Providing free after school arts and creative programming to New York City youth.
Nurturing the artist and creative thinker inside every child.
After-school Artists Collective is an accredited nonprofit dedicated to expanding the horizons of New York City youth by offering free after school arts education and creative programming. Our goal is to nurture and grow the artist and creative thinker inside of students without school backed funding, thanks to the help of our generous donors and corporate partners. Resident Artists teach students custom curated art lessons aimed to broaden their knowledge and perspectives while strengthening their confidence and creative thinking abilities. By partnering with Title 1 public and charter schools we help to remove the financial burden after-school care poses both to parents and school boards, by providing elite quality free services.
Our Mission
1 in 5
New York City Public Schools lack a dedicated Arts teacher and the rate is even higher in low-income areas.
Between 2020 and 2023, New York City Public Schools lost 425 full time certified art teachers.
Children who regularly participate in the arts are
to be recognized for an academic achievement.
4 x more likely
Yet, in New York City, there are no allocations or guidelines mandating arts funding in schools, reversing a 1997 initiative that earmarked arts spending per student.
Without school backed or private funding we provide high quality arts and creative programming to students, led by our Resident Artists, at Public and Charter Schools. Parents and schools should not be forced to deny children of after-school care or enrichment programming based on the exorbitant cost.
Our Resident Artists teach free, high-quality, after-school art programs to students at New York City public and charter schools. Each residency lasts 4-6 weeks with one cohort of students. Resident Artists will meet with their dedicated group of 10-15 students once a week at their assigned school. Each residency ends with an exhibition showcasing the children’s work.
Resident Artists play a vital role in helping us to provide free after-school arts and creative programming to underserved students and school districts and ensure children are exposed to their artistic potential to help them grow in and outside of the classroom.
Apply to be a Resident Artist
We are currently seeking to assign Resident Artists to our partnered Elementary school in Harlem. Resident Artists applicants must live in New York City or be able to commute to teach once a week in Harlem for the residencies entire 4-6 week length.
Become a volunteer
Join our community strengthening and promoting the arts in childhood. Whether you assist with programming, fundraising, grant writing, or teaching, you help make our mission possible.
Contact Us
Interested in working together? Have a question? Fill out some info and we will be in touch shortly. We can’t wait to hear from you!