors from area schools are site coordinators. The collaborating organizations provide in-kind services, such as tickets to performances and administrative assistance. This After-School Program also addresses social service issues; recently, parenting classes were added to the offerings. ^^^^ City Lights is a collaborative effort ^k W among writers, scholars and public V ^M W housing residents. Working 1 to 2 years ■HI in a public housing community, City Lights scholars and writers collaborate with residents to design projects that focus on storytelling, personal story sharing and story reading. One public housing site conducted an intergenerational oral history pro- ject that resulted in a video and exhibition. Another site is creating a library and reading circles for par- ents and children. Professional storytellers are helping participants dramatize the books they are reading. National Service WritersCorps members are working with teens on writing projects. Most projects meet once a week over the summer or during the school year. "Success of the programs is dependent on the involvement of the residents," says Director of Council Projects Carmen James Lane. "Projects tend to continue long term after City Lights leaves because of the level of the residents' involvement at the outset." Humanities scholars work closely with residents, and residents are encouraged to take active roles in running the projects throughout the year. They also are involved in organizing fund-raising workshops, providing information on community resources and assisting in forming partnerships with community organizations. Organization: Hyde Park Art Center $307 S. Hyde Park Boulevard Chicago, IL 60615 312-324-5520 Program: Gallery, Classes and Outreach Program Year Started: 1 985 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 2,500 Ages: 3-18 Budget: $ 1 4,000 Organization: Indian- apolis Art Center 820 E. 67th Street Indianapolis, IN 46220 317-255-2464 Program: ArtReach Program Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 350 Ages: 5- 1 8 Budget: $144,000 Since its founding in 1939, the Hyde Park Art Center (HPAC) has worked with local schools and community groups to provide arts programs for young students. Eleven years ago, the Center began an Outreach Program to serve at-risk youth. Cutbacks in public school arts programs and an interest in extending the scope of its art school and gallery sparked this effort. HPAC now partners with youth organizations and schools to build relationships with, and design programs for, each site. At a community learning center, 1 of 20 sites, a 20- week program for 6- to 11- year-old children meets for VA hours each week. Children work on a variety of projects. Recent pro- jects included creating a Black History Month quilt that stitched together images of historical figures and of the participants themselves; building personal boxes inspired by the work of artist Bettye Saar; and producing Earth Day paintings, drawings and comic books. At another site, where youth are engaged in multimedia projects that encourage imaginative thinking, group interaction and self- awareness, stu- dents created artworks from found objects and clay. In another project, students created a collage of foot- prints showing places they would like to visit. These arts workshops meet anywhere from 1 day to 20 weeks, with most lasting 10 weeks. In partnership with two elementary schools and four arts organizations, the Center also is working on a 5-year initiative to inte- grate arts instruction into the school curriculum. ^0B V The Indianapolis Art Center works at M 7A m 15 community sites through its ArtReach vHjflkL » Program . Classes in clay, watercolor, "^ ^^ photography, drama and other arts are taught at housing communities, churches and com- munity and health care centers. Teachers and activi- ty directors at the sites work together to shape the courses to meet the needs and interests of each community. The 1 5-week school-year session takes place 1 day a week for 2 hours; the summer session lasts 9 weeks. In August, an annual exhibition at a downtown building includes work by participants from all sites. Other programs that support special needs take place at the Center. For instance, once per week for a semester, the Center provides classes in ceramics to first-time offenders referred by the juvenile court. An Apprenticeship Program employs two 18-year-olds to learn construction and stone carving. "The teachers are the strength of the Pro- gram," says Outreach Director Bill Spalding. "They are concerned about the contribution they can make to the community and the kids." ■ ■ The teachers are the strength of the Program. They are concern- ed about the contribution they can make to the community and the kids. J ' Bill Spalding -Outreach Director ® Organization: Inner City Cultural Center 1605 Ivar Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90028 213-962-2102 Program: Inner City Cultural Center Year Started: 1 965 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 500 Ages: 4-2 1 Budget: N/A Organization: Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, IBA-ETC 405 Shawmut Avenue Boston, MA 02 1 1 8 617-927-1715 Program: AREYTO Cultural Awareness Program, Video Training Program Year Started: 1 976 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 68 Ages: 9-19 Budget: $ I 1 6,2 1 6 ^£ v The Inner City Cultural Center (ICCC), M WA m a 30-year-old Los Angeles-based multi- v^^^k ' ethnic, multidisciplinary cultural insti- "^( ^^ tution, is recognized internationally for its programs in theater, music, dance and visual arts. The Center serves residents of some of Los Angeles' poorest communities. With a small part- and full-time staff assisted by volunteers, ICCC brings together thousands of participants from diverse backgrounds in daytime and evening programs held 7 days per week, year-round. Open to residents of all ages, class- es are provided on a sliding-fee basis, with scholar- ships available. ICCC programs emphasize activities that bring families together and allow for interaction among diverse populations. Training and internship opportunities for teens focus on the acquisition of coping skills, which raise levels of confidence to enhance teens' competitiveness in the job market. Other important activities include high-quality pre- sentations by in-house professional arts groups as well as by touring companies from throughout the world. In addition, annual competitive events at ICCC attract participants from across the United States and bring gifted individuals into contact with South- ern California's arts and entertainment industry and, hopefully, employment possibilities. According to ICCC founding director, C. Bernard Jackson, gradu- ates of ICCC programs go on to assume key leader- ship roles in all areas of American civic, cultural and professional life. ^^K v Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, IBA-ETC M vA m is a Community Development Corpora- v?WMk ' tion serving the community of Villa "^1 ^^ Victoria in Boston's South End. Its cultural component, Arte y Cultura, provides a variety of programs, including the AREYTO Cultural Aware- ness Program and the Video Training Program, both for youth ages 9-19. The AREYTO Program develops youth performing ensembles. It offers training ses- sions in Latin percussion, folkloric dance, visual arts, theater and Bomba, an Afro-Puerto Rican music and dance tradition. Youth meet weekly with profession- al artists to develop skills and a repertoire for perfor- mances throughout the community and region. The 3%-month Video Training Program provides teenagers with basic instruction in camera use, editing and production. Youth produce a variety show, Teens in Action, which is aired regularly through a communi- ty cable channel. Video Program participants also document activities and events taking place in the community, a biannual performance series and a variety of cultural community events organized by Arte y Cultura. "Most of our kids don't see themselves reflected in what they learn at school, nor in the large- ly negative portrayals of Latinos in the media," says Artistic Director Alex Alvear. "The Programs are bring- ing about personal development and building cultur- al identity, helping youth get closer to their parents and to their community." (!!) Organization: The Institute of Contemporary Art 955 Boylston Street Boston, MA 02 I I 5 617-266-5152 Program: Docent- Teens Program Year Started: 1993 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 25 Ages: 13-19 Budget: $88,380 Organization: Jamaica Center for the Performing and Visual Arts, Inc. 161-04 Jamaica Avenue Jamaica, NY I 1432 718-658-7400 Program: Youth Leader- ship Development and Violence Prevention Program Year Started: 1 993 Focus: Design & Theater Youth Served: 60 Ages: 8- 1 7 Budget: $3 3,333 The DocentTeens Program teaches inner-city Boston-area teens about con- temporary art and trains them to lead tours at The Institute of Contemporary Art (ICA). Teens from economically disadvantaged communities work with artists, curators, educators and other ICA staff to conduct research on ICA exhi- bitions, assist in the development of a curriculum for each exhibition, participate in art projects and visit artists' studios and other cultural institutions. During ICA exhibitions, DocentTeens offers tours on weekends and by appointment on Thursday evenings. In addition, the group critically examines exhibitions and performances at other cultural institutions. Teens work 6-12 hours per week and receive a stipend of $5-$6 an hour, based on their progress in the DocentTeens Program. The Program helps teens explore higher education opportunities and provides scholarships to Program alumni. The DocentTeens Program was the inspiration for the CityACCESS/ Teen Ambassador Program, which encourages simi- lar youth programs at four other cultural institutions in Boston. Since the DocentTeens Program's incep- tion, participants have improved their written and oral communication skills and their academic skills and developed greater confidence in themselves. Participants are reguired to maintain satisfactory school grades. Four days a week after school, youth come to South Jamaica Houses, a housing project's on-site community center, to study drama/conflict resolution and com- puter graphics. The Jamaica Arts Center works closely with the community center to identify youth for the Youth Leadership Development and Violence Prevention Program. Each class, which begins with time for homework, meets twice a week for 2 hours. Approximately 80 percent of the 60 youth enrolled remain in the Program all year. The instructors are professional artists from the Arts Center who have worked in similar communities. The computer graph- ics program teaches participants basic computer skills and graphic design so they can produce flyers, posters and newsletters. In the drama/conflict reso- lution class, youth create original scenes that deal with a variety of issues, particularly with everyday situations that can be resolved either peacefully or through violence. The participants write their own material and are encouraged to voice their feelings. In addition, a core group of participants began an informal youth council at the community center to help their peers resolve conflicts nonviolently. ■ ■ [Y]outh create original scenes that deal with a variety of issues, particularly with everyday situa- tions that can be resolved either peacefully or through violence. * * (=) Organization: Japantown Art and Media Workshop 1 840 Sutter Street San Francisco, CA 941 15 415-922-8700 Program: Japantown Art and Media Workshop Year Started: 1 977 Focus: Design & Visual Arts Youth Served: 50 Ages: 14-21 Budget: $150,000 Organization: The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Education Department Washington, DC 20566-0001 202-416-8804 Program: The Kennedy Center/Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) Community Dance Residency Year Started: 1993 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 130 Ages: 10-17 Budget: $ 1 89,000 The Japantown Art and Media Workshop (JAM) combines entrepreneurialism with the promotion of Asian- American culture through public art projects and graphic design services for businesses and community organizations. Located in the heart of the Japanese- American community in a community center that also serves seniors, the Pan-Asian youth programs involve young people in all phases of the business: design ideas and sketches, client relations and product devel- opment. Through the Graphic Design Interns program, youth in high school or col- lege or new college grad- uates meet 3 to 5 days a week, year-round, to design and produce pos- ters, street banners and other products for clients. Participants are not paid but receive computer training and build port- folios for future job inter- views. Older students teach younger students as well. In the Silkscreen Work- shop, teens print T-shirts and collaborate with other youth groups on cross-cultural projects. As opportuni- ties arise, JAM runs other workshops; most recently, JAM ran an intensive photography project targeted at Asian-American youth at risk of dropping out of high school. In addition to teaching photography skills, the workshop was a forum for youth to discuss contempo- rary Asian- American culture and to capture their lives in photographs. Dennis Taniguchi, executive director, reports, "Our kids are graduating from design schools and have been successful in getting jobs with top graphic design and software firms." rJKPH | The Kennedy Center/Dance Theatre of Wjm I Harlem (DTH) Community Dance Resi- dency is in its third year. The program introduces classical ballet to students through lecture/demonstrations, workshops, live performances and training experiences. Coordinated by The Kennedy Center's Education Department, the program has three community partners: the Duke Ellington School of the Arts (Washington, DC); the Nannie J. Lee Recreation Center (Alexandria, Virginia) and Suitland High School for the Visual and Performing Arts (District Heights, Maryland). There is an 8-week training opportunity for 1 30 youth between the ages of 10 and 17 at each com- munity site and an intensive 8-week series of classes for beginning, intermediate and advanced students at The Kennedy Center. Classes are taught by princi- pal dancers from DTH and the DTH School. Prior to the selection process for the training program, the DTH School Ensemble presents a series of lecture/ demonstration performances in each community. These performances have reached an audience of approximately 13,500 students and their families since the fall of 1993. The Kennedy Center, in addi- tion, provides study opportunities for students in theater through its Theater Training program and Traveling Young Players and in music, through the National Symphony Orchestra. Students also can attend performances for young people, master class- es and special events designed for them. © Organization: Junior Players 3630 Harry Hines Dallas, TX 75219 214-526-4076 Program: Teatro del Barrio Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 400 Ages: 11-18 Budget: $33,000 Organization: KALA Institute 1 060 Meinz Avenue Berkeley, C A 94710 5 1 0-549-2977 Program: Latin American Workshop Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 30 Ages: 6-2 1 Budget: $50,000 Teatro del Barrio is the result of a col- laboration between Junior Players and Dallas-area youth agencies. The program brings theater classes to youth in the city's gang prevention program, juvenile detention centers, Camp Fire Boys and Girls programs and in programs run by local social service agencies. Pro- fessional actors work with youth, 75 percent of whom are male, one or two times a week for 12 weeks after school on acting, scriptwriting and rehearsing. The program takes place at up to 10 sites each session, with each site running three consecutive sessions a year. The actors receive support from a professional familiar with the issues and conflicts that can arise when working with at-risk youth. "The youth have more self-confidence and feel more comfortable standing up and talking in public," says Executive Director Kirsten Brandt. "Hopefully this will carry through to their lives, such as at a job interview." The collaboration allows Junior Players to reach a greater number of at-risk youth. * " The youth have more self- confidence and feel more comfort- able standing up and talking in public. The KALA Institute is both a studio focusing on printmaking and an umbrel- la organization for a wide variety of pro- grams, many of which involve at-risk youth. For example, working with the East Oakland Catholic Worker Shelter, KALA sponsors the Latin American Workshop, which focuses on printmaking, for political refugees and victims of torture. In ongoing, twice- weekly workshops, participants, most of whom are children and youth, are introduced to the basics of printmaking and are encouraged to tell their stories through their art. In addition, the Workshop invites guest artist/instructors to teach in other media or add- ress social issues. The Mission Cultural Center recently opened an exhibition featuring projects from the Workshop and hopes that a book detailing the participants' stories and work will be published soon. Kirsten Brandt -Executive Director Organization: Kansas City Friends of Alvin Ailey 218 Delaware Suite 101 Kansas City, MO 64105 816-471-6003 Program: AileyCamp Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 1 00 Ages: 1 1-14 Budget: $14 1,000 Organization: Karamu House 23 55 E. 89th Street Cleveland, OH 44106 216-795-7070 Program: Summer Scholar Program Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 25 Ages: 13-18 Budget: $13,600 FWM| I AileyCamp's goal is to use dance to build P/fl| | self-discipline, motivation, respect and purpose among youth ages 11-15. From 7:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m., 5 days a week, children take classes in ballet, jazz, tap and the Hor- ton dance technique; techniques of performance; creative writing and personal development, which includes conflict resolution and problem-solving exer- cises. A rigorous screening process ensures that 80 percent of the participants are high-risk adolescents. There are weekly field trips to performances, muse- ums and cultural events. At the end of the 6 -week session, a final performance is held. An evaluation by the Kauffman Foundation found improved self-esteem and an increased competency in critical thinking and problem-solving skills among participants. An adviso- ry group of parents, staff and educators was formed to help strengthen follow-up to the camp experience. In addition, Alvin Ailey Camp Dance, comprising former Kansas City AileyCampers, ages 11-19, meets twice weekly so participants can continue classes in dance and choreography, and, on occasion, perform before local audiences. AileyCamp also is run in New York City (through the Dance Theater Foundation) and at a mini- camp in Frostburg, Maryland. New camps are being created in St. Louis and Philadelphia. When children living in the neighbor- hood of the Karamu House began look- ing for summer jobs, the theater realized it could provide work for youth while giving them a theater experience. Starting with a tour of the theater and an exploration of what partici- pants' interests are, an artist/teacher works with youth on dance, scriptwriting, stage lighting, impro- visation and vocal and physical exercises. Participants develop a script that reflects their concerns about inner-city life. At the end of 3 months, after working daily for 5 hours, the teens perform on 2 weekends. The fee charged for the performances supports stip- ends for the performers and pays for costumes and sets as well. "The benefits to the children are notable," reports Assistant Director for Drama Renee Matthews Jackson. "Participants have become more well-round- ed individuals through their involvement in the the- ater, and they are a great deal more self-disciplined." ■ * Participants have become more well-rounded individuals through their involvement in the theater, and they are a great deal more self-disciplined. * * Renee Matthews Jackson -Assistant Director for Drama ® Organization: Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities 532 N. I Oth Street East St. Louis, IL 62201 618-271-3367 Program: Katherine Dunham Museum's Children's Workshop Year Started: 1 982 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 75 Ages: 4-17 Budget: $50,000 Organization: Kentucky Humanities Council 206 E. Maxwell Street Lexington, KY 40508 606-257-5932 Program: New Books for New Readers Year Started: 1 988 Focus: History & Literature Youth Served: N/A Ages: 16-21 Budget: $12,500 ^^R v The Katherine Dunham Museum's M vA « Children's Workshop helps guide young vjj^^^k ' children m positive directions using the '^l ^^ arts. Through multicultural art forms, it helps youth understand themselves better by under- standing other cultures. Classes are offered in per- cussion, music, language and dance, including ballet and tap. Local artists and guest artists from different parts of the world teach classes three times a week during the school year and keep an intensive sched- ule in the summer of 5 days per week, 6 hours per day. The summer program feeds into an annual inter- national seminar on the Dunham Technique, with children participating from centers around the coun- try. After their first year in the program, students take part in public performances, and some go on to join a performing unit of 20. Older children become men- tors and work for the program. "The Workshop has resulted in an increase in the children's respect for one another," notes Associate Program Director Jeanelle Stovall. The program has provided profes- sional opportunities for participants, several of whom have been invited to perform with dance companies and instrumental ensembles. " " The Workshop has resulted in an increase in the children's respect for one another. * * Jeanelle Stovall -Associate Program Director For the 400,000 Kentuck- ians, many of whom are teenagers and single mothers, who read below the fourth grade level, New Books for New Readers provides a unique gateway to literacy. Each year, the Kentucky Humanities Council contracts with a Kentucky author to develop a book in collaboration with a small group of adult literacy students and their tutors. Over a period of 6 months, the partici- pants receive sections of the book from the author to read and critique one-on-one with a tutor and then as a group with the author. After the group critique, the author rewrites the sections based on the feedback. When the book is completed, it is published by the University Press of Kentucky and disseminated widely to libraries, literacy and state jobs training programs, schools, family service cen- ters, programs for the deaf and English-as-a-Second- Language programs. The books are written on a fourth grade reading level but address substantial topics. To further promote reading, the Humanities Council offers free book discussion programs in which a group of new readers is given one of the books to read and to discuss with a scholar provided by the Council. The program helps develop partici- pants' self-confidence because they feel free to com- municate their ideas in an environment that is self- affirming. "Not only are parents now able to read news- papers and job ads, but they can also help their chil- dren with schoolwork," explains Director Virginia Smith. "It means a lot to the kids to see their parents reading and studying. It helps the children to be more oriented towards success in reading themselves." Organization: KTCA-TV 1 72 E. 4th Street St. Paul, MN 55101 612-229-13 12 Program: "Don't Believe the Hype" Year Started: 1992 Focus: Media & Video Youth Served: 20 Ages: 14-21 Budget: $ 1 20,000 Organization: Latin American Youth Center 3045 15th Street, NW Washington, DC 20009 202-483-1 140 Program: Arts for Prevention and Development Year Started: 1 968 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 500 Ages: 11-21 Budget: $35,000 "Don't Believe the Hype" was created by St. Paul's public television station, KTCA-TV, for urban youth of color in the Twin Cities region. Approximately 15 teens are recruited from schools and community organiza- tions. They come together once a week to develop skills in research, camera work, prompter reading, field piece development, videography, writing and event coordination. The group then develops and tapes an issue-oriented television program about concerns facing young people and edits it for broad- cast. Station staff work with community leaders and volunteer mentors to help youth improve their technical skills and to explore issues. "People look forward to hearing about issues from a young, urban perspective," according to Production Manager Leola Daniels. "This project started as a television show, but has developed into a grass-roots commu- nity development and service movement." * * This project started as a televi- sion show, but has developed into a grass-roots community develop- ment and service movement.