WHAT IS stART?
stART asks one very important question:
"What can we do together to foster opportunities and collaborations
between teens and professional arts organizations in our community?"
CLICK HERE to return to stART Information page and calendar.
Frequently Asked Questions
WHY IS IT CALLED START?
We realized pretty early on that a big part of this program was going to be about sharing - sharing cultural experiences and sharing our thoughts about art. So... stART - Share the Art
WHAT IS THE POINT OF THIS PROGRAM?
We also knew this program would be all about having new kinds of experiences and getting access to venues and arts events that previously might have seemed inaccessible. The whole idea is to allow students to have a focused and chaperoned experience in a cultural venue while also learning what it takes to repeat these kinds of visits on their own in the future.
HOW DOES IT ALL WORK?
There are three important communities that make this program possible:
Cultural Institutions - our current cultural partners represent a list of organizations and individuals who want to share the energy of their organization with the energy of local students. All of these organizations already have tremendous educational programs but this program gives greater access to students who are more curious about how the arts happen and meeting the leaders that make it happen.
School Partners - Awesome teachers and administrators... we all know who they are. The English teacher who introduced us to Shakespeare, the visual arts teacher who taught us how to draw, the music teacher who didn't give up on us when we sucked at piano. Thanks to some incredible teachers and administrators we have been able to bring this program into several schools in central NJ. But we ask a little more of our faculty representatives than just promotion. They come to events with us, join our community meals, and keep the conversations going long after the event has ended. Our school partners are educators committed to not just getting through the teaching day, but being a holistic part of their learning communities.
Students - the student participants are individuals want to experience art - and say something about it. Maybe they don't see themselves as artists, but they have a passion for experiencing more, learning more. They are active participants in their lives and they see art as an important part of that. The only requirement for stART participants is curiosity!
WHAT KIND OF STUFF DO YOU DO?
artSHARE - About every other month we sponsor a special community meal and SHARE. The idea is to bring in guest speakers and facilitators who have an expertise in an area the group is interested in. We have had gourmet chefs, dancers, directors, etc. Students have an opportunity to see creativity in a wide array of professions. These events are also an opportunity for students from different school systems to share with each other the kinds of projects going on in their own schools.
Cultural Trips - a few times a month we plan a group dinner and outing to a local cultural institution. We have attended plays, at George Street Playhouse, music events at Mason Gross School of the Arts. We have also had the opportunity to provide some insider experiences, like getting to see a tech rehearsal at Rutgers Theater Company, or have specially coordinated private talk backs with actors and designers.
SO HOW DO I GET INVOLVED?
In order to build this kind of partnership the first thing we need to know is who is out there? What projects are you working on? And what do you want to see happen in your community? You can check out how you can get involved with coLAB Arts HERE or contact John Keller, coLAB Arts Director of Education by email or phone at jpkeller@colab-arts.org and (732) 718-7614.
Consider Answering one of these questions:
1) Is there a cool project happening now in your high school or anywhere in your community that you want others to know about (school play, art exhibit, etc.)?
2) What kinds of projects do you want to see happen in your community? What is there not enough of (live music, dance performances, public murals, etc.)?
3) What kinds of arts events do you want access to? If there were opportunities for discounted tickets, what would you want to see? Where?
stART Committee
Tracy O'Reggio, New Brunswick Cultural Center
Ellen Valencia, New Brunswick Cultural Center
John Keller, coLAB Arts
Dan Swern, coLAB Arts
Kelly Ryman, George Street Playhouse
Shakera Blakney, George Street Playhouse
Amie Bajalieh, Crossroads Theater Company
Christopher Kenniff, Mason Gross School of the Arts Extension Division
