Cultural Partnerships

PASE’s innovative Cultural Partnerships for Youth (CPY) program utilized an inquiry-based learning framework to link at-risk middle school youth with exemplary arts organizations and afterschool arts education experiences. Each CPY program involved coordination with a partner cultural institution, community exploration to gather source materials for arts projects, and a culminating event open to families, teachers, peers, and other community members.

Goals of the program included:

  • Foster enjoyment of learning through project-based arts education activities, re-connecting at-risk students with their schools and encouraging them to engage in their communities.
  • Promote verbal problem solving and communication skills among youth as a conflict resolution and school readiness strategy.
  • Foster parent involvement in the schools through art performances by and for their children.
PASE also developed The New York City Arts Career Guide for Youth, a fun, visually dynamic, user-friendly guide publication with two sections outlining a diverse selection of creative careers and a list of arts institutions/programs in New York City that help youth explore and prepare for these careers.