DreamYard Project

DreamYard uses the arts as a tool to improve teaching and learning & to build community. As the largest arts learning provider in the Bronx, DY impacts the social and intellectual growth of thousands through safe, and creatively challenging programs.

Through year-long residencies artists co-teach with classroom teachers for 90 minutes and plan curriculum for 45 Through year-long residencies artists co-teach with classroom teachers for 90 minutes and plan curriculum for 45 minutes a week over 32 weeks from September to June; disciplines include theater, dance, visual art, film/video, music and creative writing. DreamYard will provide 145 residencies to 30 partner schools in 2008-09.

Bronx Writes, a yearlong residency program, teaches students how to write and perform original poetry. A biannual, school-to-school poetry slam competition is facilitated through videoconferencing, engaging hundreds of students in a series of compelling events that culminate in an Open Mic celebration at Lehman College.

The Bronx Arts Learning Community is a model community partnering DreamYard with fourteen K-12th grade Bronx public schools dedicated to building sustainable, continuous art service programs designed to reach 100% of each school’s students.

The DreamYard Preparatory School, a NYC Department of Education public high school with a rigorous arts-integrated curriculum, represents the organization’s best practices developed over the past 14 years.

In April 2009, the DreamYard Art Center will open, an artistic hub for Bronx students and teachers to practice the arts, develop skills and showcase their talents. DreamYard’s three Out of School Programs (OSP) will be housed at the Art Center to train Bronx teenagers as creative leaders with a path towards higher education. The Bronx Acting Ensemble (BAE) trains young actors on basic performance skills and the tenets of classical and modern theater. The Bronx Art Collective (BAC) provides training in visual art and curating. The ACTION Project uses the arts to develop young people as effective social leaders and active civic participants.

Year-round professional development offers unique curriculum, specific to the needs of the collaborating school.

Professional exhibitions celebrate high quality student artwork at venues such as Pregones Theater, Sotheby’s, Inc. and The Public Theater.