* * Leola Daniels -Production Manager ^^R v The Latin American Youth Center M WA m (LAYC) provides youth in a predomin- v^^^L ' antly Latino neighborhood of Washing- "^J ^^ ton, DC, with a range of services, includ- ing social services, health education, outreach and prevention and skills training and employment ser- vices. It also offers youth a variety of arts experien- ces. Through the arts, youth at the LAYC explore their heritage, build critical thinking skills and devel- op work and personal skills. The LAYC's Teen Parents program meets 3 days a week for 2 hours to promote good parenting skills and to prevent repeat pregnan- cies. Young women in the program have created self- portraits, woodcuts and prints, as well as baskets. These arts activities help to keep the teens active in other components of the program, such as counseling and general equivalency diploma preparation. Partici- pants in the ongoing Gang Prevention program recently completed a video called Que Pasa, which reflects their view on Latino stereotypes and docu- ments their challenges and hopes for the future. The video is being shown at schools, universities and conferences as a way to promote cultural understanding. The Youth Center, in conjunction with a Washington, DC, youth employment program, operates a 6-week daily summer art project that engages students in theater, photography, creative writing or mural painting. These arts activities ad- dress such topics as diversity, immigration, cultural values and other issues important to youth. Organization: Latino Arts 1 028 S. 9th Street Milwaukee, Wl 53204 414-384-3100 Program: Cultural Arts Classes Year Started: 1 985 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1 20 Ages: 7- 1 4 Budget: $ I 5,000 Organization: Lawrence Arts Academy Lawrence University 1 00 Water Street Appleton, Wl 549 1 2 414-832-6632 Program: Enriched Instrumental Instruction for Hmong Children Year Started: 1991 Focus: Music Youth Served: 35 Ages: 11-18 Budget: $4,355 ^^K V Latino Arts is an outgrowth of a single M vA m Hispanic folk dance class initiated by vw^fllL ' a local dance instructor and held at the ^^1_ ^^ United Community Center. The class sparked an interest in developing courses in a variety of Latino art forms and led to the formation of Latino Arts, which continues to be housed in the Commu- nity Center and is Milwaukee's only Hispanic arts organization. The after-school and summer programs meet 2 hours daily in 12- week sessions to explore dance, visual arts, music and drama and are comple- mented by the Center's Decision for Youth program, which offers conflict resolution and peer counseling. Dance and drama students share their culture through city- wide performances. In the summer, participants work with professional artists from the Milwaukee area. Past collaborations resulted in mask-making classes, a puppet theater and a multimedia oral his- tory project. "We continue to get more Hispanic artists collaborating with us and leading new work- shops," says Cultural Arts Coordinator Jennifer La Porte. "It's helping create a safe haven for kids expe- riencing the isolation and confusion of immigration and poverty." Latino Arts provides specialized ser- vices to meet particular needs. Latina women and girls in the community display their artwork through a Celebration of Milwaukee's Latino Artists program in partnership with the Department of City Develop- ment. This kind of programming is helping the Lati- no community value its own culture and adjust to a new home. ^^t^^ For the young Hmong students in WfA^^^ Appleton, Wisconsin, the Lawrence m m m Arts Academy provides an opportunity ^WD^^ to learn about music and themselves and to become involved with the greater Appleton community. Each spring, Lawrence Arts Academy presents its program to fifth grade Hmong students through performances by their Hmong peers at local schools. Interested fifth graders can enter a 6-week summer program where they meet with Academy faculty three times a week. At the end of the summer session, the Academy holds a concert and potluck for the students and their families. During the school year, the Academy works with a Hmong English-as- a-Second-Language coordinator to track the students and make sure they are scheduled into the school's band. They also maintain the students' school instru- ments for free and arrange private lessons for those who are advancing quickly. The benefits of the pro- gram are many, as Jane Serumgard Harrison, acting director of the Academy, notes, "Language is not a barrier with music. Yet, through talking with their peers and instructors one-on-one and in band, the kids have developed higher language skills. Some of our students are now first chair in their bands ! This program has changed their whole self-image." ■ " Some of our students are now first chair in their bands! This program has changed their whole Jane Serumgard Harrison -Acting Director of the Academy self-image. I^^HM Organization: Lawrence Arts Center 200 W. 9th Lawrence, KS 66044 913-843-2787 Program: First Step Dance Year Started: 1 993 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 1 75 Ages: 1-21 Budget: $27,000 Organization: The Leonard Davis Center for the Arts of The City College of New York 38th Street and Convent Avenue Room 1 76, Shepard Hall New York, NY 10031 212-650-8151 Program: The City College Art Institute Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Design & Visual Arts Youth Served: 1 5 Ages: 13-17 Budget: $45,000 MMPH I Lawrence Arts Center (LAC) and First WM I Step House (FSH), a halfway house for recovering, chemically addicted women and their children, formed a partnership to expand the Arts Center's constituency and to give the women and their children ways to work on violence and addiction prevention through the arts. First Step Dance includes weekly classes for the women and separate classes for the children in cre- ative movement designed to foster positive feelings, explore emotions and build self-esteem. Periodically the women and children join together in combined classes through which they share fun and creative experiences. These classes are taught by members of the Prairie Wind Dancers, the resident dance com- pany at LAC. The company performs three concerts a year for the residents, staff, family and friends of FSH and creates choreographic works that deal with addiction issues. These works are performed across Kansas. Occasionally FSH residents join the Prairie Wind Dancers in a performance. "The program works to demystify the arts and enhance the women's and children's sense of personal worth and creativity," says Artistic Director Candi Baker. "They are learning that the arts are more accessible than they thought because they come to understand that the artists teaching the classes are ordinary people. The dance program is breaking down barriers." As a result, some of the participants are coming to the LAC to take free classes in other areas after they leave First Step House. The dancers also are working with the alternative high school to develop a high school performance group. "My ability for art has grown a large amount along with my ideas," remarked a 14-year-old participant in The City College Art Institute program of The Leonard Davis Center for the Arts. Designed to provide oppor- tunities for minority youth who show exceptional potential in the visual arts, the Institute combines career-oriented visual arts training with literacy development and mentoring. The integrated program makes youth more aware of career options and how conceptual and studio training can prepare them for a career in the visual arts. Small classes of 7 to 10 students are the key to the program. "These kids are so starved for attention that classes larger than 10 lose their educational effectiveness," says Develop- ment Assistant Brian Haller. College faculty introduce students to fundamental drawing and design skills through a Foundation/Portfolio Workshop and expose them to sculpture, painting, photography, advertis- ing and interior design through other special work- shops. After-school and Saturday classes are held on campus once a week for XA hours during the school year. A 3-week summer program includes career work- shops. Field trips to museums, sculpture parks and arts-related businesses nurture an appreciation of New York City's vast resources and demonstrate ways for teens to channel their talents as they become adults. " ■ These kids are so starved for attention that classes larger than 10 lose their educational effectiveness. * * Brian Haller -Development Assistant Organization: Levine School of Music 1690 36th Street, NW Washington, DC 20007 202-3 37-2227 Program: Public Housing Orchestra Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Music Youth Served: 64 Ages: 5-2 1 Budget: $ 1 00,000 Organization: Lied Discovery Children's Museum 833 Las Vegas Boulevard Las Vegas, NV 89 1 1 702-382-3445 Program: Youth ALIVE!— YouthWorks/ArtSmarts Year Started: 1993 Focus: Visual Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 1 80 Ages: 10-17 Budget: $83,000 >^0t^^ A cello is a rare site in most public ^fA^^^k housing communities, but at two sites m U| m in Washington, DC, it's not the only ^^3 ^r instrument residents see in the hands of youth. Once a week during the school year and twice a week in the summer, young musicians attend small group lessons at the housing communities' nearby community centers. They study violin, clarinet, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, piano, percussion, viola or cello. "We teach the instruments that the chil- dren can continue studying in their school bands or orchestras," explains Jo Ann Williams, director of out- reach programs at Levine School of Music. The chil- dren learn about teamwork and cooperation through public performances held three times a year in the community. "Our instructors provide so much more than music lessons," continues Williams. "As members of our Artistic Role Model Program, they also act as mentors and role models for the children." The Youth Orchestra is one component of a larger program fund- ed by a drug elimination grant to the Washington, DC, Housing Authority from the U.S. Department of Hous- ing and Urban Development. Other Levine School community outreach programs include Project DAISY, which uses music to improve the attention spans and learning capabilities of preschool children who were prenatally exposed to drugs; Summer Music Theater Ensemble, an intensive music and movement training program for teenagers; and Hope and a Home, an early childhood music program for formerly homeless children now living in transitional housing. thH On a visit to the Lied Discov- ery Children's Museum, it is not uncommon to encounter a 15-year-old docent. These youth are part of the year-round Youth Works program, designed to help participants discover their compe- tencies and interests, develop communication and job skills, interact with and appreciate people of different cultures and ages and learn about careers that they never knew existed or did not believe were accessible to them. The participants are trained on the job by staff members. They learn about the exhi- bitions and how to present themselves to an audience. Youth work 4 hours a week on weekends during the school year and during the week in the summer. Youth Works is one component of the YouthALIVE ! program, a multiyear national initiative of the DeWitt Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund in partnership with the Association of Science-Technology Centers, cre- ated to reach youth who traditionally are not served by museums. ArtSmarts, the other component of the Lied Discovery Children's Museum program, matches youth with artists-in-residence for 12 weeks, 10-14 hours per week, to design and complete art- work for the Museum. Projects, which culminate in a parent reception, have included a movable mural, a community history video and an architectural piece about walls. Some youth participate in consec- utive residencies. "Through Youth Works and Art- Smarts, youth are learning how to communicate their thoughts and opinions, and they are opening up and showing increased self-confidence," says Director Suzanne LeBlanc. Organization: Lincoln Center Theater 1 50 W. 65th Street New York, NY 10023 212-362-7600 Program: Open Stages — The Urban Ensemble Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 20 Ages: 16-21 Budget: $34,000 Organization: Living Literature Colors United 1 440 S. Sepulveda Los Angeles, CA 90025 310-444-8357 Program: Living Litera- ture Colors United Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 200 Ages: 1 4-2 1 Budget: $260,000 The Urban Ensemble provides a series of multigenerational theater workshops on cultural and social differences. The workshops are designed to engage New York residents whose interests normally are not met by mainstream cultural institutions: public housing residents, teen parents, juvenile delinquents and homeless families. About one-half of the participants are youth. The program uses theater to explore issues of violence, safety and identity. Students from New York University's Tisch School and AmeriCorps volun- teers facilitate weekly, 3-hour workshops that include writing exercises, theater games, photography and discussions. Participants are invited to continue as long as they wish. Participants attend plays at The Public Theater and Lincoln Center Theater. Workshops take place October through May and are held on a rotating basis at the Lincoln Center Theater, The Pub- lic Theater or the Tisch School. "Participants are feel- ing a level of respect they've never received before, from actors, theater directors and arts students. Many of the participants who are no longer referred to the program by social service agencies come back on their own because they enjoyed the program so much," reports Education Program Coordinator Willa J. Taylor. ^^K v ^^^^ Living Literature Colors M W^ %f ^ United (LLCU) motivates v^^Bk '^ d W a t-n.sk youth by awakening *^ ^^ aHf thou interest in learning through literature, drama, music and dance classes. Working with schools that have high drop-out rates, a record of violence on campus and racial conflicts, LLCU encourages all interested students to partici- pate. Each year this after-school program is organ- ized around a different theme, usually based on the works of an author. The first half of the year, the pro- gram focuses on artistic training; the second half focuses on reading the selected author's books and conducting research on his/her life. Following the research, participants develop an original performance piece using text and music. The program meets at each school 2 days a week, after school, and com- bines literature, drama, music and dance instruction. On Saturdays, LLCU brings together teens from the participating schools for rehearsals. Performances are presented at high school auditoriums and communi- ty centers. Participants also travel to literary festivals to participate and perform, including the John Stein- beck Festival, the Ernest Hemingway Festival and the Jack London Festival. ■ ■ The first half of the year, the program focuses on artistic train- ing; the second half focuses on reading the selected author's books and conducting research on his/her life. * * Organization: Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities 1 00 1 Howard Avenue Suite 3110 New Orleans, LA 701 13 504/523-4352 Program: Prime Time Family Reading Time Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Literature Youth Served: 275 Ages: 3-10 Budget: N/A ^0^^0^ Every week for 1 '/ hours at libraries in m — - — ' 1 22 Louisiana communities, at-risk chil- ■ l _ 1 r ^ ' dren and their parents discover how ^^BM^ much fun reading can be. For 8 weeks, a local storyteller, a humanities scholar and communi- ty residents who are recruited through social service agencies, compensatory education programs and the like come together at a library in one of Louisiana's parishes to read, tell stories and discuss the issues raised in the books they have read. The program is designed to reach an audience that is not already part of the humanities community and to foster a life- long love of learning through reading. Anywhere from 25 to 40 parents and children meet once a week for 90 minutes for 8 weeks. At each session, the story- teller acts out a children's story, and the scholar leads a discussion of issues that are raised in the story. Par- ents and children have the opportunity to talk about values in an environment that is respectful and self- affirming. The parents then take the books home and read them aloud to their children during the week. "People in the program come to it not liking to read," explains Kathryn Mettelka, associate director of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities. "Often they have agreed to come because their children 'forced' them to. Parents will do things for their kids that they will not do for themselves. When these par- ents leave the program, families like to read togeth- er." Every family is given a library card when they enroll, and during the 8 weeks, the librarians famil- iarize participants with the library's resources. Through the efforts of librarians, program volunteers and staff, a community reading network is being established for people who had neither access to, nor interest in, libraries before. To ensure that the program is engaging, an advisory panel made up of librarians and scholars chooses guality books for the program from a variety of cul- tures and establishes the syllabus. The participating humanities scholars generate thoughtful discussion among people who are not accustomed to speaking about cultural issues raised in literature. "There is a demand for this type of program, in which the participants are active in their education — not just being lectured to. Many of our scholars say it was the most valuable teaching experience they have ever had," remarks Mettelka. The public library in Baton Rouge has followed the families who have par- ticipated in Prime Time Family Reading Time since 1991. While many families were receiving welfare when the program started, none are today, and none of the children have been held back in school. ■ ■ People in the program come to it not liking to read. Often they have agreed to come because their children 'forced' them to. Parents will do things for their kids that they will not do for themselves. When these parents leave the program, families like to read together. * * Kathryn Mettelka, -Associate Director of the Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities Organization: Lula Washington Contemporary Dance Foundation 5041 W.Pico Boulevard Los Angeles, CA 90019 213-936-6591 Program: I Do Dance Not Drugs Year Started: 1983 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 100 Ages: 4- 1 8 Budget: $200,000 Organization: Macon Neighborhood Arts, Inc. 905 Main Street Macon, GA 3 I 208 912-742-5813 Program: Inner Voices Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 2 1 Ages: 5- 1 8 Budget: $9 1,500 rM|B " I For the 100 children who attend after- WjM I school and Saturday classes, the studio of the Lula Washington Contemporary Dance Foundation is like a second home. Each day, 1- to 2-hour classes are held in modern dance, jazz, African dance, tap and ballet. Through the discipline of dance, children learn to work as part of a team, to be more responsible and to push themselves to succeed. The studio urges parental involvement and finds that when parents are involved, their children's chances for success in the program are increased. Fifty percent of the students require scholarships to participate. Those on scholarship get informal job training by helping with all aspects of the Foundation's administration: answering phones, designing flyers, helping with public outreach and filing. The Foundation also runs an intensive, 10-week summer dance workshop for 40 youth, of whom 25 are paid through the Summer Youth Employment and Training Program of local government. After children have reached a certain level of dance proficiency, they join the Youth Dance Ensemble, which performs exten- sively throughout the community, presenting dance works that advocate for a positive, drug-free approach to life. As children grow up, they can become part of the Lula Washington Dance Theater, a professional modern dance company that tours nationally with works that reflect African- American culture. The program allows participants to start as children and remain through adulthood. Families develop friend- ships and help each other out over the years, assisting with baby-sitting, carpooling and celebrating birth- days, as well as at times of family crises. An informal extended family is created, giving each student a wider group of adults and friends on which to rely. ^^B v The Inner Voices program provides M VA m visual and performing arts programs for v^^^k t young people in four of Macon's public "^B W^ housing complexes. Macon Neighbor- hood Arts, Inc., the host institution of Inner Voices, was formed in partnership with the Macon Arts Alliance, the Macon Housing Authority and the Macon Police Department. After-school sessions that meet 5 days a week for 3 hours during the school year begin with tutoring and are followed by classes in drama, vocal and instrumental music, drawing, painting, ceramics, modern dance and jazz. Often these classes culminate in performances and exhibitions. Participants also sell their artworks in Macon and in other cities. Many of the classes use the arts to raise awareness about drug use, teen pre- gnancy and AIDS. Some of the classes are oriented to the African-American community, and the program exposes children to the best of many different cul- tures. Inner Voices also emphasizes self-discipline, education (including college campus visits) and peer tutoring and holds oratorical competitions. Organization: Manchester Craftsmen's Guild 1815 Metropolitan Street Pittsburgh, PA 15233-2233 412-322-1773 Program: Arts Apprenticeship Training Program Year Started: 1 986 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 350 Ages: 11-19 Budget: $778,000 Organization: Marwen Foundation 325 Huron Street Chicago, IL 60610 3 1 2-944-24 1 8 Program: Community Partnership, Studio Program, College Career Program Year Started: 1 987 Focus: Design & Visual Arts Youth Served: 1,600 Ages: 12-18 Budget: $580,000 The Manchester Craftsmen's Guild is a multicultural arts education and perfor- mance organization located in one of the poorest neighborhoods of Pittsburgh. In place for the past 27 years, the Guild conducts classes in visual arts, with a focus on ceramic art and photography, and in the performing arts, with an emphasis on jazz. Educational activities as well as presentations by living masters are offered in each discipline. The facilities include a ceramics studio, photography laboratories and studio, a gallery and a music hall. The Arts Apprenticeship Training Pro- gram at the Guild teaches inner-city youth drawn from public schools the technical and aesthetic elements of ceramic art, computer imaging, draw- ing, painting and photo- graphy. Recently, teen artists created an on-line Internet art exhibition of their own masterpieces, including selections of origi- nal ceramics, drawing, painting, photography and computer imaging. Students receive counseling and college outreach services. From 74 percent to 80 per- cent of participants in the Apprenticeship Program go on to college, compared to 20 percent in the com- munity. The Guild also runs an artist-in-residence program in 11 area high schools as well as a summer arts program. The Guild is part of a complex of non- profit and for-profit subsidiaries, including The Bid- well Training Center, The Business and Industrial Development Corporation and Bidwell Food Services. Marwen Foundation was founded in 1987 to provide guality arts education and college career planning for Chicago's under-served youth. The Foundation offers sequential visual arts education programs to foster creative and practical skills, as well as advanced schooling and job preparation both in and outside of the arts field. The Community Partnership brings introductory classes to six community centers in culturally diverse neighborhoods. Participants meet after school and on weekends for 10 weeks for in- struction in the visual arts. Motivated students may continue training through the Studio Program, for which they go to the Marwen facility for more rigorous study in photography, drawing, sculpture, animation, painting, architecture, design and other areas. The College Career Program connects students with pro- fessional artists and designers in the Chicago region and nationally for master classes, career workshops, internships and apprenticeships. It also provides stu- dents with work by including them on design teams that produce commissioned artworks in Chicago. Students receive assistance in applying to and inter- viewing for colleges and other advanced schooling. Stressing the hands-on aspects of the art world, Marwen shows artistically inclined inner- city youth how to enhance their lives through art and how to mold their talents into marketable skills. ® Organization: M Ensemble Company, Inc. P.O. Box I 1 75 Miami, FL 33168 305-891-2998 Program: Summer Youth Employment in the Arts and Life Enrichment Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 20 Ages: 13-19 Budget: $36,000 Organization: MERIT Music Program of Chicago Dearborn Station 47 Chicago, IL 60605 3 I 2-786-9428 Program: MERIT Music Program of Chicago Year Started: 1 979 Focus: Music Youth Served: 3,000 Ages: 6- 1 8 Budget: N/A There is a special place in Miami for African-American youth from low-income areas who have an interest in theater. The M Ensemble Company, which cultivates and preserves African-American culture through the performing arts, believes that youth are our future and that they need help developing self- esteem and coping skills. In response to this need, the Company formed the Summer Youth Employment in the Arts and Life Enrichment program to help keep African-American youth gainfully involved in theater. After passing an audition, teens receive pro- fessional training in acting, production and stage- craft. They help mount and act in a summer produc- tion. Teens are given roles to perform and receive individual counseling. Meditation, theater exercises and other activities help participants reflect on their lives and options. A program for juvenile delinquents also is conducted twice a week during the summer. Rappers, street dancers and other artists talk with youth about their own backgrounds, struggles and professional growth. Efforts are being made to extend these theater opportunities beyond the summer. ^fW Since 1979, the MERIT (Music Educa- ^fA^^^k tlon Reaching Instrumental Talents) m m W Music Program has been reaching ^w3^^ economically disadvantaged students throughout Chicago with comprehensive programs in instrumental and vocal music, music theory, ensem- ble performance and composition. MERIT provides in- school programs in 50 Chicago public schools and complements them with a variety of after-school, week- end and summer programs. The Tuition-Free Conser- vatory Program provides intensive, year-round after-school training for students ages 10-18 in instrumental technique, theory and ensemble per- formance. Students also have access to private lessons, summer camps, master classes, perform- ance tickets and college scholarships. The Music Cultivation Program for the Chicago Housing Authority and the Preparatory Program are designed to nurture students who might come to participate in the Con- servatory Program. The Music Cultivation Program provides instruction on string instruments for young people in public housing communities and includes a Mentorship Program for their parents. The Preparatory Program works with young people who have partici- pated in school programs and offers private instruction, ensemble performance opportunities and theory class- es. As Executive Director Duffie Adelson notes, "The music training gives students the tools to compete for college scholarships; the environment gives them the tools to achieve more in school and work." (!!!) Organization: Metropolitan School for the Arts 320 Montgomery Street Syracuse, NY 13202 315-475-5414 Program: United In Hope Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: I 1 8 Ages: 5- 1 7 Budget: $18,800 Organization: The Mexican Museum Fort Mason Center Building D San Francisco, CA 94123 415-441-0445 Program: Street SmArt Year Started: 1 993 Focus: Visual Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 75 Ages: 6- 1 8 Budget: $15,000 ^^f v In a community with no community M VA m center to serve the neighborhood chil- v^^Bk T dren, the Episcopal Church and Evan- "^1 W^ gelical African American Church joined forces to create United In Hope, a safe haven in an economically depressed and drug-ridden neighbor- hood. The churches turned to the Metropolitan School for the Arts to help them provide arts programming. Introductory-level classes in music, theater, dance and visual arts are offered at the Episcopal Church 4 days a week for up to 2 hours after school through- out the school year. Course offerings are as varied as percussion ensemble, explorations in visual arts, cre- ative dramatics, teen theater, introduction to dance, hip-hop and children's chorus. The program draws a constant core of about 30 children, with many oth- ers dropping in for specific classes. Instructors work with the children in intensive discipline blocks that result in the staging of performances, street fairs and exhibitions at the end of each 3- to 10-week session. Older students, working as assistants with the young- er children, help emphasize the program's focus on the process rather than on the product. "The children tell us that they are enjoying the classes and that they feel comfortable in the program. It's a safe and stable place to focus their energies positively," says Executive