Our Programs
Extended Learning
P.S. ARTS offers options for extended learning during the school year and in the summers to support creative expression, identity development, and critical thinking skills.
P.S. ARTS provides lunchtime, after-school, and summer programs in multiple arts disciplines, including P.S. ARTS’ national award-winning theater based youth development program, Inside Out Community Arts.
Inside Out Community Arts
This national award-winning after-school theater arts program for middle school students supports creative expression, identity development, civic leadership, and technical acting and playwriting skills. In addition to twice-weekly instruction, students and family members are invited to creative workshops and trips to see professional theater.
Summer & After School Programs
P.S. ARTS’ Summer and After School Programs include visual art, theater, music, and dance enrichment programs offered after school, over the summer, and during school breaks are customizable to schools, parks, and other community settings.
SAC LUNCH
The Student Art Club (SAC) is a middle school lunch-time visual arts program designed to provide a safe and creative social activity during lunch for anyone who wants to participate, but especially for students who may otherwise feel isolated or disengaged at school.
Inside Out Community Arts
Inside Out Community Arts is an Extended Learning program of P.S. ARTS focused on empowering underserved middle school youth with the tools, confidence, and inspiration to make a positive difference in their lives and their communities through the arts. This national award-winning, research-proven program has been inspiring youth, from the inside out, since 1996.
In 1996, theater artists Camille Ameen and Jonathan Zeichner co-founded Inside Out Community Arts, a not-for-profit arts organization. There, they led the development of The School Project program in response to a need for violence prevention/intervention after-school programs for middle school youth following the Los Angeles civil unrest of 1992. Since then, The School Project – now called the Inside Out Community Arts (IOCA) program – has been providing a multidisciplinary arts education to public middle school students . In 2014, IOCA merged with P.S. ARTS, allowing the program to expand in scope and depth. Current P.S. ARTS Board Trustee, David Kahn was a board officer of IOCA. This free-to-families program immerses youth in theatre, movement, arts, and media experiences while promoting social and emotional development. Three independent research studies have confirmed the programs’ impact.
This national award-winning after-school theater arts program for middle school students supports creative expression, identity development, civic leadership, and technical acting and playwriting skills. In addition to twice-weekly instruction, students and family members are invited to creative workshops and trips to see professional theater. Students perform their original plays in a culminating event open to the community.
The program curriculum adheres to the California Visual and Performing Arts and English-Language Arts Content Standards for six through eighth grades. Teaching Artist Leaders guide students through the curriculum, exposing them to multiple arts disciplines and the elements of creating a play (e.g. theatre vocabulary, thematic through-lines, character development, story and structure, conflict resolution, acting, directing, writing, blocking, vocal projection, singing, and theatrical styles).
Contact us for more information on how to bring Extended Learning or Inside Out Community Arts to your district.
Culminating performance
The journey from play creation to culminating performance synthesizes and strengthens all of the arts skills participants have been introduced to throughout the IOCA program, helps participants with discipline and goal setting, and strengthens self-esteem as they perform for an audience of 500 friends and families.
Theater Field Trip
Students attend a professional theater performance to see a high-quality production that provides tangible examples of the ideas, concepts, and techniques taught in our program. Participants engage in a Q&A session with the professional actors, writers, and designers to get an in-depth experience that raises participants’ commitment levels and expectations of themselves and each other.
IOCA Artist Leader Training Academy
A paid professional development opportunity for artists and arts educators to explore IOCA’s award-winning curriculum. Selected candidates enter the Artist Leader Training Academy as Trainees in order to complete comprehensive training in the IOCA curriculum and methodology.
Family Workshops
IOCA Family Workshops are a fun way for parents and youth to collaborate together using improvisation, movement, visual arts, and writing. Each after-school program includes at least one weekend opportunity where Artist Leaders guide an intergenerational group in one of IOCA’s workshops.
Summer & After school programs
P.S. ARTS’ Summer and After School Programs include visual art, theater, music, and dance enrichment programs offered after school, over the summer, and during school breaks are customizable to schools, parks, and other community settings. Trained Teaching Artists instructed K-8th grade students with in-person classes and hands-on projects that inspire creativity, problem-solving, and healthy self expression.
These visual art, theater, music, and dance enrichment programs offered after school, over the summer, and during school breaks are customizable to schools, parks, and other community settings.
SAC LUNCH
The Student Art Club (SAC) is a middle school lunch-time visual arts program designed to provide a safe and creative social activity during lunch for anyone who wants to participate, but especially for students who may otherwise feel isolated or disengaged at school.
