SLA-MS Awarded Picasso Grant!

We are very excited to announce SLA-MS has been awarded the Picasso Project Grant by the Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY). This grant highlights the mission of PCCY to advocate for equitable arts education in Philadelphia schools. Money from the grant will be used to support a spring mini-course with the Mantua Theater Project (MTP). The mini-course will focus on students writing and producing a series of plays. The grant will fund production costs such as theater space, set construction supplies, stipends for staffing from the MTP and other miscellaneous expenses.

The spring mini-course will be facilitated by Nick Anselmo, head of the MTP. During the mini-course students will be engaged in every aspect of production from writing, set design and construction to technical aspects and publicity. “I want to show students theater includes more than acting”, said Anselmo during an early planning meeting for the grant.  

The culminating event of the mini-course will be a student written, directed and produced series of plays performed by professional actors at the Urban Center Black Box Theater. The performance is planned for Sunday June 3rd (time to be announced) and will be free to students, families and community members. SLA-MS students’ writing and art connecting to the grant’s theme of No Place for Hate and bravery will be displayed at the theater for the performance.

This grant is a community effort, thank you to everyone involved!