Director Dee Britton. *>H Open to all young residents of a low-income housing development in San Francis- co's Mission District, Street SmArt operates an arts program that involves youth in visual arts projects reflecting their Latino heritage. Meeting twice weekly over a 15-week period, partic- ipants learn about tools and concepts. The objects created are related to Latino history and cultural tra- ditions. Each 15-week session culminates in an exhi- bition of the artwork and a public program, with some public art pieces becoming a permanent part of the housing complex. The Mexican Museum, organizational host to the program, notes high par- ticipation rates and youth and parent satisfaction with the program. The Mexican Museum is one of nine culturally specific arts institutions that make up the Cultural Equity Group, a collaborative that shares information and resources and jointly seeks funding for culturally targeted youth programs, which each group then runs. 112 Organization: Mill Street Loft Multi-Arts Educational Center 20 Maple Street Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 914-471-7477 Program: Project ABLE Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Design Youth Served: 60 Ages: I 3-2 1 Budget: $250,000 Organization: Milwaukee Repertory Theater 1 08 E. Wells Street Milwaukee, Wl 53202 414-224-1761 Program: TEENWORKS Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 27 Ages: 14-21 Budget: $6, 1 1 ook \vho's .checking'' 'out the food-.,, i V' yoihbuy! ,. Mill Street Loft Multi-Arts Educational Center has developed a job skills training program, Project ABLE (Arts for Basic Education, Life Skills and Entrepreneur- ship). Mill Street Loft is running the model program for economically disadvantaged youth in Poughkeep- sie's north side, where corporate layoffs, crime and drugs are common. Project ABLE helps teens gain specific job skills, learn how to resolve conflict, work in teams and exercise decision-making skills. The year-round program involves youth 12-30 hours a week after school, on weekends and during holidays. A 7- week sum- mer program engages youth 30 hours a week. Under the guidance of a carpenter, a retail design specialist and artists, city youth have renovated a gift shop, art gallery and warehouse that are used as training sites. Participants develop and design products and learn all facets of operating a retail business and becoming entrepre- neurs. Another component of the program involves youth in neighborhood revitalization through the creation of public art. The philosophy of the program is one of open enrollment and exit; youth are encour- aged to stay and succeed through positive reinforce- ment. They are paid $4.25 to $5 per hour to "earn while they learn." The Milwaukee Repertory Theater offers a variety of activities for young people, the most intensive of which is TEEN- WORKS. Teens are recruited from the metropolitan Milwaukee area through other commu- nity programs staffed by Repertory artists. Teenage applicants must submit a request to participate in this free program. Upon acceptance, they sign a for- mal agreement to conduct themselves responsibly and participate with a group to achieve shared goals. In 6 weeks of daily summer meetings, teens spend time learning basic theater techniques and developing an original theater piece on a socially relevant issue. Working with a variety of Milwaukee Repertory professionals, including artists, adminis- trators and craftspeople, teens polish their theater pieces and perform at The Stiemke Theater or The Powerhouse Theater. When the new school year begins, the group writes newsletters and prepares for future summer sessions by participating in biweekly theater workshops. Teen participants also have the opportu- nity to assist in the daily operations of the Milwau- kee Repertory Theater as general work assistants. (M3) Organization: Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center 3415 Olinville Avenue Bronx, NY 1 0467 7I8-6S2-6256 Program: After- School Literacy Through the Arts Year Started: 1 978 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 60 Ages: 6- 1 3 Budget: $5 1,000 Organization: Minneapolis Institute of Arts 2400 3rd Avenue Minneapolis, MN 55404 612-870-3000 Program: Art Team Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Visual Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 8 Ages: 14-17 Budget: $6,000 ^^K v Every day after school, 60 children M vA m meet at a neighborhood school from ^yM^ ^ ^ P m ' t0 ^'^ P' m ' to P art i c iP ate i n "^B ^^ Literacy Through the Arts. This program uses the arts to improve the reading, writing and math skills of participants. In addition to being tutored in reading, writing and math, participants take two to three classes, taught by professional artists. In the Book-N-Art class, children write and illustrate a story and learn how to bind their story into a book. Other arts programming includes theater; music; modern, African and step dance; percussion and visual arts and crafts. Children maintain journals which they are free, but not obligated, to share with the professional artists who instruct them. The semesters are struc- tured around a theme, and at the end of each session, participants hold a performance and exhibition of their work. Book-N-Art participants keep their own books, but the originals are copied and bound into an anthology. "Because the children set their own goals with the help of an adult, they have more con- trol over their results," explains Director Camille Akeju. "Most of the youth enter the program reluc- tantly since they know that the reason they are here is because they are not achieving. They leave with a sense of achievement and are more tolerant of each other." Akeju adds that the children's test scores are improving and that the work they create, especially the anthology, is very popular within the community. *>H Urban flight has left the Min- neapolis Institute of Arts in an economically depressed area of Minneapolis. Art Team was created to meet the community's need for employment opportunities and the museum's wish to increase neighborhood attendance. Art Team trains and employs youth to work at museum events. Mem- bers are required to sign a 9-month contract to attend weekly classes (for which they are paid) at the muse- um during the academic year. Museum staff lead workshops that illustrate the role of art in the devel- opment of societies and ideas. Special emphasis is given to multicultural perspectives and the historical and social relevance of art as it relates to the lives of the participants. Hands-on activities using a variety of materials and experience with object research methods help Art Team members in their role as advocates for the museum during public events. In the summer, Art Team youth act as assistants at 1 5 inner-city Art in the Park programs sponsored collaboratively with the Parks and Recreation Board. " * Members are required to sign a 9-month contract to attend weekly classes (for which they are paid) at the museum during the academic year. Museum staff lead workshops that illustrate the role of art in the development of soci- eties and ideas. * * © Organization: Molly- Olga Neighborhood Art Classes Locust Street Neigh- borhood Art Classes I 38 Locust Street Buffalo, NY 14204 716-852-4562 Program: Tuition-Free Sequential Instruction Year Started: 1959 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: N/A Ages: 3-2 1 Budget: $ 1 1 ,000 Organization: Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit P.O. Box 09667 Detroit, Ml 48209 3 13-554-1422 Program: Youth Ensemble Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 75 Ages: 12-19 Budget: $ I 10,000 Over 35 years ago, some children in an inner-city neighborhood knocked on the door of a local artist, Molly Bethel, and asked her to teach them to paint. Any child, teen or adult who wants to develop painting skills can walk in off the street and register for begin- ning to advanced arts classes at MollyOlga Neigh- borhood Art Classes. Professional artists who grew up with this program work with all age groups in painting and drawing, clay (sculptural and pottery) and black-and-white photography. Weekly classes are offered year-round, with breaks in June and September. Special classes during the school day are provided for high-risk children from a local public school. Serious teen artists work independently in open studios, as well as during scheduled class time. Staff provide help with portfolios, applications to art schools and public exhibitions. An annual art show displays the most significant accomplishment of each student for that year. Respect for the children and their art, ease in enrollment, a consistent sched- ule of classes and a familiar group of faces offering instruction and support are central to the longevity and success of this program. Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit is a nationally acclaimed multicultural youth theater that develops young theater artists through training and performing. The program is divided into three specific areas. The Acting Company focuses on training the voice, body and imagination and on scriptwriting. The Technical Crew works on set design and construction, lighting design and operation and props management and costumes. The Music Group includes singers, song- writers and sound engineers, who write and perform all of the music for Mosaic productions. The 11 -month program engages youth 10 hours a week in the even- ings and on weekends and includes guest artist visits. Sundays are reserved for tutoring to help participants maintain the grade point average required to stay in the program. Each year, the Youth Ensemble tours Detroit-area schools with either an original play or an innovative version of a classic. Study guides and handbooks for teachers are developed for each perfor- mance. Mosaic's Youth Ensemble also performs at community centers, hospitals, nursing homes and special events. To further showcase the teens and the Ensemble-created production, Mosaic's Ensemble members participate in a 3-week tour of professional theaters. "Kids from different backgrounds and ages are put in a demanding atmosphere in which they learn how to respect each other. While working toward a shared goal, each member maintains his or her indi- viduality and unique cultural identity," says Managing Director Annette Madias. A new component of the program, a 1-week residency at a college campus, is familiarizing youth with college life. Madias reports that several of the teens are winning performing arts scholarships to attend college. (MS) Organization: MOTHEREAD, Inc. 3924 Browning Place Suite 7 Raleigh, NC 27609 9 1 9-78 1 -2088 Program: MOTHEREAD, Inc. Year Started: 1 987 Focus: Literature Youth Served: N/A Ages: N/A Budget: $320,000 Organization: Moving in the Spirit P.O.Box 17628 750 Glenwood Avenue, SE Atlanta, G A 30316 404-627-4304 Program: Stepping Stones, Apprentice Corporation Outreach Year Started: 1 986 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 275 Ages: 4- 1 9 Budget: $114,198 ^^B\ MOTHEREAD, Inc. is a national, pri- AL «-» ~^ | vate nonprofit organization that com- I u ' bines the teaching of literacy skills ^^^b^ with child development and family empowerment. MOTHEREAD designs and develops its curricula based on carefully chosen multicultural children's literature. The story is used to teach read- ing, writing, communication and critical thinking skills. Adults learn to be story readers, writers and tellers in a group structure that supports their own sense of worth and ability and encourages parents to be reading role models for their children. "Story- sharing" classes for children provide a structured environment to foster creative thinking, nurture a love of books and aid in developing comprehension skills. In partnership with the North Carolina Human- ities Council (NCHC), MOTHEREAD's training and technical assistance is provided to educators and family service professionals from a variety of agen- cies and locations. Through this partnership with NCHC, certified instructors currently are implement- ing MOTHEREAD's approach and curriculum in 54 of North Carolina's 100 counties, in 12 other states and in the Virgin Islands. For example, working with a variety of social service and education agencies, two of MOTHEREAD's afffiliates, the California Coun- cil for the Humanities and the Minnesota Humani- ties Commission, provide MOTHEREAD/FATHEREAD programs in their respective communities. In Wake County, North Carolina, the national office provides a variety of direct literacy services to parents and children in collaboration with departments of social services, health and corrections; the local school sys- tem; community-based agencies; local and county governments; child abuse prevention programs and preschool programs. rA'Mj I Moving in the Spirit (MITS) teaches WM I workplace values through dance. Two programs, Stepping Stones and Appren- tice Corporation Outreach, focus on teaching commitment, discipline and accountability through modern dance. Dance classes draw upon the messages of Martin Luther King, Jr. for inspiration. The young Stepping Stones dancers meet once a week during the school year at 10 centers through- out Atlanta. Dance classes operate around an incen- tive system that rewards participants with points for their efforts. In Apprentice Corporation Outreach, students sign job contracts pledging to be on time and to fulfill other responsibilities. Corps members audition for the program, which meets at least four times a week year-round. Public performances, which include dialogue with audience members, are taken on the road in a 3-week "Tour Explosion" to church- es, theaters, prisons and community centers. Both programs pay youth for their participation. Youth earn "MITS money" based on the number of points earned in the incentive system, and the money goes into make-believe checkbooks. The young dancers are able to use their money in the Moving in the Spirit Christmas store, which is supplied with dona- tions from individuals and local businesses. "Every day the dedicated dancers are taking on more of the organization's responsibilities and asking for addi- tions to the curriculum," reports Development Coor- dinator Lydia Pettigrew. @ Organization: Multicultural Educa- tion and Counseling Through the Arts 1900 Kane Street Houston, TX 77007 713-802-9370 Program: Multicultural Education and Counseling Through the Arts Year Started: 1 979 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 3,300 Ages: 5-2 1 Budget: $45 1 ,000 Organization: El Museo del Barrio 1230 5th Avenue New York, NY 10029 212-831-7272 Program: The Caring Program Year Started: 1 990 Focus: Visual Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 30 Ages: 8- 1 I Budget: $10,000 ^^K v With a view toward increasing the M vA m social and intellectual development of vSj^^^k Houston's inner-city youth through the '^ ^r arts, Multicultural Education and Coun- seling Through the Arts (MECA) works in partner- ship with public schools to provide arts education year-round. The activities expose youth to the arts with in-school, after-school and summer programs. Classes in ethnic art forms include mariachi, Mexi- can ballet folklorico, international ballet folklorico and Afro-Caribbean dance. Classical instruction in voice, instruments, modern dance and jazz, ballet and the- ater is offered as well, with students practicing up to 6 hours per week. Fees for classes are waived for about 75 percent of the participants, who perform community service instead — cleaning the organiza- tion's central facility or schools, creating public murals and helping with mailings. The center follows the school schedule, but is open all summer as well. A large part of MECA's programming involves support services for students, which include tutoring, a men- toring program, assistance with college applications, scholarships and a girls club for junior and senior high school students, as well as social services through agencies with satellite offices in the center. "The strength of our program is the comprehensive sup- port services we offer the children and the whole family," says Executive Director Alice Valdez. "If a child is having problems, we call in the whole family and get social service agencies involved." 5f>H For 25 years, El Museo del Barrio has worked to preserve and interpret Latin-Ameri- can cultural heritage for New York City residents. Changing demographics necessi- tated a shift in the kinds of programs offered by El Museo to meet the needs of New York City's Latino and African- American communities. Six years ago, El Museo began offering its constituents The Caring Program, which Columbia University's Child Psychi- atry Department created as a way to relieve stress in young patients. The Program provides collective art- making experiences and technical skills development to improve children's attitudes and self-image. The classes promote development of ethnic pride, problem solving and social involvement. In 10-week sessions throughout the school year, an artist-in-residence and a Columbia University mental health professional work together at El Museo to encourage children to examine the different social issues affecting their lives and to discuss mechanisms for coping with these problems. The artists transport the children from school to El Museo, where they work for 2M hours. Through art workshops, participants learn about the work of artists such as Frida Kahlo and Fernando Botero and explore issues such as the relationship of ecological survival to urban survival. At the end of the sessions, students' work is displayed at El Museo and at the University. <& Organization: The Music School P.O. Box 603038 Providence, Rl 02906 401-272-9877 Program: The Cultural Alternatives Program Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Music Youth Served: 400 Ages: 9- 1 4 Budget: $250,000 Organization: Neighborhood Music School 1 00 Audubon Street New Haven, CT 065 1 203-624-5189 Program: Hill Outreach Program Year Started: 1 976 Focus: Music Youth Served: 45 Ages: 7- 1 8 Budget: $35,000 ^^P^t The Music School's Cultural Alternatives ^jA ^^^ Program rntegrates arts and cultural m m W education with mentoring and training ^W3^^ in conflict resolution and substance and violence refusal methods. Classes and performances give students outlets through which to develop posi- tive attitudes about themselves and constructive risk- taking experiences. "The strength of the Program is its interconnectedness," says Executive Director Alan Fox. "There is a linkage among the different elements and a layering of activities that support each other. " Music and dance teachers, along with college men- tors from Brown University, Rhode Island College and Providence College, lead activities at public hous- ing sites, after-school programs, community centers and churches. The participants simultaneously receive training and supervision from the University of Rhode Island Teen Crime Prevention Program. Around 20 youth per site meet once a week for 1 or more hours over a 6- to 9-month period to develop their artistic skills and peer relations in preparation for performances, some of which address cultural identity or social issues. Participants perform for the community at New Year's Eve activities and at other neighborhood and community events. ^fW The Hill Outreach Program of the ^jA ^^^ Neighborhood Music School provides m ^ J W individual lessons in wind, brass and ^WO^^ percussion instruments to youth in one of New Haven's poorest communities. All classes are held at the Wesley United Methodist Church, a focal point of the community. In keeping with the School's philosophy of promoting ownership and responsibili- ty, all participants must contribute something to the cost of the lessons, even though it is sometimes as little as $2 per lesson. Classes are taught on Saturdays throughout the school year by professional artists, whose ethnic diversity reflects that of the participants. Ninety percent of the students return year after year to continue their lessons. Families participate by attending student recitals as well as parent/grand- parent support meetings that are scheduled during the year. Added benefits of the Program include opportunities to attend field trips and concerts free- of-charge and to participate in ensembles and a summer music camp at the School's main branch. ■ ■ Families participate by attend- ing student recitals as well as par- ent/grandparent support meetings that are scheduled during the 118 Organization: Nevada School of the Arts 3 I 5 S. 7th Street Las Vegas, NV 89 1 1 702-S98-2787 Program: Las Vegas Children's Choir Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Music Youth Served: 35 Ages: 10-14 Budget: $7,500 Organization: New Hampshire State Library 20 Park Street Concord, NH 03 301 603-271-2866 Program: Connections: The New Hampshire Reading Project Year Started: 1 990 Focus: Literature & History Youth Served: N/A Ages: 18-21 Budget: $50,000 ^^9^^ Once a week for 2 hours after school, ^T>^A low-income youth recruited from near- m ^^ W by local schools come to the Nevada ^^3^^ School of the Arts to practice a diverse repertoire of choral pieces. Youth are recommended to the program by their music teachers, who view this program as a high-quality choral experience. The School charges a nominal fee of $8 per semester for instruction by two choral teachers. Youth in the program present performances throughout the year, with a special performance on the Super Dave televi- sion show. "The kids are enthusiastic about the pro- gram, and they have learned how to cooperate as a group," explains Dr. Paul Hesselink, director. "The parents are supportive. . . .They come to performances. They bring and pick up their children. And, some- times, they even stay in the room during practice to observe." The Nevada School of the Arts also runs Chamber Music Ensembles for youth living in isolat- ed, rural areas of the state and provides Suzuki violin instruction in English and Spanish for youth. The New Hampshire State Library's Connections Reading Project is a book discussion program that encourages family reading, literacy and continued use of state libraries. Participants include single par- ents, teens, school dropouts and new immigrants, all of whom are adult new readers and many of whom are parents and grandparents. When new readers enter the program, they receive books, get a library card and meet the librarian, who gives them a tour of the library and introduces them to staff. Working with tutors, participants read six to nine selections from picture and short story books related to a com- mon theme, such as courage, home, justice, friend- ship, New England history, journeys or autobio- graphy. Two-hour monthly book discussions at the local libraries during the school year bring together students and humanities scholars to explore the literature. Eighteen scholars travel throughout the state, remaining with a group for a 4-month session. Participants may join the program again at the next session. Connections Project Director Christie Sarles reports that 75 percent of the tutors believe the program improves students' reading skills, word recognition and comprehension; 100 percent of the librarians say participants return to the library after attending the program; and 46 percent of the parti- cipants report Connections changes how they feel about libraries. "The program is making local ties between the tutorial coordinators and librarians," notes Sarles. "Students, librarians and discussion leaders all want to continue participating." © Organization: New Jersey Council for the Humanities 28 W. State Street 6th Floor Trenton, Nj 08608 609-695-4838 Program: People and Stories/Gente y Cuentos Year Started: 1 970 Focus: Literature Youth Served: I 30 Ages: 15-21 Budget: N/A Organization: New York State Museum 2003 Cultural Education Center Albany, NY 12230 518-474-1569 Program: New York State Museum Club Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 68 Ages: 8- 1 4 Budget: $95,000 ^0t^f^ People and Stones/Gen te y Cuentos m *-* ^ 1 was developed to use literature to Bl L ' accomplish several goals with partici- ^^^^^ pants: to increase their self-worth, to develop their critical thinking skills and, ultimately, to change their relationship to the world. The New Jersey Council for the Humanities runs approximately 30 programs a year at senior citizen centers, prisons, libraries, homeless shelters and community centers. Some of the sessions are organized for youth, and oth- ers include youth in multigenerational programs. The sessions are made up of 90-minute classes held once a week for 8 weeks. At each session, highly trained program coordinators read aloud a short story by a renowned writer. After the story is read, the coordi- nators ask questions that focus specifically on the poetic texture of the short story. The program is unique because it asks participants to focus on the literature — not only on reading skills. The result is that participants who do not think of themselves and each other as capable of speaking intelligently about literature find themselves discussing complex ideas. Participants bring their own life experiences into the discussions and begin to see their lives in a dif- ferent way. "The program breaks down stereotypes by showing common experience through literature," explains Georgia Whidden at the New Jersey Coun- cil for the Humanities. "Participants discover that they have the ability to communicate about litera- ture and controversial issues, which increases their self-confidence. We find that people enrolled in this program will go on afterwards to join a GED [gen- eral equivalency diploma] or English-as-a-Second- Language program, which they would not have felt comfortable doing before." ^£ V ^^^^ The Museum Club at the M W^ M " : ^ New York State Museum ^H^fllL t™ wM W is a free, educational after- "^B ^^ ■■■ school program for Albany children between the ages of 8 and 14. Daily programs incorporate art, science, history and math and use Museum exhibits, the school curricula of participat- ing students and current events. A tutor is available daily to help with school homework assignments. There are always two projects going on simultane- ously, one of which is focused on the arts. Arts-based projects are diverse in nature: Artists-in-residence worked with Club members to create masks and paintings for a local art gallery; children created a quilt exhibition shown in conjunction with the dis- play of the NAMES Project AIDS Memorial Quilt; and students made wooden puppets and created poetry and rap related to archaeological digs. This program builds on children's initial attraction to the Museum, encourages their curiosity and provides a special safe "home" for participants. The program anticipates expanding to provide opportunities for older teens. Organization: Oakland Program: Oakland Youth Chorus 2619 Broadway Oakland, CA 946 1 2 5 1 0-287-9700 Youth Chorus Year Started: 1 976 Focus: Music Youth Served: 1 20 Ages: 14-21 Budget: N/A Organization: Ohio Arts Council 727 E. Main Street Columbus, OH 43205 614-466-2613 Program: Coordinated Arts Program Year Started: 1993 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 3,500 Ages: 1-19 Budget: $ I 50,000 ^^f^^ Twice a week after school for 2 hours, ^jA fl^ youth from diverse cultural backgrounds M m M come together to perform a repertoire ^^3^^ representative of their backgrounds. The Oakland Youth Chorus comprises four ensembles, from beginning to pre-professional levels. Approx- imately 65 percent of