MST Chosen To Work At Arts Boost Campus At Neff Elementary

Thanks to the generosity of Houston Endowment and The Powell Foundation and under the oversight of Arts Connect, Main Street Theater (MST) is honored to be the recipient of a $20,000 grant to implement arts integration professional development this 2018 - 2019 school year. The project is administered through Arts Connect, a citywide collective impact effort that works to ensure equitable arts access for all Houston ISD students. The collective exists as a hub where capacity building, advocacy, data collection and funding meet to bridge the gap in arts equity.

As part of the 2018-2019 scope of work, Arts Connect will be supporting extensive arts integration professional development at four Houston ISD Arts Boost Campuses. MST was selected to provide a year-long residency at Pat Neff Elementary where 8 teachers will receive training and guidance in arts integration. MST adheres to the collective's definition of arts integration: "an approach to teaching that fuses learning in the arts with all other content areas, creating a dynamic environment that leads to a well-rounded, engaging education in support of the whole child."

Throughout the academic year, MST teaching artists work alongside classroom teachers. Being an Arts Boost Campus requires a great investment on the part of the selected schools, providing a year-long commitment of time, resources, and staff to immerse themselves in arts integration. MST joins an esteemed group of organizations (Alley Theatre, Fotofest, and Writers In the Schools) to be the inaugural citywide Arts Boost providers. "The Arts Boost Campuses are to be applauded for their serious commitment to the scope and breadth of this initiative. We are eager to spend a year at Neff Elementary, using our storytelling and model techniques to promote the arts integration system that provides learning and promotes creativity among students," says MST Director of Education & Youth Engagement Jonathan Minchew-Gonzalez. "We believe that sustained, in-depth residencies are crucial for an arts-rich campus to succeed, and we are grateful to Neff, Arts Connect, and HISD Fine Arts Department for their mutual commitment and to the Houston Endowment and the Powell Foundation for their belief in and support of arts integration."

About Main Street Theater

Main Street Theater provides theater experiences for all ages. Founded in 1975, our MainStage produces professional, intimate, literary plays for adults and operates under an Actors' Equity Association union contract; our Theater for Youth produces professional, engaging productions based on children's literature for families and school groups, both in-house and on tour around Texas; and we offer Education and Outreach programs on-site and at satellite locations around the Greater Houston area for youth aged 4 - high school. We work out of 2 facilities: our Rice Village home on Times. Blvd., and as part of the MATCH (Midtown Arts & Theater Center Houston) on Main Street.

Main Street Theater is a member of Theatre Communications Group (TCG), the national service organization for not-for-profit theaters, of Theatre for Young Audiences/USA (formerly ASSITEJ), the world theatre network of theatre for children and young people, and a founding member of Houston Arts Partners. Main Street Theater is funded in part by grants from the City of Houston through the Houston Arts Alliance, and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

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