Hope Center Arts

Address:
110 Cambridge Ave.
Jersey City, NJ 07307

Phone:
201-798-1234

Hope Center Arts is more than an arts center; it is a faith based cultural community for all ages. Our brand new facility houses a performing arts center as well as an arts academy providing classes in every discipline. We are right in the heart of Northern New Jersey and only minutes away from NYC.

Hope Center Arts is:

An Arts Center: We provide excellent, high quality performances by real career and mid-career artists from every genre, rivaling institutions in NYC. Performances include, plays and musicals, concerts, dance and art exhibitions, poetry readings and more. In our commitment to teaching, some of our own students have progressed to being part of the many performances that we make available to the public. See our 2010-2011 season schedule.

A Resource Center. Serving New York City, New York State and across the US, including

- The general public and visitors to New York & New Jersey,

- Children, parents and teachers,

- New York and New Jerseyís art community,

- Government and civic leaders.

Many of our initiatives are event based, partnering with artists and communities who understand the affect of arts on the culture. We view ourselves as a home of emerging talent and influence.

A Teaching Institution. We help public and cultural organizations understand the importance of the arts and arts education, by teaching and promoting discussion of the arts and culture.

THE ACADEMY

MISSION

Hope Center Arts Academy is an extension of Hope Center Arts. HCAA (the arts academy) was created to provide underserved youth in NJ and the tri-state area. HCAAís schedule of classes includes a broad spectrum of the arts, promoting proficiency and excellence with a focus on true artistic expression. On staff, we have a blend of educators, as well as career and mid-career artists. Our desire for our students is to contextualize their particular area of discipline in a productive and expressive way within the world that surrounds them.

OUR PHILOSOPHY

The environment we provide at the school promotes freedom of expression, which is necessary for the maturing process of a real artist. The already stressed public school system, having to provide traditional academic classes as well, often does a poor job creating a proper environment for the growth of artists. Unlike other institutions, our focus is the arts and helping artists grow. Our student body currently numbers 150 students ranging from age 4 through to adults in their 60ís. Over 80 percent of the student body falls between the ages of 11 and 19. Students are exposed to the arts through the eyes of those that are already living and experiencing the process.

WHO ARE THE KIDS?

Sample year: Ages 4 & up - 61% Hispanic, 21% African American, 18% Other.

Income Levels: 81% are low income

What are they learning? Keyboard, Guitar, Bass, Drums, Drama, Vocal, Ballet, Tap, Hip-Hop, Creative Movement, Art Mix Media, Creative Writing & Stage Make-up, Costume Design, Creative Writing and more (for a full range of class offerings download Hope Center Arts Academy Brochure)

OUR SUCCESS

This past year we had 150 students of which 36% received full or partial scholarships. We work in an area where high school dropouts and criminal activity are the norm. We are making a difference, and we need your help. Among recent projects, we were chosen to head Goldman Sachsí third annual Student Art Project, that incorporated various fine art disciplines, as well as a theatre and a creative writing component. Several of our academy teachers led in this project. Our partners for this project included the Jersey City Museum, The Jersey City Public Library, and the Jersey City Department of Cultural Affairs. The mayor, during his speech at the Goldman Sachs awards ceremony, congratulated the Hope Center on the best program conducted in the three-year history of this program.