the singers are from economi- cally disadvantaged homes. The choral classes are free, but the curriculum is highly disciplined and demanding. If students miss a class, they are required to make it up. If they are behind or having trouble, they are expected to come in for extra help. Despite the demands, youth stay for an average of 5 years. "We have created a successful model that makes it possible for youth of different classes and cultural backgrounds to work together and produce high- quality work. We also provide a positive peer envi- ronment that encourages excellence in all areas of their lives and gives them a safe after-school alterna- tive," comments Kim Cook, director of the Chorus. The Chorus performs full-length concerts in December, March and May and 30-40 shorter performances throughout the year at parties and festivals. The artistic director and two conductors choose the pieces that youth perform. Some of the music is composed by participants. The program uses music as a way to educate youth about their culture. Guest artists are invited to the Chorus throughout the year to offer special workshops. For example, a graphic designer taught several participants with an interest in visual arts how to design and produce the flyers for promot- ing the performances. ^^K v The Ohio Arts Council, working with M vA m the Greater Cleveland Neighborhood v^^^k ▼ Centers Association, instituted the *^B ^^ Coordinated Arts Program (CAP) to enrich the lives of residents and make a lasting impact on 14 neighborhood centers. In the 3 years since its inception, CAP has met these goals through flexible, cultural-based arts activities and through close coor- dination between the CAP staff and the staff of the neighborhood centers. Youth programs are offered in instrumental and vocal music, modern dance, African dance, African and Afro-Cuban drumming, woodcarving and theater. Similar programs are offer- ed to seniors, who also share their life experiences through oral history projects. Classes are held at various times throughout the day for 1 to 2 hours, Monday through Saturday, October through June, enabling participants to attend easily. Summer class- es, tuition-based because of grant limitations, are available and draw regular attendance. The cities of Toronto and New York have used the Coordinated Arts Program as a model for similar programs. ® Organization: OneArt P.O. Box 558555 Miami, FL 33255 305-279-5373 Program: Kids Off Streets Year Started: 1 979 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 125 Ages: 9- 1 6 Budget: N/A Organization: Opera Theatre of St. Louis P.O.Box 1 91910 St. Louis, MO 631 19 314-961-0171 Program: Artists-in-Training Year Started: 1 990 Focus: Music Youth Served: I 5 Ages: 15-18 Budget: $56,000 ^^K v OneArt is a nonprofit cultural and edu- M vA » cational organization whose primary ^Vjfl^ focus is to provide free access to cultural "^B ^^ programming for underprivileged chil- dren living in high-risk communities in Miami. Five days a week, the Kids Off Streets program provides youth with a variety of free after-school classes at schools and at the OneArt studio. The school-based program is focused primarily on dance. A former Joffrey and American Ballet Theatre dancer leads classes using contemporary music and traditional dance forms. The dance program acts as a feeder to the studio program, where participants work indi- vidually and in groups with artists on painting, pho- tography, drama and dance projects. Monthly student exhibitions and performances coincide with neigh- borhood gallery openings held regularly on the second Friday of every month. "At OneArt, we are dedicated to crime prevention by fighting crime before it even begins," says Executive Director Alexander Prado. "Get children interested in the arts at an early age, and the love of learning develops a sense of pride and skills." OneArt is building a 12,000-square-foot center, which will allow the organization to include programming in music, photography, filmmaking, computer training, tutoring, college counseling, work experience and more. ■ ■ At OneArt, we are dedicated to crime prevention by fighting crime before it even begins. * * Alexander Prado -Executive Director ^^|^^ Designed to discover and nurture vocal ^fA^^^ talent in urban high schools, Artists- m m M in-Training (AIT) was launched as an ^W3^^ experiment 6 years ago by the Opera Theatre of St. Louis in partnership with the Monsan- to Fund and the St. Louis public schools. It is now a thriving, permanent project. Although many young singers belong to school and church choirs, only a handful have experienced opera or had access to the kind of vocal training that might lead to a career in classical music. Through the AIT program, students attend half-hour weekly lessons; two separate, inten- sive, week-long master classes with well-known vis- iting professional artists; a fall weekend planning retreat; numerous extracurricular concerts; field trips and Opera Theatre performances. The year ends with a public recital and a competition for scholarship awards judged by nationally recognized artists. These scholar- ships help students pre- pare for auditions and pay for college. Recently, a pre-college institute was added to the program to reinforce a focus on academics and expose teens to college life. One hundred percent of AIT participants have finished high school; 55 percent are currently in college (many of them vocal performance or music education majors); and 30 percent are still studying voice. Some have been invited to work with nation- ally known teachers. (m) Organization: Pacific News Service 450 Mission Room 204 San Francisco, CA 94105 415-243-4364 Program: YOi (Youth Outlook) Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Media Youth Served: 360 Ages: 1 5-2 1 Budget: N/A Organization: Pacific Northwest Ballet 301 Mercer Street Seattle, WA 98 1 09 206-44 1 -94 1 I Program: DanceChance Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 55 Ages: 7-8 Budget: $60,000 The Pacific News Service, a national print and electronic media news service, created YO! (Youth Outlook), an organi- zation that provides a diverse constit- uency of young people with a medium through which to express their views. The organization produces a newspaper, YO! (Youth Outlook). Many of the youth working on YO! are from disadvantaged families; some are living on their own because of problems at home. Through weekly articles in the San Francisco Examiner and its own bimonthly newspaper, YO! participants give voice to the critical issues facing young people today. Youth new to the program meet with writers and editors from the Pacific News Ser- vice to develop story ideas based on their own life experiences. With a core group of teen staff writers and a larger group of free-lance writers, youth meet weekly to determine the paper's content, make assign- ments and get updates on stories in progress. Writers are paid for their stories, and program participation includes lunches and workshops with working print and radio journalists, Freedom Forum representatives and peers in local high schools. A fiction workshop meets regularly, and fiction often is included in the newspaper. The newspaper, YO!, is distributed free in schools and youth centers. ■ ' Through weekly articles in the San Francisco Examiner and its own bimonthly newspaper, YO! participants give voice to the critical issues facing young people today. * * FWM| I DanceChance brings the world of dance I to selected third grade students in Seat- tle. The program focuses on low-income, inner-city children who would not other- wise have access to dance instruction because of the cost, transportation difficulties or lack of exposure. Working with 12 central-city schools, the Pacific Northwest Ballet (PNB) screens children each Octo- ber to identify those with physical ability, musicality and interest and transports them to the Pacific North- west Ballet school facility for twice-weekly classes. After a 5-week session, students who show promise and interest are invited to return for a 20-week spring semester. PNB provides tuition-free instruction, dancewear, supplies and tickets to performances. The program incorporates a variety of fitness oppor- tunities, from toning, yoga and Russian folk dance to instruction in classical ballet. Students can remain in this program for up to 2 years, after which promising students are mainstreamed into the training school of the Ballet Company to continue on full scholarship. "These are the kind of life-training experiences that carry children through," according to Larry Jacobs, principal at ORCA Elementary School. Reflecting on one of his students in the program, Jacobs says that "even if he stopped right now, he will have this memory and vision of possibilities for himself for the rest of his life." ® Organization: PAKT — Parishes Associated on Kinloch Team, Inc. 8301 Booker Avenue Kinloch, MO 63140 314-524-2710 Program: Color Me Bright Year Started: 1 993 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 77 Ages: 8- 1 I Budget: $2 1,999 Organization: Pennsylvania Prison Society 2000 Spring Garden Street Philadelphia, PA 19130 215-564-6005 ext. 7923 Program: Arts and Humanities Program- Youth Arts Program Year Started: 1985 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 30 Ages: 12-17 Budget: $30,000 Parishes Associated on Kinloch Team, Inc. (PAKT) is a full-service community resource center in the Kinloch commu- nity and one of the sites for the Color Me Bright program, funded by the St. Louis Regional Arts Commission. Color Me Bright is a year-round fine arts program. Once a week after school, two art teachers from the public school system teach paint- ing, sculpture and drawing to a group of 25 youth. A tutorial program is available to encourage students to maintain a B average in school. Those who do are honored annually at PAKT's Student Recognition Night, where youth exhibit their artwork "gallery style." To ensure maximum attendance, children are provided with transportation to the center. In the summer, youth participate in PAKT's Summer Day Camp. One day per week, the children, their families and the whole community are invited to PAKT's Multicultural Day activity. This interactive arts program spotlights various cultures and nation- alities to promote cooperation with, tolerance for and understanding among different ethnic groups. ^^K v Youth on probation at the Friends M WA m Neighborhood Guild in Philadelphia v^^^k ▼ P u t their creativity and ingenuity to "^B ^r~ work last year writing and illustrating a comic book. Over 20 weeks, participants learned about all of the elements involved in creating a story, read and discussed different comic books, studied how illustrations tell a story and then created their own comic book. During the course of the project, guest artists (cartoonists, storytellers and writers) from similar cultural backgrounds came to discuss their craft and their lives with participants. The artists also spoke about living by values other than material ones. Two other projects resulted in a rap music tape and an anthology of stories. Both involved a similar process of analyzing the structure of the craft, talk- ing with guest artists about their work and then cre- ating pieces. "Our interdisciplinary approach has shown the kids that they are capable of doing things that they once thought were impossible. Also, that they can be excited about subjects they had never been interested in before, like writing, reading and history," says Homer Jackson, project director. ■ ■ Our interdisciplinary approach has shown the kids that they are capable of doing things that they once thought were impossible. * * Homer Jackson -Project Director Organization: The People's Light and Theater Company 39 Conestoga Road Malvern, PA 19355-1798 610-647-1900 Program: New Voices Ensemble Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 50 Ages: 8- 1 8 Budget: $179,350 Organization: The People's Music School 93 I W. Eastwood Chicago, IL 60640 312-784-7032 Program: The People's Music School Year Started: 1 976 Focus: Music Youth Served: 200 Ages: 5- 1 2 Budget: $ 1 60,000 In the spring of 1996, 20 teens from Chester, a low-income community in Pennsylvania, will graduate from high school with 6 years of professional the- ater experience. The People's Light and Theater Company reached out to these youth in sixth grade, called them "New Voices" and made a commitment to work with them to create plays together (writing, improvising, rehearsing and performing) until they graduated from high school. New Voices meets year-round, after school and almost all summer, with daily schedules when they are in production. Space is provided by Swarthmore College, and Swarthmore College students write plays for New Voices. The Swarthmore students can get college credit for their work. Last year, People's Light formed Younger Voices, an ensemble made up of the younger siblings of New Voices' members. Younger Voices meets week- ly. The key to long-term participation by youth is the availability of transportation and paid summer employment. Abigail Adams, the Company's co- artistic director, reports that youth have learned the disciplines of theater and are demonstrating greater powers of concentration as well as exhibit- ing increased commitment and greater acceptance of responsibility. ^^0^^ Inspired by the free music education ^f^^^^k she received as a child in the Domini- m ^ J W can Republic, Dr. Rita Simo, a former ^W3^^ concert pianist, started The People's Music School in the Uptown neighborhood of Chica- go. Two hundred students per term, ranging in age from 5 to 76, though mostly between 5 and 12, come to The School for free weekly private music lessons and weekly music theory classes. Students' develop- ment is tracked by the instructor, with an evaluation conducted at the end of each semester. The School also offers master classes, a variety of ensembles and performance opportunities. In exchange, students volunteer at The School, performing clerical, clean- ing or other types of work for 2 hours every other month. "What we are doing is letting students dis- cover their self- worth through their love of music," Simo states. ■ ' What we are doing is letting students discover their self-worth through their love of music. * * Dr. Rita Simo -Founder © Organization: Pittsburgh Playback Theatre 2770 Fernwald Road Pittsburgh, PA 15217 412-521-0444 Program: Pittsburgh Playback Theatre: Hosanna House Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 60 Ages: 12-17 Budget: $45,000 Organization: Plaza de la Raza 3540 N. Mission Road Los Angeles, CA 9003 1-1935 213-223-2475 Program: The School off Performing and Visual Arts Year Started: 1975 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 600 Ages: 5-2 1 Budget: N/A In Pittsburgh Playback Theatre produc- tions, "There is not just a script but a sharing of lives," says Executive Director Roni Ostfield about her improvisational performance company. The roving theater troupe, in operation since 1988, visits various sites, including Hosanna House in Wilkensburg, Pennsylvania, where professional actors are in their fourth year of engaging neighborhood teenagers as playwrights and actors. The interactive theater process has a therapeutic and entertaining format that allows participants to drama- tize issues such as peer pressure, drug and alcohol abuse, dysfunctional families and sexuality. "Partici- pants' sensitivities and perceptions are heightened, enabling them to gain insights into the causes of, and solutions to, the problems dramatized," explains Ostfield. Wilkensburg youth, meeting once a week for 2 to 3 hours, become storytellers and learn to do "playback" by acting out each other's stories. Train- ing is followed by preparation of a performance for schools and community groups. "This gives the kids something to give back to others and helps improve communication skills," notes Ostfield. ^^R v Situated in the heart of East Los Ange- M vA m les, Plaza de la Raza is the only multi- ^^^A * disciplinary cultural arts center serving ^^1 ^^ Latinos in Los Angeles. Many of the youth who come to the center are from low-income families. All workshops are ongoing on a 10-week schedule, either for free or for a nominal fee. One of the programs offered by Plaza de la Raza is The School of Performing and Visual Arts. It provides performing and visual arts classes after school and on Saturdays for participants from the surrounding neighborhood. Classes operate on a semester system and range from 2 to 4 hours in duration. Youth pay a $15 registration fee for participation in some 25 differ- ent classes. The School uses Latino instructors who serve as both teachers and role models for young people. In addition, The School offers The Community Arts Partnership program that pairs youth with art students from the California Institute for the Arts in one-on-one arts programs, held free-of-charge at community centers throughout Los Angeles. Students receive advanced training in such disciplines as gui- tar, salsa, jazz and theater. In the Young Playwrights Project, an artist-in-residence conducts a 10-week playwriting project for young people. Participants develop original plays, which are then presented in stage readings and at an annual production. Students draw upon mythology, dreams and personal experi- ences to create these plays. Organization: Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center 348 Precita Avenue San Francisco, CA 941 10 415-648-3224 Program: Urban Youth Arts and Mural Workshops Year Started: 1985 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 50 Ages: 11-19 Budget: $5,000 Organization: El Puente 2 1 I S. 4th Street Brooklyn, NY I 1 2 1 I 718-387-0404 Program: Leadership Center Year Started: 1 982 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 500 Ages: I 1-25 Budget: N/A Some of San Francisco's most neglected youth are developing their own styles and modes of expression through the Urban Youth Arts and Mural Workshops of the Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center. Artist-led classes on the development of new alphabet styles and mural art are offered. Participants create wall murals and paintings, using spray paint and airbrush, as well as more traditional techniques, with older children who have had experience in the pro- gram helping the younger ones. Many participants include their poetry, words and phrases in their murals. The drop-in classes take place 2 evenings a week at two storefront studios run by the Center. Sat- urday morning and afternoon classes were added for girls who felt uncomfortable at the evening classes, attended primarily by male youth. These Saturday classes now include male youth, thus helping to bridge the gender gap. The Center also has art classes for children of preschool and elementary school age. Through on-site projects, an additional 300 children and youth are reached each year. ^^K v Located in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, in A vA m one of the poorest Latino communities vjj^^^ ▼ in New York State, El Puente Leadership ■^^ ^^ Center is a community center serving primarily young people and their families. The Center has a membership after-school and weekend program that promotes mastery through rigorous participation requirements. Young people attain permanent mem- bership after an introductory period, during which they learn and experience El Puente 's 12 principles and their life applications, audit classes and meet with their peer facilitators and adult mentors. Having made a commitment, members can pursue a wide range of artistic interests such as study in dance, drama, music, videography and visual arts, including mural painting, under the guidance of accomplished artists. El Puente staff develop individualized plans with participants that focus not only on the arts, but also on educational, vocational, personal and social issues. El Puente houses resident performing compa- nies comprising trained young artists from the pro- gram and provides a stage for visiting local, national and international companies and artists. El Puente's model for youth and community development is being replicated through a growing national association that presently includes three New York centers, two centers in Massachusetts and a center in formation in San Diego, California. In 1983, in a partnership with the New York City Board of Education and the New York City Fund for Public Education, El Puente opened its own public high school, El Puente Acade- my for Peace and Justice. © Organization: La Quinta Arts Foundation P.O. Box 777 78-080 Avenida La Fonda La Quinta, CA 92253 619-564-1244 Program: Youth Art Works Educational Out- reach Program Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Visual Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 1 2 Ages: 16-21 Budget: $20,000 Organization: Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families, Rise & Shine Productions 300 W. 43 rd Street New York, NY 10036 212-265-5909 Program: The Real Deal Year Started: 1985 Focus: Media & Video Youth Served: 1,000 Ages: 1-21 Budget: $200,000 *>H Riders on the Bear Creek Bike Path know that they will be able to find water, shade and a place to sit at the rest stops along the way. What they may not know is that the rest stops, which function as public art pieces as well, are designed and constructed by youth. These rest stops are a result of La Quinta Arts Foundation's Youth Art Works Educational Outreach Program. Through Youth Art Works, at-risk youth play a positive role in community development by creating public artworks. La Quinta Arts Foundation, with assist- ance from local social service agencies and school districts, recruits, trains and pays young people to assist in the research, design and construction of pro- jects. Professional artists and qualified youth leaders coordinate and supervise these projects. Young peo- ple working on the Bear Creek project interviewed community residents, researched the history of the Coachella Valley and invited speakers from the local community college and museum to present informa- tion at local town meetings. The group was assisted by a nationally recognized artist who was hired as an artist-in-residence to mentor the local artist working with the youth. At each stage of development, youth presented their plans to residents. "This project's greatest strength is its inclusiveness," remarks Carolyn Frances Lair, former director of La Quinta. "Through their research and extensive discussions with long- time residents, youth have developed a real sense of pride in their community and their roots, and adults are beginning to appreciate the contribution young people can make through the arts," adds Lair. In part- nership with a Boys and Girls Club, a YMCA and a housing coalition, La Quinta also runs a Young at Art program to bring children discipline-based arts training. Rise & Shine Productions is the media literacy pro- gram of Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families, a multiservice youth organization. Rise & Shine creates opportunities for young people to develop communication, reading, artistic and leadership skills. The program started as a drop-out prevention program to motivate children to go to class and improve their academic performance through poetry writing, performance, scriptwriting and video pro- duction. Today, through The Real Deal, teens from diverse communities come together to produce their own cable TV program and independent videos on race relations, violence, drugs, materialism and the power of media. The teen production company mem- bers meet after school and during the summer and are paid for their work. Once they have selected a theme for a piece, they form production units to create the work. The cable show provides a regular venue for the work of Rise & Shine. Teens also return to the parks and neighborhoods where the videos were made to show them to the people involved and to discuss the content. Videos are screened national- ly and are recognized widely for their quality and authenticity. The program reports a substantial impact on participants, with gains in school attendance rates, mainstreaming of special education and English-as- a-Second-Language students and college placement for many participants. Organization: ROCA, Inc. 1 48 Washington Avenue Chelsea, MA 02 1 50 617-889-5210 Program: ROCA Chelsea, ROCA Revere Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1 50 Ages: 12-21 Budget: $150,000 Organization: Sacramento Metropol- itan Arts Commission 800 1 0th Street Suite I Sacramento, CA 95814 916-264-5558 Program: Late Night Sacramento Year Started: 1993 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 200 Ages: 13-18 Budget: $15,000 ^^D v ROCA, Inc. operates two innovative M K4 M youth and community development v^^^k ▼ programs in Chelsea and Revere, '^l ^^ Massachusetts, two of the smallest and poorest cities in the state. Through a combina- tion of interdisciplinary arts and recreational activi- ties, health programs, educational and vocational programs, street outreach, leadership skills training and community organizing, ROCA, Inc.'s youth devel- opment programs teach young people how to be leaders in their own lives as well as in the commu- nity. Arts programs are free, multilingual (English, Spanish and Khmer) and fully integrated into other programming. Classes are offered in African textiles, Cambodian and Latin dance, painting, video, theater, hip-hop dance, clay and more. Classes are held for a 1- to 2-hour period on a trimester schedule and are taught by professional artists and peer leaders who have apprenticed with professionals. The classes also are attended by youth trainers who provide instruction in leadership and health promotion in the context of the arts program. Additionally, ROCA, Inc.'s health peer leaders and community service programs utilize the arts to deliver messages through theater/discussion presentations, videos and visual arts projects. All participants are required to perform community service during the semester. At the end of each semester, youth present art exhibitions and performances to the community free-of-charge. Ac- cording to program administrators, these events and activities are helping young people gain the skills and experiences needed to make constructive choices about their lives. They are staying in school, going on to college, demonstrating better coping skills and making a difference in their communities. ^^B v Recognizing that not everyone is inter- M vA m ested in basketball, the Sacramento v5/^^^ ' Metropolitan Arts Commission (SMAC) "^B ^^ initiated an arts alternative to Sacra- mento's Friday Night Basketball program. Working with the Police Athletic League, the City Council, the Parks and Recreation Department and Neighbor- hood Services, SMAC developed Late Night Sacra- mento, a Friday night drop-in program in the arts held at six area high schools. Artists are recruited by SMAC to submit proposals for the workshops. Projects all work toward the creation of a product for exhibition or a performance. Students drop by the schools between 7:00 p.m. and midnight, between March and September for activities such as the production of a poetry anthology and the creation of murals, street dances and musical compositions. Late Night Sacramento provides a safe place where teens can discover the arts. As one Late Night partic- ipant suggested, "This is the first place I've come to where there is no trouble. I can enjoy myself without feeling like I'm going to get into trouble myself." SMAC also runs a Healthy Start