Engaged Communities

A Spotlight On the Arts in Social Justice

Jan 22, 2016 | jarred@ya.org

  Social Justice is defined as "the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political, and social rights and opportunities". Young Audiences believes that the arts can play a part in fighting against these inequities by shedding light on these problems, helping build a more expansive societal mindset, and inspiring our students to reject the current status quo and strive for more equitable…

Center for Arts-inspired Learning Helps Cleveland Students Find Their Voice

Jan 15, 2016 | jarred@ya.org

“Be yourself, you don’t have to worry about anything else anyone else says,” says one student at a Cleveland area Middle School. She believes that this is an important message to share to all of her peers and community members. She has had trouble with bullying in the past, often being made fun of for her religion or because she likes girls instead of boys. “They think that girls shouldn’t like…

Young Audiences: 2015 in Review

Dec 30, 2015 | jarred@ya.org

2015 was an exciting year for Young Audiences! Together, the Young Audiences Network has been involved in bringing the arts to over 5 million students in communities around the country in many different ways, from providing programs that enhance students' 21st century skills through STEAM, to organizing advocacy and arts-based community building events. Check out just a few of 2015's highlights…

Stronger than ever after Katrina: A Spotlight on Young Audiences of Louisiana

Dec 23, 2015 | marcus@ya.org

  It was August 2005 when Hurricane Katrina devastated the Gulf Coast, from central Florida to Texas. Flooding in New Orleans destroyed homes, lives, and livelihoods. But the people of the city proved resilient, reclaiming their city and their culture.    Prior to Katrina, Young Audiences of Louisiana was a mid-size affiliate. “We had slow and steady growth, and we were involved primarily in…

Students Shine In New Ways with Arts Integration

Nov 30, 2015 | marcus@ya.org

  When you integrate arts into educa­tion, the students will surprise you.” That’s what Aitina Fareed Cooke found in her experience as a teaching artist in two very different places. Waterfront Elementary School, where Aitina worked with third and fourth graders, is in Buffalo, the second-largest city in the state of New York. The Harold O. Brumsted Elementary School, where she worked with first…

An Interview with Elizabeth Núñez: Conductor of the Young People's Chorus of New York City

Nov 12, 2015 | jarred@ya.org

The Young People's Chorus of New York City is a multicultural youth chorus internationally renowned for its superb virtuosity and brilliant showmanship. Founded by Artistic Director Francisco J. Núñez in 1988, this groundbreaking program harnesses the power of music to fulfill the potential of every child.  Almost 1,400 young people ages 7 to 18 participate annually through YPC's core after-…

5 Reasons Why the Arts Are Vital to Education

Oct 30, 2015 | jarred@ya.org

  What is Arts integration? Arts integration is a technique for teaching and learning that utilizes arts forms in conjunction with standard subject area curricula in order to facilitate comprehensive and effective learning in both the art form and traditional core subject area. Young Audiences Arts for Learning believes that the demonstrated benefits of implementing arts-…

Social Justice Professional Development Event Inspires 100 Teachers in Charleston, South Carolina

Sep 25, 2015 | marcus@ya.org

                                             Actress Cheryl Howard performing Zora. Photo courtesy Young Audiences New York. On September 19th, 2015, Young Audiences New York’s Literature to Life program presented a performance and professional development workshop for 100 Charleston County Public School Teachers, in Charleston,…

Bringing the Arts into the Community – Chicago Arts Partnerships in Education’s New Summer Initiative

Sep 3, 2015 | marcus@ya.org

                  A Community Mosaic Project: A collaborative between students, their parents and community members Even though many of the Young Audiences Arts for Learning (YA) affiliates have started the school year, for many of us, Labor Day signifies the end of summer. Looking back at the YA network’s expansive summer programming, we would like to highlight our…

Arts for Learning Indiana Helps Near Eastside Indianapolis Look to the Clouds

Aug 28, 2015 | jarred@ya.org

  A quick look into the demographics of the Near Eastside of Indianapolis community will reveal that it is comprised of 20 different neighborhoods encompassing over 40,000 residents. Of the 40,000, 24% do not have a high school diploma and according to the U.S. census the unemployment rate was almost 10% in 2000 and has risen steadily since. In addition to this, many of the students that attend…