New York City is home to a vibrant artistic and creative community. The Fund for Public Schools works in partnership with the New York City Department of Education (DOE) to build and strengthen enriching private partnerships that support the City’s goal of providing a high-quality arts education for all students.

The Shubert Foundation, a partner of The Fund since 2006, has provided more than $5 million in total giving to support arts education. Through key programs, The Shubert Foundation nurtures the City’s aspiring student artists by providing essential supports for school leaders and teachers of the arts.

Shubert Leadership Institute

Visionary school leadership is instrumental for high-quality arts education. Through the annual Shubert Leadership Institute, approximately 150 school leaders attend a‎ three-day workshop series with two additional stand-alone sessions, fostering leadership skills tailored to their school’s unique vision for arts education.

In recent years, all participating school leaders agreed that the workshops were extremely relevant to their work and‎ helped them develop a clear vision for arts programming‎ and teacher supports in their schools. Additionally, to make sure that ‎assistant principals know how to support and improve arts programs in their schools, the Institute provides concrete resources, program models, and intervisitation opportunities.

“The program has such a broad reach far beyond the noted thrill of school communities producing their first full musicals. Principals, teachers and parents from across the city have shared how the process of putting on a show creates a culture of student collaboration and emphasizes life skills such as empathy, focus, revision, artistic expression and creative problem solving.”

— Peter Avery, Director of Theater, NYC DOE

Shubert/MTI Broadway Junior Musical Theater School Outreach Program

The Shubert Foundation/Music Theater International (Shubert/MTI) Broadway Junior® partnership is a musical theatre mentorship program, fostering sustainable theater programs in middle schools identified in need of arts education offerings across the City. The program provides the professional development and resources necessary for teacher teams – in collaboration with their students -- to rehearse and produce what is often their school’s first musical. Watch this video to learn more about the program’s legacy and impact.

Broadway Junior® musicals are shorter, author-approved versions of classic musicals, Disney favorites, and modern works, adapted to the needs of young performers and schools. In this unique three-year program, teachers and students are guided through the process of producing a Broadway Junior musical. Over time, the schools are able to take full ownership of their productions and present musicals independently.

In 2018-19 funding provided by the Shubert Foundation and facilitated by The Fund, supported this program in 29 participating schools, and an additional 43 “graduated schools” continue to produce shows and participate in program activities. Productions have included Once On this Island JR., Annie JR., Fiddler on the Roof JR., Seussical JR., The Lion King JR. and many more. Previous hosts for the end-of-year student celebration on Broadway have included Daniel Radcliffe, Nick Jonas and Denzel Washington.

Shubert Foundation High School Theatre Festival

The Shubert HS Festival serves as a forum to celebrate the diversity of theater in our schools and the power of theater education. The Festival promotes careers for the next generation of theater artists. Selected from over 30 viewed and adjudicated High School productions, 5 high school companies perform 15 minute excerpts of their plays or musicals on a Broadway stage, backed by Broadway musicians and production crew. Watch this video to learn more.

The All IN(clusive) All-City Theater Ensemble

The All IN(clusive) All-City Theater Ensemble is the first-ever citywide theater ensemble comprised of public school high school students of diverse ethnicities, gender identities, backgrounds, abilities, disabilities and points of view. With generous support from the Shubert Foundation, students participate in an innovative theater education and youth development program.

Student performers work alongside master theater artists and professionals to stage a musical based on their collective experiences and imagination. Under the guidance of the DOE’s Office of Arts & Special Projects, the program spans 15 weeks of play development and rehearsal, culminating in a 15-30 minute performance. Watch this video to learn more.

The Digital Theatre Project

The Digital Theatre Project empowers New York City public school students to collaborate with peers around the world and generate informed theatrical responses to topics of importance to them. With significant support from the Shubert Foundation and in partnership with the British applied theatre company C&T, diverse youth engage in thoughtful social justice work, the tools of digital revolution and innovative theatre practice to collaborate, produce and share theater works grounded in topics relevant to them and their global peers.

The Shubert Theatre Education Programs are made possible by the generous philanthropic support of the Shubert Foundation, in partnership with the Fund for Public Schools and the NYC Department of Education Office of Arts and Special Projects.