after-school program with an arts component for low-income children ages 9 to 12 and The Neighborhood Arts Program, an artist-in-residence program that takes place at a variety of community sites. Organization: San Diego Symphony Community Music Center 1 8 1 6 3 I st Street San Diego, CA 92 1 02 619-696-7535 Program: San Diego Symphony Community Music Center Year Started: 1993 Focus: Music Youth Served: 58 Ages: 10-12 Budget: $33,000 Organization: San Francisco Arts Commission 25 Van Ness, Suite 240 San Francisco, CA 94102 415-252-2546 Program: WritersCorps Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Creative Writing & Literature Youth Served: 750 Ages: 7-2 1 Budget: $307,000 j^^t^^ In an effort to open doors for local com- ^jA^^^k munity youth, the San Diego Symphony m m W Community Music Center, in conjunc- ^^3^^ tion with a committee of school princi- pals, neighborhood groups, community centers, Latino organizations and parent organizations, designed a program to provide music instruction to students from schools serving a high percentage of low-income families. Youth attend after-school classes three times a week at one of the participating elementary schools and receive instruction in violin, guitar and brass, wind and percussion instruments. After completion of the 2-year program, students are allowed to keep their instruments, which enables them to participate in their junior high school band or a newly develop- ing orchestra of program graduates. "Seventy-five percent of the program participants are still playing their instruments," reports Director Joseph E. Barry. "The music is raising the aspirations of the kids and giving them a sense of belonging to society." ■ ■ The music is raising the aspira- tions of the kids and giving them a sense of belonging to society. * * Joseph E. Barry -Director I V ^0^^^. ^ e ^ an Francisco Arts ^ I^Sfl ""■ ^* I Commission, along with ■ *■ ^H I - i ^ i -. local agencies in New York WvBBf^^S^ and Washington, DC, is carrying out a national service initiative, the Writers- Corp, funded by the National Endowment for the Arts, the Corporation for National and Community Service and the Associated Writing Programs. While all WritersCorps sites serve under-served people, only the San Francisco program focuses exclusively on youth. Created to give urban youth a sense of identi- ty through literary arts, WritersCorps in San Francis- co is a multicultural community effort. Local writers are recruited to work 25-40 hours a week for up to 1 year in schools, youth centers, public housing and other venues serving at-risk youth. Corps members receive up to 200 hours of training in teaching liter- ature, arts administration, conflict resolution and service learning. The writers either add a writing component to existing programs or create a writing program that meets the particular needs of the site. Participants learn about different kinds of writing and produce their own fiction and nonfiction, includ- ing poetry, prose and performance scripts. Young writers share their work with each other and talk about ideas for new writing projects. Participants stage public readings, make books and submit their work for publication. Jointly, the sites have published 15 books. The San Francisco Arts Commission is working toward decentralizing administration of the WritersCorps and placing the program in the hands of local community organizations. Organization: San Francisco Shakespeare Festival P.O. Box $ 90479 San Francisco, CA 94159-0479 415-666-2222 Program: Midnight Shakespeare Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 1,200 Ages: 15-19 Budget: $ 1 20,000 Organization: Sankofa Kuumba Cultural Arts Consortium 89 Willow Brook Road Cromwell, CT 06416 203-635-0725 Program: After-School and Summer Arts Program Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Dance & Music Youth Served: 500 Ages: 8-2 1 Budget: $74,000 The San Francisco Shakespeare Festival is using Shakespeare to break down barriers. Working with the Department of Parks and Recreation, social service agencies and civic agencies, the Festival's Midnight Shakespeare program engages young people by mak- ing theater and Shakespeare accessible. Working with Festival artists at various community sites, includ- ing YMCAs, Boys and Girls Clubs, community cen- ters and prisons, participants meet twice weekly for 6 weeks to learn scenes from Shakespeare's plays, work on sets and costumes and prepare for a final public performance. The success of the program has led to its expansion into 16 California cities. "There has been an overwhelmingly enthusiastic response from the social service agencies," reports Executive Director Bobby Winston. "The Mexican-American Community Services Agency told us it had a 90 per- cent retention rate for the Midnight Shakespeare program, while its other programs usually only have a 60 percent rate." ■ * There has been an overwhelm- ingly enthusiastic response from the social service agencies. * * Bobby Winston -Executive Director Sankofa Kuumba Cultural Arts Consortium offers young street people the chance to develop their cultural aware- ness through traditional African dance and drum- ming. The After-School and Summer Arts Program provides children with a familylike setting and a place to belong. Workshops are held twice a week for 3V2 hours during the school year and daily in the summer at the executive director's home. Before participating in classes, youth must sign a contract affirming that they understand what is expected of them. They are then integrated into a pre-existing group of dancers and drummers. The Program also focuses on life skills and how to use the arts to earn a living. Business, writing, computer and marketing skills are emphasized. "Youth are coming to under- stand what society is about and what choices they have," says Executive Director Christine Dixon. "They are gaining a greater understanding of their culture and community and are seeing job possibili- ties." Mothers and grandmothers of participants serve as volunteers and, in addition to assisting, share their life experiences. 131 Organization: Sarasota Ballet of Florida P.O. Box 49094 Sarasota, FL 34230 94I-3S9-077I Program: Dance— The Next Generation Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 1 00 Ages: 9- 1 6 Budget: $ 1 20,000 Organization: Settle- ment Music School 416 Queen Street Philadelphia, PA 19147 215-336-0400 Program: Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrich- ment Program Year Started: 1 990 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 60 Ages: 2-6 Budget: $500,000 rWPH I Dance — The Next Generation provides I full scholarships in dance for economi- cally disadvantaged and/or at-risk chil- dren. Third grade children from targeted schools are accepted into the program annually. Classes are held twice a week initially and increase to three and four times each week as the students progress. All children participate in The Nutcracker, and older students have small roles in such major productions as Sleeping Beauty and Swan Lake. Using the discipline of dance as a catalyst for behavior modification, the program emphasizes hard work and confidence building. The program provides children with opportunities to excel and to experience a sense of accomplishment. Many who enter the program with poor grades and discipline problems develop into honor roll students; four students have a 4.0 grade point average. "Perhaps more importantly, they develop self-esteem and interpersonal skills that help them overcome confrontational situations with their peers and adults, including teachers," says Jennifer Gemmeke, director of education. Instruction, dancewear, shoes and transportation are provided by the Ballet at no cost to the families. A key service of this program is the transportation provided from school to the dance classes. Family participation is encouraged in Saturday morning workshops, where such subjects as the history of dance, social etiquette and nutrition are taught. The program is held in conjunction with the University of South Florida. Students who complete the 7 years successfully are guaranteed scholarships to the University to pursue a degree of their choice. Big Brothers/Big Sisters provide mentors for the children. ^^K V "Anyone walking into the Settlement M W\ m Music School would think that this is a ^5M^ regular, high-quality preschool program," "^ ^^ says Director and composer Robert Capanna. In fact, the Program serves South Philadel- phia children who live in a housing project across the street from the 87-year-old Music School. One impe- tus for starting the Program was the fact that the School was empty during the morning hours. Work- ing with a faculty of professional artists with train- ing in early childhood education, six to nine times a week small groups of children go to the arts studios to explore concepts that cut across the arts: pattern, change, repetition and extremes. They also are taught specific skills, such as in music: keeping a steady beat, staying on pitch, recognizing rudi- mentary notation and understanding the proper physical approach to an instrument. To reinforce preschool learning, children's parents or guardians are required to attend five hour- long parenting seminars each semester. A 3-year Program evaluation reveals that children have made gains in cognitive and language development above and beyond those evidenced in a control group of preschoolers without the arts-enriched curriculum. The Settlement Music School also runs an arts in early childhood teacher training institute and an arts-focused after-school program, as well as a com- prehensive community-based program at five branch locations that serves 7,000 students. (3) Organization: 7 Stages Theater I 105 Euclid Avenue Atlanta, G A 30307 404-522-091 I Program: Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 3 I Ages: 7-20 Budget: $42,000 Organization: SHAPE Community Center 3815 Live Oak Easton, TX 77004 713-521-0629 Program: Family Strengthening and Empowerment Program Year Started: 1 969 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 80 Ages: 5- 1 6 Budget: $240,000 ^^R v Georgia native and theater professional M WA m Freddie Hendricks started his African- ^W^^A ' American youth theater company in , ^( ^P an effort to engage youth constructively. The Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta uses theater to help young people explore and express their feelings about the world within them and the world around them. Students audition to join the Ensemble, but admission is based on attitude and potential, rather than demonstrated talent. Working at the 7 Stages Theater on Saturdays throughout the year, and on additional days during the summer, participants attend workshops in theater, dance and music. Using their own words, young people write a script on such issues as child abuse, drugs and youth empowerment. The Ensemble tours its play during the school year to standing-room-only crowds at schools and community venues. "The students are extremely dedicated, and many have stayed with the program the entire 5 years it's been in existence," reports Managing Director Debi Frye-Barber. "It was very emotional for many of them when they had to leave the program to attend college." As a result, the youth theater company is training participants in management and is encouraging them to study arts administration or arts law so that they can return and run the Ensemble. ^^B v ^^^. One of the first programs M WA vf ^ developed and implemented ^ A ▼« m W by the SHAPE Community "^| ^P"" aBv Center was the After-School Program. Created in 1969 as a homework assistance and tutorial activity, the After-School Program has become the current Family Strengthening and Em- powerment Program (FSEP). This cultural Program aims to build self-esteem and pride and to give par- ticipants the courage and skills to accomplish their goals. As part of a strategy to help children and their families succeed, FSEP offers classes in African dance, music, art, crafts, storytelling, dramatic inter- pretation (poetry public speaking, theater arts) and foreign languages (including Swahili and other lan- guages of Africa), as well as African and African- American history. Classes are held every day after school from 3:15 p.m. to 5:45 p.m. Field trips to art galleries, plays, businesses owned and/or operated by African Americans and points of interest in the Houston African-American pommunity also are part of the Program. When needed, families receive coun- seling services, housing and referrals to other services. "The Program is helping create more functional fami- lies in which members are able to resolve problems better, where kids feel they have support from their parents and are able to participate in school better, " reports Executive Director Deloyd Parker. "Youth are broadening their worldview and are recognizing there are things beyond their community to which they can be connected." © Organization: Soapstone P.O.Box 370219 Decatur, GA 30037-0219 404-241-2453 Program: After School Arts Program/ Summer Arts Camp Year Started: 1 979 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 1 20 Ages: 5-16 Budget: N/A Organization: Program: Somerville Community The Mirror Project Access Television Year Started: 1 992 90 Union Square Focus: Media & Video Somerville, MA 02 1 43 Youth Served: 80 6 1 7-628-8826 Ages: 11-18 Budget: $72,090 ^^K V ^^^^ When the Decatur Commu- M 7A mfl ^^ nity Board declared at-risk ^Vjfl^ ▼ V wM W youth the No. 1 challenge to '^B ^^ W^^em the community, Soap-stone, a cultural center, responded by developing the After School Arts Program and Summer Arts Camp for area elementary and middle school children. In the After School Program, students are provided with transportation from their school. Every student also is provided with homework assistance by a certified local teacher. After completing their homework and having a snack, students then work with the Soap- stone staff in a multidisciplinary arts program. The students' final projects are presented to the commu- nity in a performance and exhibition. Area teenagers can assist instructors and counsel students in the Program. The Summer Arts Camp provides area par- ents with a safe and creative place for their children while they are at work. Its full day of classes offers a more intensive study of the arts and culture than the After School Program. The Programs at Soapstone not only highlight African- American culture, but also expose children to a variety of international commu- nities and customs through performing, visual and language arts. Students learn the history of the cus- toms and arts and discuss current events. Ariel Williams, the executive director, comments on the support of the Programs: "Parents see something valuable happening in the children's lives and are willing to donate their own money and time to see that the Programs continue." The Mirror Project, started by media educator Roberto Arevalo, teaches teenagers how to produce videos through which to express and reveal the quality of their lives. The Project serves low-income, mostly bilingual teens. Each session lasts 4 months. In 1995, The Mirror Project took place at Somerville's two public housing projects, enabling the program to reach teens who are most lacking in resources and most in need of attention, development and support. Teaching there also integrated the Project into the community. At the start of each session, Arevalo meets with the participants' families at their homes. Classes take place three times a week and provide instruction on using a video camera and audio equip- ment and on interviewing and directing. Working individually with Arevalo, each teen produces a 3- to 15-minute video. An extra camera documents the processes. This footage becomes an edited diary of the experience for each group of participants. The Project also conducts field trips to movies and muse- ums. Each session ends with a public screening for the community. The videos are subsequently cable- cast at Somerville Community Access Television (SCAT). Once teens have passed through the program, they receive a diploma and a free SCAT membership valid until they are age 18. Arevalo also documents the Project in black-and-white photo- graphs. Using short stories, autobiographies, poetry and these photographs, teenagers create an exhibi- tion for the public screening session. The Mirror Project videos have been featured at national and international video festivals, and teen-led video workshops have been held at numerous sites. Organization: Southern Exposure 40 1 Alabama Street San Francisco, CA 941 10 415-863-2141 Program: Artists in Education Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 450 Ages: 6- 1 9 Budget: $45,000 Organization: Space One Eleven 2409 2nd N. Avenue Birmingham, AL 35203-3809 205-328-0553 Program: City Center Art Year Started: 1 99 1 Focus: Visual Arts & Humanities Youth Served: I 30 Ages: 5- 1 8 Budget: $ 1 00,000 Southern Exposure's Artists in Educa- tion (AIE) program pools community resources — artists, students, schools and nonprofit community organizations — to address contemporary community issues through the visual arts. The program provides opportunities for students and artists to learn from one another. The AIE program takes place after school in day treatment centers, schools and other community- based sites that lack the resources for arts activities. "Southern Exposure's Artists in Education program has been tremendously successful in exposing our students to a wide variety of media within the con- text of community activism," notes one site director. Artists go to the sites one to two times a week for 1- to 3-hour sessions throughout the school year to conduct theme-based programs in photography, mixed media, videography painting, sculpture and media literacy. Recent youth projects include bus shelter posters, a magazine and photographic documentary of life in the Mission District, pinhole photography, found-object sculptures exploring environmentalism and recycling and an exploration of media imagery and its effect on cultural stereotyping. Programs at all the sites include field trips and a final project such as an exhibition or a student-made magazine. City Center Art was started in 1991 by Space One Eleven's (SOE's) visual artists, who ran their contemporary art center out of urban warehouses converted into gal- leries and studios. When they noticed neighborhood youth hanging out at one warehouse and asking to participate, the artists submitted a proposal to a state agency to fund a visual arts program for youth living in the nearby public housing complex. The City Center Art after-school program now brings together groups of 10-15 youth twice a week for 2 hours in the afternoon. Additionally, an annual 8-week summer camp is held for over 150 children. Classes are free, but participants must agree to cer- tain conditions, such as parental and community involvement. Each class is led by a professional artist and two artist assistants. The program empha- sizes cross-discipline studies and integrates hands- on skills, such as painting or sculpture, with visits to local cultural institutions. During a visit to the Birmingham Museum of Art to see the Ceramics of Mexico show, participants learned about the art of different regions of Mexico and discussed ceramic traditions in the United States before creating their own ceramics. A 5-year commission awarded to the summer art camp for a mosaic for Birmingham's Boutwell Auditorium is galvanizing youth and the community. Participants studied the city's history, created a model and worked through their ideas with professionals. They are now meeting regularly with a city planner as they create 20,000 individually made red-clay bricks within a steel infrastructure, symbolic of the city's former industries. ® Organization: SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) 685 Venice Boulevard Venice, CA 9029 1 3 1 0-822-9560, ext. I I Program: Neighborhood Pride Year Started: 1 976 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 550 Ages: 14-24 Budget: $303,000 Organization: Street- Level Video and Live Wire Youth Media P.O.Box 578336 Chicago, IL 60637 312-862-5331 Program: Street-Level Video and Live Wire Youth Media Year Started: 1992/1995 Focus: Media, Video & Humanities Youth Served: 500 Ages: 5-2 1 Budget: $195,000 For 20 years, SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center) has stood at the forefront of a dynamic public art move- ment, creating large-scale murals that reflect Los Angeles' diverse ethnic communities. The result is a veritable street gallery that has earned the city its title as the "Mural Capital of the World." The Neighborhood Pride program employs inner-city youth to create murals in troubled neighborhoods across Los Angeles. Working with schools, churches and community service organizations, SPARC meets with local residents to discuss themes and placement of the murals. Young potential participants are identi- fied by teachers, service providers, gang prevention counselors and SPARC'S community coordinator. Artists are chosen by a committee of neighborhood representatives, other artists and SPARC associates through a competitive process. Working with the artists over an 8-month period, mural apprentices receive technical training in wall preparation, design application and color mixing, as well as instruction in teamwork and communication skills. This past year, participants from all seven mural sites convened at SPARC 's historic facility to participate in training sessions, to meet each other and the artists and to learn about the Mexican mural tradition. With an estimated viewing audience of 1.2 million people daily, SPARC murals are recognized both locally and nationally as powerful communication vehicles. In 1995, SPARC co-sponsored a team of young artists whose stylized design, encouraging other youth to "Make a You Turn" away from smoking and other self- destructive behavior, appeared on 85 billboards throughout the greater Los Angeles region. Street-Level Video and Live Wire Youth Media (SLV/Live Wire) puts the latest communications technology into the hands of urban youth through courses in documen- tary production, computer art and use of the Internet. All classes are free and held at SLY Programs are cre- ated in collaboration with existing youth centers and community institutions. Street-Level Video, founded in 1992, is known for its video training and produc- tion work with youth. In 1995, a team of media artists and educators came together to form Live Wire Youth Media, with the belief that urban young people need to be literate in today's technologies. The organiza- tions recently merged in the hopes of creating a net- work of media labs throughout Chicago, bringing youth together to share their visions and to rebuild their communities. Youth are referred to the program by probation officers, parents, social service agen- cies or friends who have participated. Current pro- jects include creation of a video documenting and interpreting the history of one of Chicago's most diverse neighborhoods for a Chicago Historical Soci- ety Exhibition. In collaboration with Randoph Street Gallery, SLV/Live Wire instructors are working with youth to produce a video installation on the realities of gang culture. In this project, video is being used as a communication tool to bring rival gang mem- bers together on "neutral ground" to address their differences. SLV/Live Wire can be contacted on its Web Home Page, http://www.iit.edu/~livewire/. Organization: The Suzuki-Orff School for Young Musicians I 1 48 W. Chicago Avenue Chicago, IL 60622 312-738-2646 Program: The Suzuki- Orff School for Young Musicians Year Started: 1 98 1 Focus: Music Youth Served: 300 Ages: 1-21 Budget: $380,000 Organization: Taller Puertorriqueno 272 1 N. 5th Street Philadelphia, PA 19133 215-423-6320 Program: Cultural Awareness Program (CAP) Year Started: 1 974 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 5 1 Ages: 8- 1 9 Budget: $ 1 60,000 ^^$^^ Collaborating with a school located in ^^>^^ Cabrini-Green, one of the country's most m ^p W impoverished public housing communi- ^^3^^ ties, The Suzuki-Orff School for Young Musicians provides private Suzuki-method lessons in violin, cello, flute, piano and guitar with Orff-method group teaching of music theory and note reading through rhythm and movement activities. The School's new facility, where classes are taught after school and on Saturdays, has made the program a stable community fixture. Students come one or two times a week and are encouraged to participate in two 17-week sessions and a 6-week summer session. A volunteer group of young professionals, called "Friends," tutors students between music classes. One-third of the students attend classes tuition-free, and many pay reduced fees, in exchange for which The School asks them for a long-term commitment to The School. Those who show progress can take advanced classes at The School in chamber music, performing orchestra and music composition. ■ * One-third of the students attend classes tuition-free, and many pay reduced fees, in ex- change for which The School asks them for a long-term commitment to The School. » » ^^B v Situated in the heart of Philadelphia's A ■! m Latino community, Taller Puertorriqueno ^Q^^^L T is a full-service community center. The '^B ^r Cultural Awareness Program offers a wide range of arts programming but focuses primari- ly on the visual arts. This Program, which runs from 2:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. every weekday, attracts children from the neighborhood who can walk to the center. For $1 , students can take 90-minute classes in litera- ture, theater, visual arts or dance. The Saturday pro- gram, which offers classes from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., serves children who cannot get to the center during the week. In the summer, a 7-week program is orga- nized around one theme. During the year, several international artists are invited to exhibit their work at the Taller Gallery and run 1- to 2-week-long work- shops for youth who are chosen from the ongoing classes. Each year 20-100 students are selected to participate in a year-long project designed to address a social issue. Projects have included an AIDS edu- cation program in the public schools, using comic books written and illustrated by Taller youth, and the creation of educational banners about AIDS. Taller has been able to pay older students who are interested in pursuing art as a career to apprentice with established artists through the Youth Artists Program. "We have had an overwhelming response from the community," says Johnny Irizarry, director of the center. "The quality of the work is excellent, and parents know that this is a safe place where their children can explore their abilities." © Organization: Teatro Latino de Colorado 1 280 Birch Street Suite 3 1 1 Denver, CO 80222 303-782-9029 Program: After-School and Community Arts Program Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 45 Ages: 8- 1 5 Budget: $5,000 Organization: Theater Quest P.O. Box 2559 Pasadena, CA 91102-2559 818-449-8761 Program: Theater Quest Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 1 00 Ages: 16-20 Budget: $93,000 In Denver, Spanish-speaking youth are producing their own plays through the After-School and Community Arts Program of Teatro Latino de Colorado. Anita Arriete-Alejandre, the daughter of migrant workers, created Teatro to help break down cultural barriers experienced by Latinos and to demystify the artistic process. Programs