School Partnerships
Arts in Education Programs
Continuing to empower artists of all ages to tell their own stories!
BAX Arts Partnerships draw on our key strategies and promising practices for providing equitable and successful in-person and virtual performing arts education.
2021/2022 Arts Partnership Brochure
Submit an Arts Partner Inquiry
Virtual & Hybrid Programming Options
Elementary, Middle & High School Partnerships
Partnership Spotlight: BAX Residency at Brooklyn New School (BNS)
Partnership Spotlight: BAX Puppetry Residency at the YWCA/P.S. 327
Virtual and Hybrid Programming Options
In March 2020, as part of our response to COVID-19, BAX moved a variety of its youth programs to virtual platforms including weekly Studio Classes; Community Engagement initiatives for students and their families; public school residencies in dance, theater, and tumbling through our Arts In Education programs; and a pilot Virtual Summer Arts Program.
In this uncertain time, we know that schools and the individuals who lead them are facing daunting obstacles. I hope we can talk about ways BAX can be in creative partnership and community with your school, or, if we’re already working together, explore new ways to reinforce and broaden our partnership.
To this end, we would like to share two 10 minute samples of asynchronous (pre-recorded) virtual classes with you and your community:
BAX Virtual Workshop Samples:
Music/Instruments Workshop with José
for Grades 3-5th (MegaBAXers)
Password: BAX-SamplePA
Visual Arts Workshop with Kelindah
for Grades K-5th (NanoBAXers & MegaBAXers)
Password: BAX-SampleVA
“Nearly every teacher in our school would be pleased if a BAX teaching artist were part of their educational team every day of the school year and truly appreciate the depth of the relationship and its value to their teaching practice.”
— Anna Allanbrook, Principal, Brooklyn New School
“Although all my students are counting down until show time, I believe the best part of this program is the process. I stood by and watched my students transform in a mere few weeks. I saw leaders emerge, students work with students they normally won’t work with, shy students sharing their ideas, and students working in communities. It allowed each student the opportunity to belong!”
— Ms. Trapp, Teacher, PS 115
Elementary, Middle, & High School Partnerships
Teaching partnership — classroom teacher & teaching artist
Curriculum development — theater & dance in the core curriculum
Professional Development — real skills for real schools
We provide over 3,000 students in Brooklyn schools with Arts Education services, and bring eighteen years of arts education experience to each school, whether long-time or new partners. We provide distinct, skill-based classes as well as expressive, creative “art-making” in performing arts based disciplines. Residencies can culminate with public performance at the school for other students, teachers, families, and the extended school community.
BAX presents an added dimension of expression to our students. The teaching artist nurtures student voice by encouraging expression as they work with space, movement and music. The result is an innovative and engaging addition to the school day!
– Rose Dubitsky, Principal, P.S. 24
I want to share how truly fabulous these [Gender Identity and Expression] workshops [with BAX] have been, and how invigorating it has been to see the students navigating some of these issues with you, each other, and a real sense of joy.– Alex Messer, Assistant Principal, PS 261, Pronouns: he/him/his
Currently, we have programs at:
The Brooklyn New School (BNS) in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Brooklyn School for Collaborative Studies (BCS) in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Community Partnership Charter School, in Clinton Hill, Brooklyn
The Co-Op School in Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn
P.S. 9 in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn
P.S. 261 in Boerum Hill, Brooklyn
P.S. 321 in Park Slope, Brooklyn
The YWCA, New York City
Past Partnerships also Include:
The Academy of Talented Scholars, P.S. 682
The Brooklyn School of Inquiry
Academy of Arts and Letters in Fort Greene, Brooklyn
Science, Language & Arts Internatioal School, Brooklyn
P.S. 115 in Canarsie, Brooklyn
P.S. 29 in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
P.S. 172 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
P.S. 24 in Sunset Park, Brooklyn
P.S. 39 in Park Slope, Brooklyn
P.S. 154 in Windsor Terrace, Brooklyn
BAX is a contracted vendor with the NYC Department of Education. All our residencies address many of the NYS Learning Standards and the Blue Print benchmarks.
