The School Project
Inside Out Community Arts, Inc.

The School Project is a free, theater-based arts project that develops the creative potential of middle school students, providing them with the skills and experience to make positive decisions and contributions to their communities. The four-month program employs 40 professional artists, offering on-site arts workshops, field trips, and performances to youth from three diverse Los Angeles middle schools.

The program began in 1993, with the goal of bringing professional artists from multiple disciplines together with young people from some of the city's most challenged schools in the collaborative art of theater. Students participate in after-school workshops, which introduce them to the various elements of play production, including scriptwriting, set and costume design, and acting.

Next, students take the creative lead, using their newly developed skills to write original plays on themes relevant to each student's life and community. The young artists are responsible for every aspect of their production, from developing characters to designing and painting sets.

Field trips to professional theaters further immerse the students in the art of theater. In addition, family workshops inspire an appreciation for the arts that extends beyond participants to their families and community. The program culminates in a three-day rehearsal and camping retreat in the Santa Monica Mountains. The retreat provides the students with focused time to rehearse each play before presenting performances to their schools and their communities.

The School Project focuses on the creative potential within each young person and gives a voice to his or her individual ideas and concerns. This creates a nurturing environment that helps to build each participant's self-confidence. As one young artist commented, "The project changed my heart and taught me that we are all the same." The School Project strengthens the diverse communities of Los Angeles, one child at a time.