Hope Academy of Music and the Arts
East Liberty Presbyterian Church’s Arts Education Outreach Program
Founded in 1999 to bring arts education to children and youth in our community, Hope Academy of Music and the Arts, East Liberty Presbyterian Church’s largest outreach program, offers a safe place where young people of diverse racial, ethnic, cultural, socioeconomic, religious and linguistic backgrounds can further their personal and artistic growth through the study and performance of theater, dance and music. We strive to create a diverse and inclusive artistic community that provides deep arts instruction through a sequential and progressive program; that supports the personal and artistic growth of students and teaching artists, alike; and contributes to our community’s positive growth and cultural vibrancy.
Pre-pandemic, Hope Academy impacted the lives of more than 400 children and their families a year, giving students the opportunity to discover hidden skills and talents, and build self-esteem in a supportive, caring environment. The community problem we address is the lack of opportunity for underserved youth to participate in the arts due to limited family resources and cutbacks in arts programming in schools. The strength and uniqueness of our programming is derived from the partnerships we have developed with some of the city’s finest artists and cultural organizations.
Our goal is to make the arts more affordable, accessible and not a matter of privilege because we believe that in the process of learning how to do and make art, something mysterious and profoundly beautiful happens — a blossoming that begins when a child has a glimpse of who she or he is meant to be; because it is through the arts we come to know others and ourselves in the fullness of our humanity.
DIVERSITY STATEMENT
In an effort to be intentional about serving a greater number of minority and low-income students, all of Hope Academy’s scholarships, and half of the available spots for classes, are reserved for students from families who qualify as being low income and/or who are of Black, African American or Indigenous descent. Because we recognize that diversity and individual uniqueness brings vitality to the artistic work we do, we recruit students from across the spectrums of race, ethnicity, culture, linguistic background, sexual orientation, gender, religion, personal style, appearance, and physical ability, as well as people of diverse opinions, perspectives, lifestyles, ideas, and thinking.
Administrative Staff
Anqwenique Kinsel, Program Director
Email: info@HopeAcademyArts.com
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