What We Do
ArtSmart transforms the lives of youth in under-resourced communities across the United States through tuition-free music lessons and mentorship, by paid professional artists. We empower students of all backgrounds to express themselves creatively and develop holistically through two distinct student-led program formats: the One-to-One Music Mentorship Program and the Vocal Theater Program.
Curriculum
Over the course of a 28-week program year, students meet weekly with their mentors during the school day to develop their musical skills, collaborate creatively with peers, and learn how to set and achieve goals both inside and outside of ArtSmart. Students participate in two on-stage recitals, receive masterclasses from professional artists, and gain access to additional enrichment opportunities.
A cornerstone of our approach to equitable, inclusive, and accessible music mentorship is our model of providing services at partner schools during the school day. By utilizing students’ free periods and arts instruction time, we maximize accessibility for all students and minimize barriers to participation.
ArtSmart’s unique model integrates traditional arts learning paradigms with expanded approaches to create a comprehensive, data-driven music mentorship framework. We incorporate elements from the Connected Arts Learning Framework, fostering connections between arts learning and other knowledge domains. Our approach draws on the Creative Youth Development Model, emphasizing youth voice, skill-building, and community engagement. We utilize the SMART Goal-Setting Framework to help students set specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound objectives. Our programs adhere to the SAFE Practices Model, ensuring activities are Sequenced, Active, Focused, and Explicit in their delivery of skill-building opportunities.