are held in donated spaces, often in community centers. Twice a week over 16 weeks, 15 to 30 students meet for 2 hours to deter- mine the content and form of the production. Work- ing with Arriete-Alejandre and an artist/instructor, youth are encouraged to try all aspects of creating a production. The productions are presented once during school hours for classmates and after school for parents and family. Because of their success in the Latino community, ArtReach, another nonprofit organization, approached Teatro Latino de Colorado to help develop similar Spanish-speaking programs in surrounding Denver communities. "These produc- tions are about neighborhoods, home and families; they help the kids dream and create a future. It shows the ones with low self-esteem that they are capable of great things," says Arriete-Alejandre. In response to riots in Los Angeles, Theater Quest was created to galvanize neighborhoods and to give older youth a way to channel their talents. Ethnically and culturally diverse youth meet 5 nights a week, and on Saturdays for 4 hours, to produce a classical play. "Concentrating on classical plays provides a context in which to debate big issues and themes such as class, race, love and suicide," says Artistic Director Lauralee Mannes. Teens interview prior to joining the program to review their thoughts about who they are and what they want to do. Once in the program, they can focus on acting or backstage tech- nical work. Community volunteers offer assistance with sets, make-up, choreography and acting and serve as mentors to the young people. Recently, the troupe staged a production of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC. "The aim is not to train young people for the performing arts, but for them to see that there is another economy that can drive a life — inspiration, imagination and creativity," adds Mannes. " " Concentrating on classical plays provides a context in which to debate big issues and themes such as class, race, love and suicide. ' * Lauralee Mannes -Artistic Director Organization: Third Street Music School Settlement 235 E. I Ith Street New York, NY 10003 212-777-3240 Program: MILES: Music Instruction on the Lower East Side After-School Component Year Started: 1 980 Focus: Dance & Music Youth Served: 250 Ages: 5- 1 8 Budget: $80,000 Organization: Tim Rollins and Kids of Survival (KOS) 89 1 Garrison Avenue Bronx, NY 10457 718-542-5303 Program: Tim Rollins and Kids of Survival (KOS) Year Started: 1 98 1 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 1 2 Ages: 10-18 Budget: $42,000 Third Street Music School Settlement has been serving poor, minority and immigrant residents of New York's Lower East Side for over 100 years. MILES builds upon school-based programs run by Third Street, pro- viding motivated youth with the opportunity to take small group music or dance lessons and to perform. Each October, students participating in in-school instruction can apply for the program, which involves an application and interview with each child and his or her parents or guardians. Students are then matched to an instrument or dance form and begin an 8-month program of weekly lessons. Each student performs at least three times over the course of the program, with special evenings when MILES students perform for parents and the community. Youth attend faculty recitals and have access to tickets for cultural events throughout New York City. From 30 percent to 40 percent of the MILES participants continue to attend the School and take small group or private lessons. Tim Rollins and his Kids of Survival (KOS) are in high demand. The President's inaugural Committee commissioned a poster commemorating the 52nd Presi- dential Inaugural, and National Endowment for the Arts Chair Jane Alexander recently visited youth in their New York studio. Rollins' program is based on an intensive mentoring relationship with youth, par- ticularly those with special-education needs. Through rigorous visual arts training, exhibitions and immer- sion in world art history, students prepare themselves for long-term involvement in the arts and education. Art studios in the Bronx and Manhattan serve as instruction sites for after-school, weekend and sum- mer programs. Youth attend studio classes as often as 15 hours each week. Field trips to museums, galleries and site-specific art projects augment the classes. Earned income from the sale of participants' work contributes significantly to the program's finan- cial independence. "KOS offers an alternative family format when so often male relationships are relegat- ed to street gangs," says Rollins. "Our all-male group has a close-knit relationship and the active approval of the community." All of the current KOS young people are completing high school and are preparing for college. Five former students are now in college, and two have had professional exhibitions. Organization: Toledo Symphony 2 Maritime Plaza Toledo, OH 48 1 04 419-241-1272 Program: Community Music Lesson Program Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Music Youth Served: 63 Ages: 10- IS Budget: $41,000 Organization: Touchstone Theatre 321 E. 4th Street Bethlehem, PA 18015 6 1 0-867- 1 689 Program: Latino Drama Workshop/Youth Ensemble Year Started: 1988/1993 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 36 Ages: 9- 1 8 Budget: $11,185 ^^f^^ When a minority advisory committee ^T^A ^^^ recommended that the Toledo Symphony m m m start a music program for inner-city ^W3^^ children, the Symphony listened. It initiated the Community Music Lesson Program to provide city youth with opportunities to improve self-discipline, self-initiative and teamwork skills through the study of a musical instrument. One-on- one, half-hour classes taught by Symphony members and other professional musicians take place weekly year-round at neighborhood community centers. "The staff is dedicated not just to rigorous music instruction, but also to the idea of supporting the kids emotionally and academically," says Orchestra Manager John Hancock. Many of the participants are referred to the Program by the county juvenile court. Sixty percent of the students have been enrolled in the Music Lesson Program for 2 or more years; par- ents are reporting improvements in behavior; and minority students are going on to become members in junior high and high school orchestras. "This pro- gram has been a blessing for both my daughter and me. I knew this world of music was out there some- where, but I never dreamed we would be a part of it," said the mother of one participant. ■ " I knew this world of music was out there somewhere, but I never dreamed we would be a part of it. * » -A Participant's Mother Learning about the theater provides participants of the Touchstone Theatre's Latino Drama Workshop with a chance to focus their creativity and make con- nections with others. Through a 4- week, intensive summer workshop, participants learn improvisation, scene development, playwriting and music. The Youth Ensemble, a troupe developed from the Work- shop, allows participants to develop their acting and performance skills further. Members of the Ensemble meet daily for 6 weeks, working 3 hours a day, and perform their topical productions at schools and community centers throughout the region. The Latino Drama Workshop is run in collaboration with Bethlehem's Council for Spanish-Speaking Organiza- tions. Professional actors run both programs at the Touchstone Theatre. "These programs have created a sense of community and are a safe place where the teens can let down their street masks," says Artistic Director Mark McKenna. "They bring together an unlikely group of teenagers who might not normally associate with one another and teach them that they can work together as a group and achieve something." Organization: Tucson- Pima Arts Council 240 N. Stone Tucson, AZ 85701 520-624-0595 Program: ArtWORKS Year Started: 1993 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 1 57 Ages: 11-21 Budget: $155,000 Organization: United Action for Youth (UAY) 4 1 Iowa Avenue Iowa City, I A 52244 319-3 38-7518 Program: Synthesis Arts Workshop Year Started: 1 978 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1,151 Ages: 12-18 Budget: $325,000 Through ArtWORKS, youth are paid to work with professional artists to design and construct public art pieces for the community. Young people work 30 hours per week for 7 weeks during the summer in groups of 10, under the direction of professional artists who are as culturally diverse as the Tucson area. Counselors are hired to meet with each group once a week to help prevent and resolve conflicts. Field trips through- out the 7 weeks provide information on career options associated with the hands-on skills being learned. Completed projects include mosaic tiles for streets, exter- ior and interior murals, video productions, public education exhibitions and computer animation projects. These projects are an educational bene- fit to the young people. When youth build a pub- lic art piece and present it to the community, math, science and langu- age skills become neces- sary, not abstract, skills. Some youth who participate for consecutive summers become program assistants. Because of the success of ArtWORKS, the Arts Council runs similar programs during the school year, including an after-school multimedia project for middle school youth and 8-week, after-school artists-in-residence programs for younger children in parks and recrea- tion sites. ArtWORKS funding comes from many sources, including the state Highway User Revenue Funds (HURF) and Tucson's Golf Surcharge for Youth Programs. ^£ v United Action for Youth (UAY) is a M vA m drop-in center that offers youth and vH^flL ' their families a wide variety of counsel- "^J ^^ ing services and arts-based prevention programs. Youth are referred to UAY primarily by local shelters, schools or peers. They choose from a month- ly calendar of arts activities offered through the Syn- thesis Arts Workshop. In the Workshop, youth have access to a state-of-the-art recording studio eguipped with a range of musical instruments, video cameras, television production equipment and animation and darkroom equipment. Additional classes in ceramics, lithography, beading, silk-screening and other art forms are offered. Participants produced and aired claymation videos and their own television programs through the local public access television station. Youth in a drama troupe create and perform situa- tional dramas around topics pertinent to the commu- nity. To participate in the Workshop, teens must adhere to four rules: Show positive regard for others; don't smoke; don't use drugs; don't play drums before 5:00 p.m. Says Ginny Naso, associate director of the program, "The program has given very troubled youth the opportunity to have positive interactions with adults, to have a positive impact on their community and to change the negative images adults in Iowa City may have of teens." ® Organization: University of New Mexico Institute for Public Law 1117 Stanford, NE Albuquerque, NM 87131 505-277-5006 Program: FENCES Year Started: 1993 Focus: Media & Video Youth Served: 500 Ages: 12-19 Budget: $103,000 Organization: UrbanArts P.O. Box 1 658 Boston, MA 02205 617-536-2880 Program: Youth Works/Art Works Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 50 Ages: 12-18 Budget: $150,000 FENCES uses television as a tool to equip and inspire youth to examine, research and address issues important to them and their communities. Produced by teenagers from over 25 different communities in New Mexico, FENCES is a computer-based interactive television show that incorporates Saturday Night Live-style skits, Oprah-like audience interaction and teen-produced video segments. Teens are involved in writing, video production and editing, graphic development, set design and construction and as advisory board mem- bers, audience participants and performers. The pro- duction process itself focuses youth discussion on important topics. During each airing, teens get "on- line" to comment about the subject matter addressed in the television program. After the airings, schools throughout the state use the programs along with a curriculum guide to discuss issues. The program airs on New Mexico PBS and CBS stations. Past show topics have dealt with alcohol abuse, verbal violence, teen/parent communication, cultural stereotyping and teen activities. According to Executive Producer Chris Schueler, "Creating TV is a real motivation for kids, and they're very willing to stay within prescrib- ed parameters if it means being involved." ^£ v UrbanArts' Youth Works/Art Works is M WA m helping low-income youth in Boston tcJ^^^L t revitalize their community through the "^ ^^ arts while gaining technical skills in photography, writing, videography and urban design. Participants, referred by Action for Boston Commu- nity Development and paid through the Job Training Partnership Act, progress through three programs, taking on more responsibility and receiving higher wages as they progress. The first level program, the Apprenticeship, introduces youth to the arts as a vehicle for building communities. Meeting 5 days a week for 5 hours a day over 8 weeks in the summer, teens photograph their neighborhoods, write poems about their community and themselves, develop design ideas for local parks or map their communities. In the second level program, the Arts Internship, youth work at least once a week after school with visiting artists on special projects. Youth in the highest level program, Youth Advisors, are paid for approximately 4 hours per week to generate and work on their own projects, to help plan and evaluate programs, to work as teaching assistants and to assist with administra- tive activities. Most of these youth have been with the program for 2-3 years. "The kids have changed dramatically over the years; they have become so much more responsible and expansive," exclaims Pam Greene, director of development. "The young people and the community are directly involved in the direc- tion of the program, and the artwork is of a very high quality. They trust us because we always follow through with projects." Organization: Venture Theater 43 S. 3rd Street Philadelphia, PA 19106 215-923-2766 Program: Reality Crew Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Theater Youth Served: 30 Ages: 15-18 Budget: $75,000 Organization: Vermont Council on the Humanities RR I , Box 7287 Morrisville,VT 05661 802-888-3183 Program: Read With Me: Teen Parent Project Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Literature Youth Served: 500 Ages: 1-5; 15-19 Budget: $75,000 An unlikely corps of professionals, including theater artists with social work and speech pathology degrees, businesses and corporations, actors and costume designers, is working weekly, including Saturdays, to help at-risk high school students reach their full potentials. Venture Theater's Reality Crew program draws youth from around Philadelphia to take part in theater training, from performance to marketing. Reality Crew meets 8 hours a week at the Balch Institute for Ethnic Studies. Theater professionals teach playwriting, acting, voice and speech, movement, directing, stage management, costume design and sound and lights. Corporate business partners provide business training, often using their own operations for field study. Staff counselors help teens begin to prepare for college entrance or for careers in theater, while a speech pathologist links their experiences on stage to job interview presentation skills. A "think tank" session on Saturdays is an outlet for the culturally diverse group of teens to meet and talk about what's on their minds. "They like meeting students from all over the city and having the opportunity to regularly work together," says Executive Director Betty Lindley. a Every year about 280 young Vermont women give birth before their own 18th birthdays. Many have not completed high school or have low literacy skills. Building on the research that links school success to whether one is read to as a child and that shows the importance of conversation to learning, the Vermont Council on the Humanities has developed a series of literacy classes using children's literature for teen mothers and their children. The Council sets up the Read With Me: Teen Parent Project; contracts with trained scholars, including librarians, teachers and university professors and others, to conduct the ses- sions and contracts with the 12 regional centers of the Vermont Department of Health or local parent- child centers to run the programs. It also selects and provides the children's books, which participants get to keep. The Council also is working with home visi- tors to extend the Project to teens and their children who may not be able to come to the sites and to rein- force the importance of effective oral reading to child development among Read With Me participants. This Project is only one of the new readers series that the Vermont Council on the Humanities developed as part of its Connections program. * * Building on the research that links school success to whether one is read to as a child... the Vermont Council on the Human- ities has developed a series of literacy classes using children's literature for teen mothers and their children. * * Organization: Vietnamese Youth Development Center 330 Ellis Street San Francisco, CA 94102 415-771-2600 Program: Peer Resource Group Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 20 Ages: 14-17 Budget: $40,000 Organization: The Village of Arts and Humanities 2544 Germantown Philadelphia, PA 19133 215-225-7830 Program: The Village of Arts and Humanities Year Started: 1 986 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 500 Ages: 5-15 Budget: $300,000 ^^K v The Peer Resource Group uses the arts M vA m to address personal development and vjt^I^ ' community issues among its diverse '^B ^r constituency of low-income Vietnamese, Chinese, Filipino, Cambodian and Laotian refugee youth who live in San Francisco's inner-city Tender- loin District. After being interviewed, teens who have a special interest in community work meet Monday- Friday from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. to identify subjects around which to create art pieces. Recent examples include a video about stereotyping Asian Americans; a theater piece about AIDS; a collection of traditional ghost stories gathered from Asian-American seniors and ceramics installations in the neighborhood. Youth always present their work to the public, allowing for discussion and feedback. In addition to creating art, youth volunteer their services. The program serves as a model for other youth service agencies and attracts former participants back to serve as group leaders and mentors for new generations of South- east-Asian youth. Participation in the Peer Resource Group is free and ongoing throughout the year. ■ ■ The program serves as a model for other youth service agencies and attracts former participants back to serve as group leaders and mentors for new generations of Southeast-Asian youth. * * ^^K V ^^^. "Using the arts as the 'bone M vA «fl fe structure,' The Village is ^^^lL t^ ^M W burldrng an urban communi- ~^^^^ aHT ty where members care for each other and are interconnected," explains artist and Director Lilly Yeh. The Village began as a single public art project in an abandoned lot in North Phil- adelphia. Encouraged by the interest and assistance of people inside and outside the community and led by her vision of the possibilities for this inner-city neighborhood, Yeh co-founded The Village of Arts and Humanities with Stephen Sayer, a builder and educator. With the help of neighborhood residents, they renovated an abandoned building next to the lot and established their headquarters there. The Village's primary programs are in park building, edu- cation, performance and exhibition and renovation. The Village offers a wide range of after-school and summer arts classes for youth, including modern, jazz, African and Caribbean dance; theater; painting and drawing; ceramics and photography; African- American history and world culture and an after- school tutorial program. At community festivals and at conferences, as well as at The University of the Arts and The Drake Theatre, youth in the programs display their talents. With support from the govern- ment and private foundations, The Village's building and renovation program brings Village artists, The Village's construction crew and residents together to build and restore decrepit buildings and abandoned lots. Park building projects include large mosaic sculp- tures surrounded by gardens and pathways. Organization: Wajumbe Cultural Institution, Inc. 762 Fulton Street San Francisco, CA 94102 415-563-3519 Program: Project ACE (Academic and Cultural Enrichment) Year Started: 1 993 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts & Humanities Youth Served: 100 Ages: 6- 1 3 Budget: $200,000 Organization: The Wang Center for the Performing Arts 270 Tremont Street Boston, MA 02 1 1 6 6 1 7-482-9393, ext. 2 1 2 Program: Young at Arts Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1,100 Ages: 12-18 Budget: $422,000 ^£ v ^^^^ The Wajumbe Cultural Insti- M vA vfl ^ tution, Inc. has launched a V^^^k *■ ^M W Pilot program that serves "^B ^^ h^^bv low-income neighborhood families and foster families throughout San Francisco. Project ACE's (Academic and Cultural Enrichment) intensive lineup of classes are offered year-round, 5 days a week for 4 to 8 hours, with extra sessions available on Saturdays. The children are provided with positive male role models, with a majority of African- American male instructors. Each session includes homework assistance and tutorials as well as a variety of cultural activities, including Congolese dance and music; Capoeira, an African-Brazilian dance; poetry; vocal music; visual arts and storytelling. Other sessions offer field trips, computer literacy train- ing, math studies, African-American history or career . orientation for older children. Health screenings are conducted at least twice a year. Parents are involved in family days, in workshops with presenters on vari- ous issues, through committees and as volunteers. "Parents feel Project ACE is an extension of their families. A lot of the barriers they face with public school bureaucracies are not there. They're trusting of Wajumbe's efforts, and that brings them closer to the program," says Executive Director Nontsizi Cayou. ^^R v The Wang Center's Young at Arts pro- M 7A m gram has transformed this audience- v^^tL f orren ted performance institution into ■^J ^^ a center for education and community development serving youth from all backgrounds and from Boston's diverse neighborhoods. Young at Arts offers more than a dozen programs in performing, literary, visual and musical arts. These programs encourage youth to take advantage of the Wang Center by offering tours of the historic building, pro- viding professional development services and free transportation to events, forming partnerships with neighborhood organiza- tions and offering free tickets to those who are unable to afford the Broad- way, dance, music and other professional perfor- mances on the Center's stages. The Drama Club has had the most success in engaging at-risk youth. The Club is a series of weekly, after-school theater, music, voice and movement work- shops led by Wang Center theater professionals. Work- shop participants are interviewed prior to becoming members of the Drama Club, which stages student- written material. Members also receive help prepar- ing for professional auditions and writing resumes and can participate in Camp Kieve, a leadership institute in New Hampshire. "The Drama Club increas- es young people's abilities to interpret contemporary social issues and their emotions," points out Associate Director Cathy Chun. "It opens a dialogue between students from and within diverse communities." Organization: Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum 21 I W. 21st Avenue Olympia, WA 98501 360-753-1998 Program: Experimental Gallery: Arts Program for Incarcerated Youth Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 700 Ages: 10-19 Budget: $ 1 08,000 Organization: Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts 1 624 Trap Road Vienna, VA 22182 703-255-1933 Program: Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts Year Started: 1981 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1 1,500 Ages: 3-5 Budget: $800,000 ^^K v The Experimental Gallery was founded M vA m at the Washington State Capital Muse- v^^^k ▼ um > a branch of the Washington State "^B ^^ Historical Society, in 1992 to provide learning opportunities for youth experiencing prob- lems in their lives. The goal of the Gallery is to teach responsible citizenship through the arts and the humanities. The Gallery developed the Arts Program for Incarcerated Youth in partnership with the Wash- ington State Department of Social and Health Ser- vices and the Juvenile Rehabilitation Administration. Youth in six juvenile detention facilities voluntarily take part in the 1-year to 18-month Arts Program, developed to conceptualize and mount a traveling exhibition. The youth choose the themes and manage the process. Community arts professionals, including curators, visual artists, videographers and writers, as well as graphic designers and carpenters, serve in a consulting capacity to provide expertise and guidance. The Program pairs recently released youth with artist/ mentors in their home communities. The Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum will be devel- oping a museum school in one of the maximum secu- rity facilities over the coming year. ^gt v The Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learn- M EA m ing Through the Arts teaches preschool v^^^k ▼ children basic academic and life skills '^ W^ through participation in performing arts activities and trains their classroom teachers, through practical applications, to use the performing arts in education. Prior to the beginning of each 7- week class residency, the Wolf Trap artist meets with the teacher to design a curriculum that addresses the needs of the particular group of children and the teacher. The Wolf Trap artist goes into the classroom twice a week for 45-minute sessions and leads performing arts- based activities that are designed around an academic or social theme. In the seventh week, the classroom teacher designs, plans and teaches the last two lessons with guidance from the artist. Every 3 years, the Wolf Trap Foundation hosts a national artists conference for the artists who work in 1 regional Wolf Trap programs across the country and holds professional development workshops for teachers in local communities. "Funders are really beginning to understand how the program impacts the lives of children and adults," explains Miriam Flaherty, di- rector of the Institute. "Learning Through the Arts helps the children develop effective cognitive and social skills." For instance, in Prince George's County in Maryland, the Public Schools Extended Elementary Education Program, the Head Start Program and the Special Education Preschool Program, which work with children 3-5 years old who are from low socioeconomic families and/or have low test scores, have participated in the Wolf Trap Foundation program. Nationwide, sites include public schools, Head Start preschool pro- grams and private child development centers. Organization: Working Program: Working Classroom, Inc. 2 1 2 Gold, SW Albuquerque, NM 87102 505-242-9267 Classroom, Inc. Year