Welcome to the Family

Founded in 2003, Statement Arts (StART) is a NYC based 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that uses the performing and visual arts to empower young people from historically under-represented and low-income communities. All of our programs are FREE.

 

Ringing in the New Year with a Big Bell.

On January 2, 2025 The New York Stock Exchange honored Statement Arts and invited us to ring the first Closing Bell of 2025.

Thank you to the @nyse for honoring #StatementArts on January 2, 2025, and inviting our Founder & Artistic Director, Liza Politi, to ring the first Closing Bell of the new year!

We’re deeply grateful to our incredible Statement Arts Family—board members, staff, supporters, donors, and alums—whose dedication helps us bring arts education and college readiness to historically under-represented and under-resourced communities.

Special shout out to our board, staff, supporters, donors, and alums who joined us on this occasion.  Here’s to a new year filled with creativity, opportunity, and impact!

Our Programs

StART Young

Summer Music & Theater

StART Young is a FREE summer performing arts program in Washington Heights at the United Palace and is for students grades 3 - 11. There are two, 3 week sessions which culminate in a final performance, written and created by the students and is FREE and open to the public.

Many StART Young graduates go on to participate in our StART Dreaming College Readiness Program.

Applications for 2025 will open in the spring.

StART Dreaming

College Readiness

StART Dreaming is a FREE year-long arts and college readiness program designed for rising high school seniors. Beginning in July with a four-week performing arts and writing intensive, this daily program culminates in two FREE performances. In September StART Dreaming continues with a 1 to 1 college mentor program that ensures our students have the resources to get into college. StART Dreaming College Readiness has a 100% success rate in college admissions for all our high school graduates and most receive substantial scholarships.

Applications for 2025 are open.

StART Design Lab & Studios

Training & Career Opportunities for Alumni

StART Design Lab & Studio (SDL) is the newest addition to our programming. Launched in 2020, it provides StART Dreaming alumni with continued educational and professional opportunities intended to bridge the gap between college education and professional work experience.

StART Access

Workshops & Classes

StART Access, launched in 2018, expands our mission beyond our traditional summer intensive programs (StART Young and StART Dreaming) by offering free performance masterclasses, industry talk-backs, and continued arts exposure throughout the year to students and young artists in NYC who have not participated in our other programs. 

Our Mission: Statement Arts believes in the power of an integrated arts education to cultivate the next generation of leaders who can inspire social and cultural change. Our holistic approach supports young people and offers the space for them to find their voices and add their statements to the world.

Our Impact

100%

success rate in college admissions for all our high school graduates

22+

years serving historically under-represented communities in New York City across economically challenged school districts where performing arts programs are routinely cut when budgets are tight

1000+

youth from all over NYC have benefitted by our performing arts and college readiness programs since 2003

Here’s How You Can Support Us

Sign up for one of our programs.

Do you have a child that is interested in the performing arts?

Are you a rising senior interested in going to college?

See Our Programs

Corporate Sponsorships go a long way in helping us.

Statement Arts offers a variety of philanthropic and corporate sponsorship opportunities.

Sponsor Us
 

Make a Donation

Statement Arts is a 501c(3) non-profit and over 80% of donations are devoted to Program Services. We are proud to be recognized as an accredited charity by the BBB and to receive the coveted Platinum rating from Guidestar for three consecutive years, demonstrating our commitment to transparency and financial efficiency.

You can make a tax deductible donation to us. It's easy!