Tailored residencies and after-school workshops of different lengths and frequencies are available for purchase. Professional development and family workshops can also be arranged. For more information, please contact Lucia Scheckner, Director of Education and Artist Programs, at lucia@bax.org or (718) 832-0018.
These programs have been recognized and funded by The New York State Council on the Arts, The Empire State Partnership, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, the Bay and Paul Foundation, the Brenner Family Foundation, Center for Arts Education, 21st Century After School Program, Federal ESL grants, New York Foundation for the Arts, Met Life Foundation, Astoria Federal Savings as well as other local banks and legislators.
Pre-School Partnerships
We offer tailored movement/theater programs to Brooklyn pre-schools and day care centers. Each class is designed to match each site’s unique needs and can accommodate any age group, size or curriculum requirements. We have an extensive roster of professional teaching artists who are dedicated to arts education. Classes take place at the partner’s site or BAX, and can be scheduled for one semester or the entire school year. Special one-day “trips” can also be arranged. Pre-schools and other centers interested in adding a BAX program to your curriculum, please contact Lucia Scheckner, Director of Education & Artist Programs, at lucia@bax.org or (718) 832-0018.
We currently provide movement programs to:
Beansprouts
Brooklyn Free Space
Past Partnerships Include:
Luria Academy
The Rivendell School
Young Minds Day Care Center
International School of Brooklyn
For the past several years, these schools have found our programs to be an integral part of their programming and a special highlight for their students.
This class brings a fresh take on curriculum. Learning the alphabet using your body, tying dance into storytelling… these classes build confidence in children who learn in a variety of different ways… an environment of exploration… dynamic, uplifting, motivating!
– Teresa, Teacher, Children’s House
Partnership Spotlight: BAX Residency at Brooklyn New School (BNS)
Brooklyn New School (BNS) Welcome Back Video
by BAX Teaching Artists
The arts partnership between BAX and BNS is over 20 years old. Theater artist, Jose Joaquin Garcia, and dancer and choreographer, Donna Costello are the two longstanding BAX teaching artists-in-residence. Together, Jose and Donna offer theater and dance programming to all of the Kindergarten through 5th grade students, building voice, body and performance skills as well as creativity through improvisation and performance experiences.
Brooklyn New School (BNS) 4th Grade Musical
As part of the BAX residency at BNS, it has become tradition for the fourth grade students to participate in an original stage performance called the “Fourth Grade Musical.” Building off the past three years of their BAX residency experience, students participate in a highly creative and collaborative artistic experience. Along with BNS’ music teacher, Jonathan Hardy, BAX Teaching Artists, students, and classroom teachers, work together to create an original musical each year that includes a range of song, dance, poetry, and performances. A beloved tradition, the BNS musical not only promises a great show, but creates an opportunity where risk-taking is supported and both personal and community goals are achieved.
Brooklyn New School (BNS) Virtual Interrupting Bigotry
For the past five years, BAX and Brooklyn New School/P.S. 146 have collaborated on a powerful anti-racist arts program called Interrupting Bigotry directed by BAX teaching artist José Joaquín García. During these workshops, BNS 5th grade children write a script that illustrates a moment in their lives when they’ve detected and challenged bigotry. Using the Brazilian theatre artist Augusto Boal’s Theatre of the Oppressed, José plays the “Joker” and invites a live audience to help the students conceive of different ways to interrupt and redirect those experiences, empowering these young people and themselves.
Despite the COVID crisis, the show must go on! These young artists have a powerful story to tell and Interrupting Bigotry program has gone virtual!
On Wednesday, May 13, BAX hosted a virtual screening of the recorded student performance for BNS families and friends. José stopped the recording to ask the audience to contribute solutions. The screening was followed by an open discussion among the young artists and audience about their creative process and this unique moment in our shared history.
Check out Virtual Interrupting Bigotry below! Password is BAX-IB-2020 (case sensitive).