The Vital Voices: Arts in Education Program provides workshops and residencies in acting, writing, production and design for students in grades K-12. Our talented Teaching Artists conduct workshops either in school or at our Upper West Side space, teaching each child to find their voice.

Vital Voices: Arts in Education fosters self-confidence, creative independence, and artistic growth by encouraging students to unearth their artistic voices. We teach practical, hands-on skills in such theatrical arts as playwriting, producing, acting, set, costume and sound design, music and visual arts. Our in-school, daytime workshops are led by professional teaching artists and culminate in a final presentation. Vital Voices provides short-term workshops for countless public and private schools in all five boroughs and beyond, through its school performances and theatre skills workshops.

Brooklyn Theatre Arts High School (BTAHS)
(Martin Coren, Principal)

Funding: New York State Council on the Arts, Office of New Schools

Vital Voices joined forces with Principal Martin Coren to open a new public high school in South Shore Brooklyn. BTAHS opened to 108 freshmen in September 2002 and placed Teaching Artists into the humanities classrooms to jumpstart academic progress, self-esteem, and build self confidence through creative expression. BTAHS is adding more students in 2008.

Fordham High School for the Arts
(Iris Blige, Principal)

Funding: New York State Council on the Arts, VTEA

Vital Voices is now in its fourth year of residency at Fordham. Vital Teaching Artists Kevin Bartlett, John Trevellini and Jorge Cortes facilitated the mainstage production of  TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD (April 20) and Young Playwrights’ Play Festival (May 31) by teaching 24 class sessions in set design from renderings to ground plans, to model building in quarter and half inch scale culminating in set construction and scenic painting. During technical rehearsals students learned to set up, maintain and run a sound system including adjusting sound levels for 8 wireless microphones.

New Explorers in the Bronx
(Denise Simone, Principal)

Funding: The Ghetto Film School

Vital Voices is now in its fourth year of residency at New Explorers. Teaching Artists Mahayana Landowne and Jennifer Loryn, working with New Explorers teacher, Billy Patterson, created a one-hour production of ANTIGONE incorporating hip hop dance and filmed sequences. Teaching Artist Kevin Bartlett facilitated the technical week by overseeing student lighting and sound design.

"The teachers raved about the presenter and the topics that were covered. It was educational yet presented in such a fun way"  - Quentin Huie, Assistant Principal, Yun Wing Elementary School, PS 124

"The classroom workshops your teaching artists conducted received rave reviews!" 
- Susan Rippe, Principal, P.S. 215 Queens

This program is supported, in part, by public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs