Chancellor Fariña, Lincoln Center Expand Middle School Arts Audition Boot Camp, Kick Off Summer Program
Program provides intensive prep to Title 1 middle school students applying to arts high schools. 240 students benefiting from summer program, more than double since 2014
NEW YORK – Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña and Lincoln Center Education (LCE) today announced that more than 240 students from all five boroughs will participate in the Middle School Arts Audition Boot Camp this summer – more than double the number of students served in 2014. In its fourth year, the program is run in partnership with LCE and provides intensive support and targeted training to students auditioning for and applying to arts-based high schools in New York City.
“Arts are a critical part of a student’s educational experience and the Audition Boot Camp helps level the playing field for hundreds of students interested in attending our City’s arts schools,” said Schools Chancellor Carmen Fariña . “By expanding these opportunities for students, we will increase equity across our schools while also teaching students the value of rehearsing and other important skills that will benefit them beyond the arts.”
Chancellor Fariña welcomed this year’s Audition Boot Camp students and their parents this morning at Lincoln Center’s Walter Reade Theater to kick off the program. The program runs from July 31 through August 11, serving 240 students, up from 98 in 2014.
The Audition Boot Camp is sponsored by the DOE and hosted by LCE. The program aims to help students from Title I middle schools prepare for auditions at competitive arts high schools in New York City. As part of the program, artists from LCE and teachers from DOE schools work together to instruct and coach students in dance, theater, music, and visual arts. In addition to receiving one-on-one and group coaching, students participate in master classes, attend performances and observe other artists’ work.
Audition Boot Camp students and their families also have the opportunity to attend information sessions on the high school application process and receive guidance on finding the right arts-based high school or arts program that best meets their needs. Since 2014, the Audition Boot Camp has helped hundreds of students navigate the high school application process and receive offers to arts-based high schools across New York City. In 2016, all 62 Audition Boot Camp students who auditioned for seats at screened high school arts programs were accepted to at least one, and 28 were accepted to LaGuardia High School. Over 90 percent of the 135 students who participated in last year’s Audition Boot Camp were admitted to an arts-based high school or program.
“We are excited about expanding the Audition Boot Camp program this year, and look forward to its continued success,” said Paul King, Executive Director of the Office of Arts and Special Projects . “The arts are an integral component of learning in New York City and every student deserves the opportunity to apply to an arts-based high school. This partnership between the DOE and Lincoln Center has helped hundreds of students from across the City develop the skills and confidence they need to pursue a high-quality arts education, and we are thrilled to see this program continue to grow with each passing year.”
“We believe in equal access to the best possible arts education, and the Audition Boot Camp program helps realize this vision,” said Russell Granet, Executive Vice President of Lincoln Center Education, Community Engagement, and International. “Our partnership with the Department of Education provides guidance from teachers and professional artists from across Lincoln Center and the City, and gives these aspiring students the tools to develop their craft and the experience and confidence to achieve their dreams.”
At the end of the two-week Audition Boot Camp, students participate in simulated mock auditions in front of judges from cultural institutions across the City, including the Alvin Ailey Dance Theater, Carnegie Hall and the New York Philharmonic. Prior to high school auditions in the fall, students in the program have the option to return to Lincoln Center for additional coaching and supplementary sessions.
“The Middle School Arts Audition Boot Camp program connects students with the critical resources and the preparation they need to pursue an arts education, while also broadening their exposure to our City’s incredible cultural institutions,” said Daniel Vecchiano, Principal of Brooklyn High School of the Arts . “Our school has had the opportunity to welcome many students from the Audition Boot Camp over the last several years, and we are excited to see this program grow.”