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Arts & Culture

HISD Students To Benefit From New Arts Grant

Young Audiences of Houston just received its largest NEA grant to date, helping to bring more arts to the classroom.

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  • Shanae'a Moore of Theatre Under The Stars leads a sign language song about creativity for a Pre-K class at Codwell Elementary. During their week-long residency with TUTS, the students focused on science lessons through theater, storytelling and art demonstrations. (Photo Credit: Faith Webber)
    Shanae'a Moore of Theatre Under The Stars leads a sign language song about creativity for a Pre-K class at Codwell Elementary. During their week-long residency with TUTS, the students focused on science lessons through theater, storytelling and art demonstrations. (Photo Credit: Faith Webber)
  • Jean Keucher demonstrates how she controls the motions and expressions of her marionette puppets during a performance and lesson at Highland Heights Elementary. Jean's programming, through Young Audiences of Houston, focuses on the elements of storytelling for young students. (Photo Credit: Faith Webber)
    Jean Keucher demonstrates how she controls the motions and expressions of her marionette puppets during a performance and lesson at Highland Heights Elementary. Jean's programming, through Young Audiences of Houston, focuses on the elements of storytelling for young students. (Photo Credit: Faith Webber)
  • Michele Dement of the Houston Ballet helps several students of Northline Elementary prepare for a performance as a culmination of the Ballet’s X3: Explore, Extence, Excel! educational programming at the campus. (Photo Credit: Faith Webber)
    Michele Dement of the Houston Ballet helps several students of Northline Elementary prepare for a performance as a culmination of the Ballet’s X3: Explore, Extence, Excel! educational programming at the campus. (Photo Credit: Faith Webber)

A new grant from the National Endowment for the Arts is giving students in some Houston public schools a chance to experience the arts in all forms. "From in-school residencies that are very well focused on arts integration, to field trip opportunities, to after-school programs, and also performances on campus," explains Deborah Lugo, the Director of the Arts Access Initiative. The organization just received $100,000 from the NEA.

The program is backed by Young Audiences of Houston, an organization that partners with 40 local arts groups to bring more arts to Houston Independent School District students. This isn't the first NEA grant they've received, but it is the largest.

HISD's Douglas Torres-Edwards says it falls in line with the new superintendent's aim to make arts education a priority. So far, 25 schools participate and the grant will help that number grow. "That means that not only do more of our students have these kinds of opportunities, but also that it is situated in such a way that art is not simply an afterthought.," Torres-Edwards says.

The Arts Access Initiative focuses on students from Kindergarten to 8th grade, but Torres-Edwards says there are hopes to expand to high schools in the future.

Faith Webber
Faith Webber
Faith Webber