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ARTS IN EDUCATION

Empowering underserved students through arts education, JGCO’s Arts in Education
program enriches the lives of youth in New York City’s most marginalized communities.

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JGCO's Arts in Education program brings high-quality arts programming to New York City public schools, filling gaps left by traditional education. Serving grades Pre-K through 12 across the five boroughs, the program offers ballet, African dance, drumming, filmmaking, theater, arts and crafts, and sports through a curriculum aligned with New York State Arts Standards, so students build creative skills while meeting key educational benchmarks.
 

The program has two parts: Residencies and Lecture Demonstrations.

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info@creativeoutlet.org
Text: 917.500.8774

“As a lifelong Brooklynite and a public servant for the 35th District, I have seen first hand how JGCO has been a force for good in the Brooklyn community. Jamel and his team produce incredible performing artists and do wonders for our schools and community members, including many of my constituents. Jamel Gaines’s teaching staff are the highest caliber of artists; and they are individuals who, more often than not, got their start in the rehearsal studios of JGCO.” ​

Crystal Hudson (New York City Council Member, District 35)

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Residencies

Residencies bring professional teaching artists into schools for hands-on workshops that build technical skill, cultural awareness, and creative expression. Led by professional artists, including veteran educators, Broadway performers, and alumni of renowned dance companies, residencies cover:

  • Dance (Ballet, Modern, Jazz, African Dance)

  • Drumming and Music

  • Theater and Spoken Word

  • Filmmaking

  • Visual Arts
     

Residencies run from six weeks to a full school year and end with a student performance. Through storytelling, call-and-response, and units on cultural history and social justice, students explore diverse heritages and discover the arts as a tool for expression and change.

Lecture Demonstrations

Lecture Demonstrations are live performances by JGCO's Dance Theatre Company that celebrate culture, history, and community throughout the school year. Open to the whole school community, including students not enrolled in residencies, they combine original choreography, spoken word, live music, and interactive call-and-response.
 

Programs are offered throughout the year, including:

  • Hispanic Heritage Month

  • Winter Holidays

  • Remembering: Black History Month

  • Valentine's Day

  • Women's History Month

  • Earth Day

  • Celebrating All Cultures

  • Pride Month

  • Juneteenth

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Beyond the classroom, the Arts in Education program brings schools and their communities closer together. Families are invited to join workshops that celebrate cultural heritage and creative expression, and community performances give students a joyful stage to share their work with the people who matter most.

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We measure our impact with care. We track students' technical and creative growth, use pre- and post-program surveys to gauge confidence, resilience, and cultural awareness, and listen closely to feedback from students, teachers, and families. This helps our program keep growing, so every student leaves with more creativity, more confidence, and a wider view of the world. 

New York City schools we are in at the moment!​

 

  • P.S. 011, P.S. 44, P.S. 46, P.S. 67, P.S. 70, P.S. 111, P.S. 189, P.S. 207, P.S. 256, P.S. 307

  • M.S. 113, M.S. 691

  • Dock Street School 

  • Thurgood Marshall Lower School 

  • Urban Assembly School for Green Careers

  • Academy of Arts & Letters 

  • Brooklyn HS for Law & Tech

  • FDA 8 (Frederick Douglass Academy VIII)

  • Urban Action Academy

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