Urban Arts
Project Urban Arts is an ongoing project (started in 2003) that has filled the immediate needs of the music program at the High School of Environmental Studies (HSES), an underserved public school in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen. Our top priorities have been:
Bringing in experienced professionals to work with the students as teaching artists.
Professional New York City choreographers, actors, directors, casting agents, pianists, costumers and photographers have all come in to work with these talented students. Workshops, photo sessions, master classes, and rehearsals were all coordinated through Statement Arts. Thanks to these generous teaching artists, HSES has been able to put up six full scale musical productions, including A Chorus Line, Bye Bye Birdie, Little Shop of Horrors, Pippin, The Wiz, and most recently, Annie.
Mentoring Teaching Artists
Urban Arts began as a platform to bring New York City arts professionals into underserved classrooms. Since 2003, the High School for Environmental Studies has nurtured professional actors, choreographers, photographers, and singers into becoming teaching artists by giving them critical experience working with high school students. We are expanding our Teaching Artist Internship and will now be placing teaching artists in a high school in Brooklyn as well as HSES.
Arts professionals interested in becoming a part of the Statement Arts Teaching Artists Internship will receive valuable experience working with high school students within the NYC District of Education.
Is being a Teaching Artist right for you? (Click here for more information)
Internships
This spring, we launched our internship program. Four HSES students were placed with Matthew Robbins Design (link), Martha Stewart Weddings design team. Matthew Robbins Design offers specialized services ranging from basic consulting and general styling to complete design conception, project management and onsite execution. The graduating seniors participated in all aspects of the business including organizing and attending events. Due to the internship’s success, students will continue to be placed with Matthew Robbins Design. Statement Arts is always looking for other professional arts internship opportunities for our students.
Taking Our Shows on the Road!
Our dedicated students rehearse all year to prepare for their performances and we wanted to provide them with the opportunity to perform for a broader audience. Statement Arts raised money, enabling several performing groups to compete in national music festivals, including an adjudication at the prestigious George Mason University in Washington, D.C.
Sponsoring HSES students for voice, acting and dance classes.
Through private donations, we have been able send over 100 students to summer classes, including a six-week voice clinic at Third Street Music School, private singing lessons, and two students received a four-week intensive dance workshop at Studio Maestro.
Community Outreach
During the winter of 2004, our music and theatre students were invited to accompany Broadway and radio singers on their annual caroling tour for the New York City Fire Department. In 2006 our kids were contributing artists at the IMPACT festival and this year we hope to take our 'A Single Drop of Water' message to other schools.
What We’ve Done
Project Urban Arts has accomplished the following:
- Sponsored transportation for students traveling to college interviews and auditions
- Funded school trips for music and theatre competitions and performances
- Accompanied students to theatrical shows, classic movies and concerts
- Organized free photo sessions for the students so they could have professional headshots for other auditions
- Donated costumes for the musical performances
Success Stories
Since Statement Arts has been working with the High School of Environmental Studies, many students have already met with tremendous success!
- Bill & Melinda Gates Millennium Scholarship recipient 2005
- Honor Roll & National Honors Society members
- A Sundance Film Festival participant
- Many students have gone onto higher learning institutions
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