Started: 1 987 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 85 Ages: 9-2 1 Budget: $175,000 Organization: Yakima Academy of the Arts 309 Union Street Yakima, WA 9890 1 509-457-1060 Program: Yakima Academy of the Arts Year Started: 1 989 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 350 Ages: 1-21 Budget: $20,000 ^^K v Working Classroom, Inc. is dedicated to M vA m promoting self-esteem and the artistic, F^^^ ▼ academic and leadership; potential of "^J ^^ youth. It offers visual arts, theater and creative-writing workshops for "historically ignored" inner-city communities in Albuquerque and encour- ages youth to apply their talents to community development and social change. Year-round visual arts and drama workshops, which run for 6-8 weeks and are taught in both Spanish and English, are offered free-of-charge to low-income students and adults. Community projects have included tile and painted murals; The Rubber Band, a tragicomedy about AIDS, which took 2 years to prepare; and pro- duction of a line of printed holiday cards. Working Classroom is member-based, although workshops are open to everyone. Membership is free and based on "points," which are earned through attending Working Classroom's after-school tutoring program, attending cultural and artistic events, achieving a grade point average of at least 3.0, donating time to Working Classroom or other community organizations and participating in social action activities or cam- paigns. Those who earn 200 points receive general membership and can both vote for and be on the Board of Directors (40 percent of whom are students). Those who earn 500 points are eligible for VIP mem- bership, full college scholarships and priority consid- eration for paid employment, travel (sometimes to Central America) and other special opportunities. ^^K v The Yakima Academy of the Arts pro- M VA M vides minority youth with a welcoming ^^^■L t space in which creativity is fostered *^( ^^ and the fear of failure is removed. Class- es in folk and tap dance, visual arts, voice and music meet 4 days a week for VA hours. Children become aware of the creative abilities they possess and devel- op employment skills. Participants spend another 3% hours at the Yakima Public Housing Authority com- munity center, joining a variety of drop-in activities that include use of the center's library of classic films. "The program touches the lives of young people in many ways," says Program Director Maud Scott. "It provides more than just arts education. In many cases, it gives youth the opportunity to see and experience things they otherwise would not come in contact with. The program provides a safety net for its parti- cipants." Scott reports that the staff is very commit- ted to maintaining the program, even when there is no funding. The participants are committed as well; some of them have reached the point where they have become teachers in the program. * " The program touches the lives of young people in many ways. It provides more than just arts education.... [I] t gives youth the opportunity to see and experi- ence things they otherwise would not come in contact with. * * Maud Scott -Program Director Organization: YMCA of the USA The West Side YMCA 5 W. 63 rd Street New York, NY 10023 212-875-4123 Program: The National Writers Voice Project Year Started: 1 990 Focus: Creative Writing & Humanities Youth Served: 26,000 Ages: 3-18 Budget: N/A Organization: Young Aspirations/Young Artists (YA/YA) 628 Baronne Street New Orleans, LA 70113 504-529-3306 Program: Young Aspirations/Young Artists (YA/YA) Year Started: 1 988 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 3 5 Ages: 15-21 Budget: $426,000 I Vj " ^^^^ YMCAs are being reinvented ^ ^^Sfl fe as cultural organizations, ■ •V ^1 v d W giving a voice to children WRti^SA aAf and youth through the arts and humanities. For the first time in its 150-year history, the arts and humanities have a central place in the goals and mission of the YMCA. This national effort was started at a local Y in 1990 by Jason Shin- der, who offered a program based on writing, reading and critical thinking. There are presently 13 local YMCAs offering year-round programs as part of The National Writers Voice Project. They are in Scottsdale, AZ; Oakland, CA; Fairfield, CT; Tampa, FL; Chicago, IL; Lexington, KY; Detroit, MI; Minneapolis, MN; Chesterfield, MO; Billings, MT; Bay Shore, NY; New York, NY; Silver Bay, NY. Based on community needs assessments, the sites offer a wide array of opportun- ities, including writing workshops that address social themes, family history projects, public readings in which the authors are introduced by children, poetry writing, magazine production and comic book writing. Satellite programs involve many other Ys, too. For example, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, "Poetry Gangs" are being organized with local gang members; in Sheridan, Wyoming, 500 participants attend a sum- mer writing camp. Writers Voice Executive Director Shinder says, "You can do anything through the use of literature." II You can do anything through the use of literature. ii Jason Shinder -Executive Director Artistically talented inner-city youth are learning the business side of art through Young Aspirations/Young Artists (YA/YA). Created for talented youth who attend a local vocational high school, YA/YA partners youth with commercial art instruc- tors for individual instruction in woodworking, paint- ing, design and fabric painting. The students come every day after school and on weekends to work on large projects and single commissions. They learn life and professional skills in a required weekly class where they study subjects ranging from conflict res- olution to resume writing and portfolio development. YA/YA produces traveling exhibits and art shows. A committee of three students and two adult staff determine job and travel (domestic and international) assignments for youth. Gerri Hobody, assistant sec- retary of the Office of Cultural Development for the State of Louisiana, notes, "YA/YA is an exemplary program that demonstrates the usefulness of the arts in developing job training programs for youth. It expands our potential work force for the arts indus- try while addressing some of the problems that plague our urban areas." Organization: Young Audiences of Indiana 3050 N. Meridian Street Indianapolis, IN 46208 317-925-4043 Program: Orchestra Training Program Year Started: 1993 Focus: Music Youth Served: 25 Ages: 13-18 Budget: $ 1 6,400 Organization: Youth Communications 70 E. Lake Street Chicago, IL 6060 1 3 12-641-6397 Program: New Expression Year Started: 1 977 Focus: Creative Writing, Design & Media Youth Served: 95 Ages: 13-19 Budget: $320,000 ^^f^^ Young Audiences chapters across ^P^fl^ the country are well known for provid- m ^w W in 9 daytime educational performing ^^3^^ arts programs for school children. But when Young Audiences of Indiana perceived a need to bolster the public schools' string instruction pro- gram and to reach at-risk youth, a summer music instruction program was created in seven distress- ed Indianapolis neighborhoods using City Incentive Funds. Initially, students met 3 days a week for 3 hours for small group lessons and ensemble practice at local universities, churches and a community center. At the end of 6 weeks, the ensemble presented a con- cert. The first grant was extended to permit Saturday sessions during the school year. Subsequent funding was provided by Thomson Consumer Electronics. The program now provides an intensive summer camp, designed to solve transportation problems and provide opportunities for youth of different musical levels to work together. In addition, Young Audiences runs a 9-month program offering individual lessons after school at individual schools. "We are dealing with students who have other problems in their lives, who have little constancy," explains Executive Direc- tor Anna White. "The program focuses on the partic- ular needs of the students, providing them with an incentive to excel and to work hard and see the results of their hard work." Youth Communi- cations trains minority teens from low-income families in writing, photography and illustration as they produce New Expression, a teen newspaper. Published nine times a year, the paper has a circula- tion of 80,000 and reaches youth in public schools city- wide. Students entering the program receive an orientation that prepares them to write opinion and feature stories. Teams of student reporters are assigned to various desks: creative writing, graphic design, photography, college/career, school affairs, health, sports, entertainment or editorial. If students desire, they can cross over to other desks. At biweekly staff meetings, students get updates on stories for future issues and hear presentations by professional journalists and other guest speakers. An advisory panel of journalists and youth service professionals assists in planning and evaluation. The paper is pro- duced with desktop publishing at the Youth Com- munications facility, which also has a photography darkroom for student use. Participants receive free transportation and become eligible for salaried posi- tions. The paper includes monthly lesson plans and exercises created to stimulate writing and discussion among student readers. Organization: Youth Development, Inc. 6301 Central, NW Albuquerque, NM 87105 50S-83I-6038 Program: Teatro Consejo Year Started: 1 978 Focus: Multi- disciplinary Arts Youth Served: 3 5 Ages: 12-20 Budget: $80,000 Organization: Youth in Focus 1 102 36th Avenue Seattle, WA 98 1 22 206-324-4814 Program: Youth in Focus Year Started: 1 994 Focus: Photography Youth Served: 30 Ages: 13-17 Budget: $30,000 ^^K V Youth Development, Inc. (YDI) opened M vA » as an outreach organization for teen ^VjfllL dropouts in the Albuquerque metropoli- "^..^^ tan area. Today YDI offers a comprehen- sive program. YDI services include a crisis shelter, group homes, residential treatment centers, youth employment programs, alternative education pro- grams, health education programs and school-to-work transition programs. In the midst of these services, Teatro Consejo provides an artistic forum for self- expression through theater-based activities, including creative writing, acting, dance, stage production, lighting, sound, costume design, puppetry and music. Youth and theater professionals meet at least three times a week for 3 hours during the school year and continue in the summer on an even more rigorous schedule. The core group of approximately 35 youth who comprise the troupe reach 25,000 people through performances at schools, community centers and community events. "The program is a source of ener- gy for the community. And it has helped destigma- tize these kids," says Executive Director Chris Baca. YDFs 300-seat theater serves as a community gath- ering space and a performance venue for continually sold-out performances. ■ " The program is a source of energy for the community. And it has helped destigmatize these kids. * » Chris Baca -Executive Director Walter Bodle, an inner-city school teacher for more than 30 years, started Youth in Focus (YIF) to broaden youths' vision through photography and to give them tools for changing their lives. Under the auspices of the Photographic Center School, YIF has built partnerships with several community organizations, including the American Indian Heritage School and the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department. Youth recruited from alternative public schools, social ser- vice agencies and community youth organizations take part in a 10-week summer program that focuses on capturing the strengths of teen culture and com- munities through black-and-white photography. Pro- fessional photographers and serious amateurs meet with teens twice a week for 2 hours to teach them how to shoot, develop and print photographs. Cam- eras are provided for the duration of the course. Youth can re-enroll and are encouraged to maintain a relationship with their artist/mentor. Local galleries host group exhibitions of students' work at the end of the session. These exhibitions give visibility to some of Seattle's most marginalized youth. Images from the most recent YIF exhibition can be seen on the YIF Web Page, http://yif.netquest.net/. Organization: Youth Radio 1925 Martin Luther King, Jr. Way Berkeley, CA 94704 510-841-5123 Program: Radio Broadcast Skills Training Program Year Started: 1 992 Focus: Media Youth Served: 1 50 Ages: 12-24 Budget: $200,000 Organization: Youth Service Project, Inc. 3942 W. North Avenue Chicago, IL 60608 3 1 2-772-6270 Program: Summer Employment Program Year Started: 1 975 Focus: Visual Arts Youth Served: 10 Ages: 16-21 Budget: $25,000 ^^^ Youth Radio is a multicultural media ^C-^^b training program that is changing the "^ ■ T image of youth and, through interaction ^^SL^v with audiences, the image youth have of themselves. Chosen through a competitive applica- tion process that emphasizes participation by those traditionally shut out of the best jobs in the indus- try — low-income youth, girls and minorities — parti- cipants are offered intensive, hands-on classes in studio operations, on-air announcing, music program- ming and news reporting, writing and editing. All classes are taught by industry professionals and peer teachers. "Youth teaching youth is an important aspect of what we do," says Executive Director Ellin O'Leary "It really pays off because kids con- nect with their peer teachers." The program meets twice a week after school and on Fri- days at both the Youth Radio studios and at rent-ed studios. In 3- month school-to-work segments, teens hold internships at area stations. The production team airs a weekly training program, a weekly commercial sta- tion program and commentaries on National Public Radio. The experienced producers also have an opportunity to join a statewide violence prevention program, through which they become involved in media advocacy. "The commitment from the profes- sionals at media outlets is very important to the pro- gram," says O'Leary. "They're helping participants gain career skills and focus in their lives." Each summer for the past 20 years, professional artists and small groups of teens have teamed up to create site- specific murals in the Humboldt Park neighborhood of Chicago. Youth and artists work on the design and then get suggestions from area resi- dents. Next, the team makes a small-scale model to decide on color, materials and construction tech- nigues. Originally, the young artists painted the murals. Currently, they are creating tile mosaic and sculpted murals that represent the communities they decorate. Calling Forth the Spirit of Peace, Positive Moves in the Game of Life, and Es Tiempo De Recordar are just a few of the murals created over the past summers. Teens work up to 5 hours every day for 8 weeks and are paid through the city youth employment program. The expertise of the artists, with technical assis- tance from local construction and tile companies, is helping participants gain skills in math, measuring and drafting and is demonstrating to the youth that they can effect change. "The murals have changed the neighborhoods' perspectives of the kids," remarks Executive Director Nancy Abbate. "These projects show them they have a lot to contribute and allow them to be a demonstrative part of the community." The Youth Service Project, Inc., a social service agency, also runs a wide range of bilingual and bicultural education, job readiness and counseling programs that reach more than 3,000 young people each year. Throughout the year, youth visit Chicago cultural institutions and actively participate in arts and humanities programs throughout the city. ® Organization: Zohco 4000 Middlefield Road Palo Alto, C A 94303 415-494-8221 Program: IndepenDANCE and Step-Upi Year Started: 1 986 Focus: Dance Youth Served: 300 Ages: 6- 1 8 Budget: $90,000 r^PH I IndepenDANCE provides free dance vfl I classes at specific public schools and Boys and Girls Clubs in several Bay Area communities. The program offers youth twice- weekly classes throughout the school year, participation in master classes and workshops and performance opportunities. Students may travel to the Zohco studio to take additional classes and audi- tion for Step-Up ! , a program that offers IndepenDANCE veterans more intensive dance instruction and perfor- mance experience. All participants receive instruc- tion in a variety of dance styles and are encouraged to experiment in choreography. A funder's report found that participants have improved their grades, attendance and self-esteem. Ehud Krauss, founder of Zohco, states that he doesn't have illusions about turning all the members of his company into profes- sionals. "Most will pass through, and if they put in the time, they will gain the self-confidence that allows them to succeed in whatever field they choose." © Appendix State-by-State Index essment Notes Acknowledgments H v I State-by-State Index Alabama Space One Eleven: City Center Art, 135 Arizona Tucson-Pima Arts Council: Art WORKS, 141 Arkansas Arkansas Arts Center Museum: Museum School: Outreach Programs, 47 ComerStone Project, Inc.: Creative Expressions, 75 California American Indian Contemporary Arts: In Our Own Words, 44 Armory Center for the Arts: High School After-School Program, 47 ARTScorpsLA (The Art Army): La Tierra de la Culebra, 51 Bayview Opera House: Community Recording Studio, 55 Brava! for Women in the Arts: Drama Divas, 59 California College of Arts and Crafts: T.E.A.M., 61 California Lawyers for the Arts: Arts and Community Development Project, 61 California Museum of Science and Industry: Avalon Gardens Curators Kids Club, 62 Central City Hospitality House: Youth Program, 64 City Hearts: Kids Say Yes to the Arts: The Early Years, Sentenced to the Stage, Youth Arts Diversion, From Gangs to the Stage, 70 Cornerstone Theater Company: Community Collaborations, 76 DrawBridge: An Arts Program for Homeless Children: Art Groups, DrawBridge School Education Project, Traveling Art Exhibit, 81 East Bay Center for the Performing Arts, 82 Eco-Rap: Eco-Rap After-School Workshops, 82 Friends of Photography: Ansel Adams Center for Photography /Education: Partnership and Community Outreach, 89 Fringe Benefits, 89 Greater Golden Hill Community Development Corporation: After-School Cultural Club, 91 The Hills Project: The Hills Project After-School Program, 95 Inner City Cultural Center, 97 Japantown Art and Media Workshop, 99 KALA Institute: Latin American Workshop, 100 Living Literature Colors United, 107 Lula Washington Contemporary Dance Foundation: I Do Dance Not Drugs, 109 The Mexican Museum: Street SmArt, 112 Oakland Youth Chorus, 121 Pacific News Service: YO! (Youth Outlook), 123 Plaza de la Raza: The School of Performing and Visual Arts, 126 Precita Eyes Mural Arts Center: Urban Youth Arts and Mural Workshops, 127 La Quinta Arts Foundation: Youth Art Works Educational Outreach Program, 128 Sacramento Metropolitan Arts Commission: Late Night Sacramento, 129 San Diego Symphony Community Music Center, 130 San Francisco Arts Commission: WritersCorps, 130 San Francisco Shakespeare Festival: Midnight Shakespeare, 131 Southern Exposure: Artists in Education, 135 SPARC (Social and Public Art Resource Center): Neighborhood Pride, 136 Theater Quest, 138 Vietnamese Youth Development Center: Peer Resource Group, 144 Wajumbe Cultural Institution, Inc.: Project ACE (Academic and Cultural Enrichment), 145 Youth Radio: Radio Broadcast Skills Training Program, 151 Zohco: IndepenDANCE and Step-Up!, 152 Colorado The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre: Project Self Discovery, 72 Teatro Latino de Colorado: After-School and Community Arts Program, 138 Connecticut The Artists Collective, Inc., 48 Neighborhood Music School: Hill Outreach Program, 118 Sankofa Kuumba Cultural Arts Consortium: After-School and Summer Arts Program, 131 District of Columbia African Heritage Dancers and Drummers, 43 Andrew Cacho African Drummers and Dancers, Inc.: In-School and After-School Program, 45 Arena Stage: Living Stage Theatre Company, 46 Corcoran School of Art: Corcoran Art Mentorship Program, 75 Everyday Theater, Inc.: Everyday Theater Youth Ensemble, 85 Humanities Council of Washington, DC: City Lights, 95 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts: The Kennedy Center/Dance Theatre of Harlem (DTH) Community Dance Residency, 99 Latin American Youth Center: Arts for Prevention and Development, 103 Levine School of Music: Public Housing Orchestra, 106 Florida Bakehouse Art Complex: Bakehouse Children's Art Workshop, 54 Previous page: MERIT Music Program of Chicago Boys and Girls Clubs of Broward County: Creative Arts Unit, 58 City of Fort Myers: STARS Program — Success Through Academic and Recreational Support, 71 Fourth Avenue Cultural Enrichment (FACE), 88 M Ensemble Company, Inc.: Summer Youth Employment in the Arts and Life Enrichment, 111 OneArt: Kids Off Streets, 122 Sarasota Ballet of Florida: Dance — The Next Generation, 132 Georgia Georgia Museum of Art: ArtReach, 90 Macon Neighborhood Arts, Inc.: Inner Voices, 109 Moving in the Spirit: Stepping Stones, Apprentice Corpora- tion Outreach, 116 7 Stages Theater: Freddie Hendricks Youth Ensemble of Atlanta, 133 Soapstone: After School Arts Program/Summer Arts Camp, 134 Illinois Beacon Street Gallery and Theatre: Art Jobs and Cultural Heritage Programs, 55 Boulevard Arts Center: Employment Training Program in the Arts, 56 Chicago Children's Choir: In-School, After-School and Concert Choir Programs, 66 Chicago Public Art Group (CPAG): Youth Training, 66 Community Television Network: After School Program, 74 Demicco Youth Services: Northern Horizon Cultural Arts Program, 79 Department of Cultural Affairs: GaUery 37, 80 Free Street: TeenStreet, 88 Hyde Park Art Center: Gallery, Classes and Outreach Program, 96 Katherine Dunham Centers for Arts and Humanities: Katherine Dunham Museum's Children's Workshop, 102 Marwen Foundation: Community Partnership, Studio Program, College Career Program, 110 MERIT Music Program of Chicago, 111 The People's Music School, 125 Street-Level Video and Live Wire Youth Media, 136 The Suzuki-Orff School for Young Musicians, 137 Youth Communications: New Expression, 149 Youth Service Project, Inc.: Summer Employment Program, 151 Indiana Children's Museum of Indianapolis: Neighbors' Program, 68 Evansville Housing Authority: Dance Awareness, 84 Indianapolis Art Center: ArtReach Program, 96 Young Audiences of Indiana: Orchestra Training Program, 149 Iowa United Action for Youth (UAY): Synthesis Arts Workshop, 141 Kansas Lawrence Arts Center: First Step Dance, 105 Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts/Juvenile Services: Theater in Diversion, 43 Appalshop: Appalshop Media Institute, 46 Kentucky Humanities Council: New Books for New Readers, 102 Louisiana Arts Council of New Orleans: Urban Arts Training Program, 52 Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities: Prime Time Family Reading Time, 108 Young Aspirations/Young Artists (YA/YA), 148 Maryland Baltimore City Life Museums: Jonestown Community Photo Documentation Project and Neighborhood Kids Mural Project, 54 Cultural Arts Institute: After-School Program, 76 Massachusetts Artists for Humanity: City Teens Design Company, 49 Arts in Progress: ACT IT OUT Peer Performers, 52 Children's Museum at Holyoke, Inc.: Museum Adventure Club, Junior Volunteers, Junior Leadership Incentive Program, 68 Community Adolescent Resource and Education Center (CARE): Teen Resource Project, 73 Federated Dorchester Neighborhood Houses, Inc.: Art Express, 86 Inquilinos Boricuas en Accion, IBA-ETC: AREYTO Cultural Awareness Program, Video Training Program, 97 The Institute of Contemporary Art: DocentTeens Program, 98 ROCA, Inc.: ROCA Chelsea, ROCA Revere, 129 Somerville Community Access Television: The Mirror Project, 134 Urban Arts: Youth Works/ Art Works, 142 The Wang Center for the Performing Arts: Young at Arts, 145 Michigan City of Kalamazoo Department of Recreation, Leisure and Cultural Services: Fine Arts Skills Enhancement Program, 71 Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit: Youth Ensemble, 115 Minnesota American Variety Theatre Company: American Variety Theatre Company 4-H, 45 The City, Inc., 69 KTCA-TV: "Don't Believe the Hype," 103 Minneapolis Institute of Arts: Art Team, 114 e Mississippi Delta Blues Education Fund: Delta Blues Education Program, 78 Missouri Center of Contemporary Arts (COCA): Arts Connection, 63 Guadalupe Center, Inc.: El Grupo Folklorico Atotonilco, 92 Kansas City Friends of Alvin Alley: AileyCamp, 101 Opera Theatre of St. Louis: Artists-in-Training, 122 PAKT — Parishes Associated on Kinloch Team, Inc.: Color Me Bright, 124 Nevada Lied Discovery Children's Museum: Youth ALIVE ! — Youth Works/ArtSmarts, 106 Nevada School of the Arts: Las Vegas Children's Choir, 119 New Hampshire Alliance for the Progress of Hispanic Americans: ALPHA TEEN Theater, 44 New Hampshire State Library: Connections: The New Hampshire Reading Project, 119 New Jersey New Jersey Council for the Humanities: People and Stories/Gente y Cuentos, 120 New Mexico Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe: Teen Project, 63 The Guilds of the Santa Fe Opera: Pueblo Opera Program, 93 University of New Mexico Institute for Public Law: FENCES, 142 Working Classroom, Inc., 147 Youth Development, Inc.: Teatro Consejo, 150 New York Art in General: Summer Program With Project Reach, 48 The Boys Choir of Harlem, 58 Bronx Dance Theatre, 60 The Brooklyn Children's Museum: Museum Team, 60 Carlota Santana Spanish Dance Company: Bronx Project, 62 Chautauqua Alcoholism and Substance Abuse Council (CAS AC): Awareness Theatre, 65 The Children's Aid Society: The Children's Aid Society Chorus, 67 The Children's Art Carnival, 67 The CityKids Foundation: The CityKids Repertory, 70 The Dance Ring DBA New York Theatre Ballet: Project LIFT, 78 The Door— A Center of Alternatives, Inc.: Creative Arts Program, 80 Educational Video Center: High School Documentary Workshop, 83 Elders Share the Arts: Living History Program, 84 The 52nd Street Project, 86 Fools Company: Artsworker Apprentices, 87 Harlem School of the Arts: The Bridge Program, 93 Harlem Textile Works, Ltd., 94 Henry Street Settlement: Abrons Art Center Youth Programs, 94 Jamaica Center for the Performing and Visual Arts, Inc.: Youth Leadership Development and Violence Prevention Program, 98 The Leonard Davis Center for the Arts of The City College of New York: The City College Art Institute, 105 Lincoln Center Theater: Open Stages — The Urban Ensemble, 107 Metropolitan School for the Arts: United In Hope, 112 Mill Street Loft Multi-Arts Educational Center: Project ABLE, 113 Mind-Builders Creative Arts Center: After-School Literacy Through the Arts, 114 MollyOlga Neighborhood Art Classes: Tuition-Free Sequential Instruction, 115 El Museo del Barrio: The Caring Program, 117 New York State Museum: New York State Museum Club, 120 El Puente: Leadership Center, 127 Rheedlen Centers for Children and Families, Rise & Shine Productions: The Real Deal, 128 Third Street Music School Settlement: MILES: Music Instruction on the Lower East Side After-School Component, 139 Tim Rollins and Kids of Survival (KOS), 139 YMCA of the USA: The National Writers Voice Project, 148 North Carolina The ArtsCenter: Carr Court Community Center Artist Residency Project, 50 Community School of the Arts: The Neighborhood Arts Program, 74 MOTHEREAD, Inc., 116 Ohio Arts Commission of Greater Toledo: Young Artists at Work (YAAW), 50 The Cleveland Music School Settlement: Extension Department: Teens in Training, 72 Cleveland School of the Arts: Youth At Risk Dancing, 73 Cultural Center for the Arts: Children's Art Connection, 77 Greater Columbus Arts Council: Children of the Future, 90 Karamu House: Summer Scholar Program, 101 Ohio Arts Council: Coordinated Arts Program, 121 Toledo Symphony: Community Music Lesson Program, 140 Oklahoma The Greenwood Cultural Center: Summer Arts Program, 91 Pennsylvania Artists Raising the Consciousness of Humanity (ARCH) Productions: CityKids Program, 49 Asian Americans United: Asian American Youth Workshop, 53 Asociacion de Musicos Latino Americanos (AMLA): AMLA Latin Music School, 53 Boys and Girls Club of Easton: Smart Moves Players Theater Arts Ensemble, 57 Brandywine Workshop: Philly Panache, 59 Manchester Craftsmen's Guild: Arts Apprenticeship Training Program, 110 Pennsylvania Prison Society: Arts and Humanities Program — Youth Arts Program, 124 The People's Light and Theater Company: New Voices Ensemble, 125 Pittsburgh Playback Theatre: Hosanna House, 126 Settlement Music School: Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program, 132 Taller Puertorriqueno: Cultural Awareness Program (CAP), 137 Touchstone Theatre: Latino Drama Workshop/Youth Ensemble, 140 Venture Theater: Reality Crew, 143 The Village of Arts and Humanities, 144 Rhode Island The Music School: The Cultural Alternatives Program, 118 Tennessee Boys and Girls Club of Morristown: Challengers Art and Music, 57 Edgehill Center, Inc.: PAVE WAY (Preventive Arts and Video From Edgehill With Artists and Youth), 83 Texas Arts Council of Fort Worth and Tarrant County: Neighborhood Arts Program, 51 Believe In Me, 56 Dallas Parks and Recreation Department: Juvenile Gang Prevention Program, 77 Department of Arts and Cultural Affairs: Urban smARTS, 79 Dougherty Arts Center: Youth at Arts: Graffiti as Art and Texas Young Playwrights Program, 81 Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center: Grupo Animo, 92 Junior Players: Teatro del Barrio, 100 Multicultural Education and Counseling Through the Arts, 117 SHAPE Community Center: Family Strengthening and Empowerment Program, 133 Vermont Flynn Theatre for the Performing Arts: Flynn/ Wheeler School Partnership, 87 Vermont Council on the Humanities: Read With Me: Teen Parent Project, 143 Virginia Wolf Trap Foundation for the Performing Arts: Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts, 146 Washington El Centro de la Raza: The Hope for Youth, 64 The Children's Museum: Rainier Vista Arts Program, 69 Ewajo Dance Workshop: After-School Program, 85 Pacific Northwest Ballet: DanceChance, 123 Washington State Historical Society, Capital Museum: Experimental Gallery: Arts Program for Incarcerated Youth, 146 Yakima Academy of the Arts, 147 Youth in Focus, 150 Wisconsin Charles A. Wustum Museum of Fine Arts: Victory in Peace Program, 65 Latino Arts: Cultural Arts Classes, 104 Lawrence Arts Academy: Enriched Instrumental Instruction for Hmong Children, 104 Milwaukee Repertory Theater: TEENWORKS, 113 ® A Note on Assessment As part of this survey, staff at the programs were asked to provide evalua- tion materials. Their stud- ies were compiled for different purposes: to tell a program's story and share its experience with a wider community; to evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of the program for mid- course improvements; to assess the progress of par- ticipants individually or as a group; to compare cur- rent program practices with program goals. Most of the assessments were conducted by pro- gram staff, rather than outside evaluators, using a wide range of tools, including site visits; case studies; journals; focus groups; rating scales and surveys; school records; media coverage; portfolio reviews and performance evaluations, including video documentation. The most common formats were program-to-date summaries and one-time post-program surveys of participants, teachers/ artists/scholars or parents. The findings were primari- ly short term and qualita- tive. They focused on program dimensions and accomplishments, or par- ticipant behavior and self- perception. Few provided quantifiable information on changes in the status of children and youth. Tes- timonial evidence, howev- er, should not be undervalued as prelude and complementary to more quantitative approaches. At present, the cost and time involved in quantitative research is often prohibitive for these programs. A handful of studies have begun to document the positive relationship between program partici- pation and cognitive development, motivation to learn, organization, self- perception and resiliency. For instance, the Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts evaluated children in Head Start preschool pro- grams with 7-week arts residencies in Arizona, the District of Columbia and Tennessee. It reports that preschool children in these residencies, when compared with children in "regular" programs, pro- gressed in two known antecedents to learning — student engagement (the ability to focus attention and participate in ongoing activities) and social par- ticipation (the ability to be sensitive to others and to work in group settings). 1 The Kaleidoscope Preschool Arts Enrichment Program at the Settlement Music School in Philadel- phia found that their at- risk preschool children made gains in cognitive development, language development and achieve- ment above and beyond what was seen in a control group of preschoolers not in an arts-enriched pro- gram. It reports the gains were maintained as con- tinued time was spent in the Program and, in all cases, remained above the level that was achieved by the control group in 2 years. 2 Project Self Discovery at The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre in Denver is a national demonstra- tion program using artistic engagement as a platform for transforming the lives of youth in trouble from drugs, alcohol and crime. In this after-school program, creative self- expression, artistic men- toring, clinical case management and rigorous recreation are combined to enhance self-esteem, stability and socialization. Using adolescent self- reporting and observation as evaluation tools, the program documented improvements in young people's resiliency skills for managing problems and situations. When compared with program dropouts and a compari- son youth group, the par- ticipants maintained a higher level of involvement in artistic activities, functioned bet- ter in school and used a higher level of cognitive processing in thinking about and dealing with life experiences. 3 The MOTHEREAD, Inc. Program for Incarcerated Mothers in North Carolina, one component of the North Carolina MOTHER- EAD/FATHEREAD literacy program, uses children's literature to enhance mothers' literacy and par- enting skills. Participants learn to read effectively to their children, identify child development themes underlying the stories and relate those themes to their own lives. The researchers have documented improve- ments in the emotional health of the participating mothers. At the end of the program, the mothers reported fewer symptoms of depression and nega- tive self-esteem and more control over their lives. These participants also became more understand- ing of their children's needs and less likely to expect their own needs to be completely satisfied by their children. 4 Staff at these four programs would be the first to point out the methodological limits of their work, including one or more of the following: small sample size; no comparison group or one that was not comparable to the test group in all respects; an inability to separate the impact of the arts or humanities compo- nent of the program from the impact of other fac- tors; little or no follow-up over time. Footnotes 1 Torff, Bruce, 1994, "Evaluation of Wolf Trap Institute for Early Learning Through the Arts: Annual Reports 1991-92, 1992-93," Harvard Project Zero, Cambridge, MA, as summarized in National Endowment for the Arts and Morrison Institute for Public Policy, 1995, Schools, Communities, and the Arts: A Research Compendium, National Endowment for the Arts, Wash- ington, DC, pp. 38-39. 2 Coakley, Mary C, 1995, "Mak- ing a Difference in the Lives of Children: Final Report of a Four- Year Evaluation of an Arts-Based Early Intervention Program," Settlement Music School, Philadelphia, PA. Although encouraged by the findings, the researcher added the following caveats: (a) The number of subjects was fairly small, and the group sizes were unequal, which may have weak- ened the ability to detect differ- ences in the control group: (b) the teachers at the Title XX- funded center had less formal education than the teachers at Kaleidoscope, which may have produced some differences in the two groups: (c) the Kaleidoscope Program had a more generous funding base, which may have provided children and staff with greater opportunities. 3 Milkman, Harvey, Kenneth Wanberg, and Cleo Parker Robinson, 1995, "Project Self Discovery: Artistic Alternatives for High Risk Youth," The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre, Denver, CO. 4 Martin, Sandra L., Niki Cotten, Dorothy Browne, Lawrence Kup- per, Brenda Kurz, and Elizabeth Robertson, 1993, "Evaluation of the MOTHEREAD Program," University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Chapel Hill, NC. The researchers noted a positive impact on the participants, but noted the following limits of the study: (a) There lacked a "no treatment" comparison group, making it difficult to separate the impact of the program from other factors: (b) attrition over the course of the evaluation was considerable, leaving unanswered its effect on the findings: (c) the sample size was small, thereby limiting the statis- tical analysis that could be applied to the data. Notes Page 3 1 Reale, Willie, 1994, 52Pick-Up: A Practical Guide to Doing The- ater With Children Modeled After The 52nd Street Project, The 52nd Street Project, New York, NY, p. 94. Introduction and Summary 1 Several criteria were used in selecting programs to survey. These criteria were not applied rigidly, but functioned as guide- lines. Not all of the programs conform to all of the guidelines. Those few exceptions include programs that offer readers useful insights. The key criterion for selection was that the program target at- risk children and youth. "Risk" was denned using a variety of socioeconomic indicators. The programs profiled are based in local communities; the few national initiatives included all have community sites. The survey focuses on programs that operate outside public school curricula and jurisdiction. They serve young people up to age 24. Young adults ages 19-24 were included because the tran- sition to the work force is such an important juncture in young lives. For a program to have an impact, youth must be active partici- pants over a sustained period of time. Cultural programs that focus exclusively on exposure to the arts and the humanities, one- time or very sporadic programs are not included. The programs surveyed focus on child and youth development as an expressed goal. Programs concentrating only on pre-profes- sional training were considered outside the scope of this survey. Chapter One A Changed Environment for Children: A Status Report 1 Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, Task Force on Youth Development and Commu- nity Programs, 1992, A Matter of Time: Risk and Opportunity in the Nonschool Hours, Carnegie Cor- poration of New York, New York, NY, p. 28. 2 Carnegie Council on Adoles- cent Development, 1995, Great Transitions: Preparing Adoles- cents for a New Century, Carnegie Corporation of New York, New York, NY, p. 105. 3 Zill, Nicholas, Christine Winquist Nord, and Laura Spencer Loomis, 1995, Adolescent Time Use, Risky Behavior, and Outcomes: An Analysis of National Data, Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD, pi. 4 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, (draft), "Trends in the Well-Being of America's Children and Youth: 1995," Wash- ington, DC, pp. 11, 43. 5 Luxembourg Income Study, as reported in The New York Times, August 14, 1995. ° Annie E. Casey Foundation, 1994, KIDS COUNT Data Book 1994, State Profiles of Child Well- Being, Annie E. Casey Founda- tion, Baltimore, MD, pp. 9-11, 158. 7 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, op. cit, p. 342. ° Children's Defense Fund, (pre- publication press edition), 1994, "The State of America's Children, Yearbook 1994," Children's Defense Fund, Washington, DC, Introduction, p. 3. 9 Ibid., p. 19. 10 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, op. cit., p. 140. 11 Ibid., pp. 88, 134, 178; Annie E. Casey Foundation, 1995, KIDS COUNT Data Book 1995, State Profiles of Child Well-Being, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Baltimore, MD, p.19. 12 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, op. cit., p. 136. Youth are defined as "risk free" if they are in school or have gradu- ated from high school; have never had sexual intercourse; have never used illegal drugs; have had less than five alcoholic beverages in a row in the past month; have not stayed out all night without permission in the past year. 18 Carnegie Council on Adoles- cent Development, op. cit., p. 49. 19 20 Ibid., p. 46. Wynn, Joan, et. al., 1987, 13 Ibid., p. 282. 1 4 Population Reference Bureau, 1992, The Challenge of Change: What the 1990 Census Tells Us About Children, Center for the Study of Social Policy, Washing- ton, DC, p. 16. 15 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, op. cit., p. 239. '■" Carnegie Council on Adoles- cent Development, op. cit., p. 50. 17 Derived from Dryfoos, Joy G, 1990, Adolescents at Risk: Preva- lence and Prevention, Oxford University Press, New York, NY, p. 95; Pittman, Karen, and Mar- lene Wright, 1991, "Bridging the Gap: A Rationale for Enhancing the Role of Community Organiza- tions in Promoting Youth Devel- opment," Center for Youth Development at the Academy for Educational Development, Wash- ington, DC, Table 8. Communities and Adolescents: An Explanation of Reciprocal Support, Chapin Hall Center for Children, University of Chicago, Chicago, IL. Comments of the Youth Committee of the Lilly Endowment. 21 Carnegie Council on Adoles- cent Development, Task Force on Youth Development and Commu- nity Programs, op. cit., pp. 11-12. Chapter Two Culture Counts: The Case for the Arts and the Humanities in Youth Development 1 Zill, Nicholas, Christine Win- quist Nord, and Laura Spencer Loomis, 1995, Adolescent Time Use, Risky Behavior, and Out- comes: An Analysis of National Data, Westat, Inc., Rockville, MD, p. iv. 2 Gardner, Howard, 1983, Frames of Mind: The Theory of Multiple Intelligences, Basic Books, Inc., New York, NY. 3 Gardner, Howard, 1991, The Unschooled Mind: How Children Think and How School Should Teach, Basic Books, Inc., New York, NY, p. 149. 4 Murfee, Elizabeth, 1995, Elo- quent Evidence: Arts at the Core of Learning, President's Commit- tee on the Arts and the Humani- ties, National Assembly of State Arts Agencies, Washington, DC, p. 2. 5 Ibid., p. 8. ° Loyacano, Laura, 1992, Rein- venting the Wheel: A Design for Student Achievement in the 21st Centuiy, National Conference of State Legislatures, Denver, CO, p. 27. ' Darby, Jaye T., and James S. Catterall, "The Fourth R: The Arts and Learning," Teachers College Record, Volume 96, No. 2, Winter 1994, p. 309. ° "Corporate America Turns to the Kennedy Center for Tools of Education Reform," Forbes Mag- azine, October 17, 1994. " Milkman, Harvey, Kenneth Wanberg, and Cleo Parker Robin- son, 1995, "Project Self Discovery: Artistic Alternatives for High Risk Youth," The Cleo Parker Robinson Dance Theatre, Denver, CO, p. 29. Chapter Four A Delicate Balance: Principles and Practices of Promising Arts and Humanities Programs 10 Ibid., p. 31. 1 1 Interview with Willie Reale, artistic director, The 52nd Street Project (New York, NY, October 12, 1995). -^ Interview with Victor Swen- son, executive director, Vermont Council on the Humanities (Mor- risville.VT, September 27, 1995). 13 Collins, Naomi R, "Culture's New Frontier: Staking a Common Ground," American Council of Learned Societies, ACLS Occa- sion Paper No. 15, p. 15. 14 Darby, Jaye T, and James S. Catterall, op. cit, p. 315. Chapter Three Transforming Lives: An Overview of Arts and Human- itites Programs 1 Staff Journal, New Voices Ensemble, People's Light and Theater Company, Malvern, PA. 1 For example: Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, 1995, Great Transitions: Preparing Adoles- cents for a New Century, Carnegie Corporation of New York, New York, NY; Carnegie Council on Adolescent Development, Task Force on Youth Development and Commu- nity Programs, 1992, A Matter of Time: Risk and Opportunity m the Nonschool Hours, Carnegie Corporation of New York, New York, NY; Center for Youth Development and Policy Research of the Acad- emy for Educational Develop- ment, and Chapm Hall Center for Children, University of Chicago, (draft), "People, Places, and Pos- sibilities: Community Organiza- tions and Youth Development," Academy for Educational Devel- opment, Washington, DC; Dryfoos, Joy G., 1990, Adoles- cents at Risk: Prevalence and Prevention, Oxford University Press, New York, NY; Heath, Shirley Brice, and Milbrey W. McLaughlin (Eds.), 1993, Iden- tity and Inner-City Youth: Beyond Ethnicity and Gender, Teachers College Press, Columbia Univer- sity, New York, NY Schorr, Lisbeth B., and Daniel Schorr, 1989, Within Our Reach: Breaking the Cycle of Disadvan- tage, Doubleday, New York, NY; ^ Interviews were held with: • Dollie McLean, founding execu- tive director, The Artists Collec- tive, Inc. (Hartford, CT, October 4, 1995). • Manish Gaur, coordinator, Rainbow Project; Ana Gallegos y Reinhardt, managing director; Carlos Uribe, director of programs, Center for Contempo- rary Arts of Santa Fe, Teen Pro- ject; Bernie Lopez, executive director, Center for Contemporary Arts of Santa Fe (Santa Fe, NM, November 6, 1995). • Steven Goodman, executive director, Educational Video Cen- ter (New York, NY, October 12, 1995). • Carol Ochs, executive director; Willie Reale, artistic director, The 52nd Street Project (New York, NY, October 12, 1995). • Dennis Taniguchi, executive director, Japantown Art and Media Workshop (San Francisco, CA, November 8, 1995). • Robert Capanna, executive director, Settlement Music School (Philadelphia, PA, October 20, 1995). • Dawn Andrews, program direc- tor; Nadine Martin, communica- tions director; Victor Swenson, executive director; Suzi Wizowaty, literacy program coor- dinator, Vermont Council on the Humanities (Mornsville, VT, Sep- tember 27, 1995). • Eddie Gale, project coordinator, Vermont Community Foundation; Bonnie Griffin, project director, Youth Wellness Center, St. Johns- bury; Marilyn Magnus, R.N., Youth Wellness Center, St. Johns- bury; Vicky Smith, program director, King Street Youth Cen- ter, Burlington; Carol Wageman, teen parent service providers coordinator, Washington County * Youth Services Bureau, Montpe- lier (Stowe, VT, September 27, 1995). • Dick Barrett, deputy director, Washington State Juvenile Reha- bilitation Administration; Char- lotte Beale, curator, Seattle Children's Museum; Linda Bradley, art educator, Green Hill School; Abe Dean, student, Maple Lane School; William Det- mering, principal, Maple Lane School; Rosalie McHale, program coordinator, Governor's Juvenile Justice Committee; Carol Porter, superintendent, Maple Lane School; Gary Schalliol, director of education, Washington State Historical Society; Robert Sotelo, artist/educator, Maple Lane School; Derek Valley, director, Washington State Historical Soci- ety, Capital Museum; Susan Warner, curator of education, Washington State Historical Soci- ety, Capital Museum (Olympia, WA, November 7, 1995). • Nan Elsasser, executive direc- tor, Working Classroom, Inc. (Albuquerque, NM, November 6, 1995). 3 Reale, Willie, 1994, 52 Pick-Up: A Practical Guide to Doing The- ater With Children Modeled After The 52nd Street Project, The 52nd Street Project, New York, NY, p. 28. 4 Ibid., p. 42. 5 Ibid., p. 20. 6 Ibid., p. 38. Chapter Five Looking Ahead: A Next-Step Agenda 1 Cobb, Nina Kressner, 1995, Looking Ahead, Private Sector Giving to the Arts and the Humanities, President's Commit- tee on the Arts and the Humani- ties, Washington, DC, p. 4. The facts at the bottom of each page are taken from the text or from one of two sources: Annie E. Casey Foundation, 1995, KIDS COUNT Data Book 1995, State Profiles of Child Weil-Being, Annie E. Casey Foundation, Bal- timore, MD; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation, (draft), "Trends in the Weil-Being of America's Children and Youth: 1995," Washington, DC. 161 Acknowledgments The President's Commit- tee would like to thank Judith Humphreys Weitz for preparing this report. Her longstanding experi- ence in shaping public policies and programs for children and youth and her personal background in the performing arts made her an ideal person for investigating this promising subject. Randy Cohen, Nancy Lan- gan and Rachel Moore of the National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies inter- viewed staff at hundreds of arts and humanities pro- grams for this report. Their diligence and dedication are deeply appreciated. Without the support of the Anncox Foundation, Botwinick-Wolfensohn Foundation, Emily Hall Tremaine Foundation, Nathan Cummings Foun- dation, GE Fund and Har- ris Foundation, this report would not have happened. Special thanks go to Anne Cox Chambers, James D. Wolfensohn and Jennifer Jacobson, Sally Bowles and Susan M. Bullock, Joan Shigekawa and Clau- dine Brown, Jane Polin and Joan W. Harris for their enthusiasm for and belief in this project. Elizabeth Murfee's editorial and writing skills were of great value. We are grate- ful to Jayson Hait for her detailed review of the text. Beth Singer Design made the text come alive, com- municating through design the vitality of children and the promise of these pro- grams. We would like to acknowl- edge the expert guidance of the Advisory Group. To the more than 100 organi- zations and public agen- cies that supplied the Committee with informa- tion about promising arts and humanities programs, we extend our gratitude. Special thanks go to Esther Mackintosh of the Federa- tion of State Humanities Councils and Patricia E. Williams of the American Association of Museums for their extensive efforts to identify programs. Wanda Fleming's paper on child and youth develop- ment provided us with important information and insight. A special note of gratitude goes to April Milander who consistently and thoroughly carried out myriad tasks vital to the research for this report. Ellen McCulloch-Lovell, executive director of the President's Committee, deserves acknowledgment for her critical role in developing and supporting this project from start to finish. The Youth Working Group of the President's Committee, co-chaired by Peggy Cooper Cafritz and Richard Gurin, provided valuable advice and support. The President's Commit- tee thanks the following for their sustaining sup- port during this project: Lerone Bennett, Jr., Man- dell L. and Madeleine H. Berman Foundation, Gold- smith Foundation, Sara Lee Corporation, Betty R. Sheffer Foundation and Warner Bros. And, finally, to the staff at the arts and humanities programs both identified for and profiled in this report, your imagination and commitment to the children and youth of this country is both appreciat- ed and applauded. The President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities The President's Commit- tee on the Arts and the Humanities was created by Presidential Executive Order in 1982 to encour- age private sector support and to increase public appreciation of the value of the arts and the human- ities through projects, publications and meetings. Appointed by the Presi- dent, the Committee com- prises leading citizens from the private sector who have an interest in and commitment to the humanities and the arts. Its members also include the heads of 1 3 federal agencies with cultural pro- grams, such as the National Endowments for the Arts and the Humani- ties, the Institute of Muse- um Services, the Department of Education, the Smithsonian Institu- tion, the Library of Con- gress, the National Gallery of Art and The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. ■■m National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies The National Assembly of Local Arts Agencies (NALAA) represents the nation's 3,800 local arts agencies. A local arts agency is a community organization or an agency of local government that supports cultural organiza- tions, provides services to artists and arts organiza- tions and presents arts programming to the pub- lic. Local arts agencies are vested with the responsi- bility to further local cul- tural and artistic interests and ensure access to them. To that end, NALAA, in partnership with its field, has devel- oped the Institute for Community Development and the Arts. The Institute educates local arts agen- cies, elected and appoint- ed municipal officials and arts funders about the important role of the arts as community change agents for economic, social and educational problems. Institute part- ners include Bravo Cable Network; International City/County Management Association; National Association of Counties; National Association of Towns and Townships; National Conference of State Legislatures; Nation- al Endowment for the Arts; National League of Cities; President's Com- mittee on the Arts and the Humanities and U.S. Con- ference of Mayors. The Institute is sponsored in part by the National Endowment for the Arts, The Pew Charitable Trusts, The Rockefeller Founda- tion, the Robert Sterling Clark Foundation and the Emily Hall Tremaine Foun- dation. For additional information, contact: NALAA 927 15th Street, NW 12th Floor Washington, DC 20005 Phone: 202-371-2830 Fax: 202-371-0424 Additional Resources Federation of State Humanities Councils 1600 Wilson Boulevard Suite 902 Arlington, VA 22209 703-908-9700 Institute of Museum Services 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20506 202-606-8536 National Assembly of State Arts Agencies 1010 Vermont Avenue, NW Suite 920 Washington, DC 20005 202-347-6352 National Endowment for the Arts 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20506 202-682-5400 National Endowment for the Humanities 1100 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20506 202-606-8400 WIIHIHIHII PRESIDENT'S COMMITTEE ON THE ARTS AND THE HUMANITIES Hillary Rodham Clinton Honorary Chair John Brademas Chairman Peggy Cooper Cafritz Vice Chair Cynthia Perrin Schneider Vice Chair Terry Semel Vice Chair Susan Barnes-Gelt Lerone Bennett, Jr. Madeleine Berman Curt Bradbury John H. Bryan Hilario Candela Anne Cox Chambers Margaret Corbett Daley Everett Fly David P. Gardner Harvey Golub Richard S. Gurin Irene Y. Hirano David Henry Hwang William Ivey Quincy Jones Emily Malino Robert Menschel Rita Moreno Jaroslav Pelikan Anthony Podesta Phyllis Rosen Marvin Sadik Ann Sheffer Raymond Smith Isaac Stern Dave Warren Shirley Wilhite Harold Williams Federal Members: Jane Alexander David Barrum James H. Billington Joseph D. Duffey Diane B. Frankel Sheldon Hackney I. Michael Heyman Roger Kennedy Earl A. Powell III Richard W. Riley Leslie Samuels Lawrence Wilker Timothy Wirth Executive Director President's Committee on the Arts and the Humanities 1 1 00 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Suite 526 Washington, DC 20506 Phone: 202-682-5409 • Fax: 202-682-5668 MTIONAL ASSEMBLY Of —^ Institute for Community Development and the Arts