Boston Arts Academy

Boston Arts Academy (BAA) in Boston, Massachusetts, USA is Boston's first and only high school for the visual and performing arts and is a partnership between Boston Public Schools and the ProArts Consortium.[2] ProArts, a group of six arts colleges and universities in the Boston area, pushed the city to open the school, which was founded in 1998. The Consortium continues to support the school with performance space, music lessons and free college-level classes to BAA students.[3]

Boston Arts Academy
School building
Address
11 Charles St.

Boston
,
Massachusetts
02122

United States
Information
School typePublic high school
Founded1998
School districtBoston Public Schools
DeanTyrone Sutton, Arts Dean
Joy Bautista, Academic Dean
HeadmasterAnne R. Clark
Grades9-12
Enrollment437 (2015-16)[1]
Classes offeredAcademics, The Arts
Hours in school day8
AffiliationsProArts Consortium
Websitebostonartsacademy.org

BAA won the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, the National Schools of Distinction in Arts Education Award for the 2009-2010 school year from the Kennedy Center Alliance for Arts Education Network.[4]

Beginning July 1, 2018, construction of new facilities at 174 Ipswich Street commenced, leading to relocation of both Boston Arts Academy and the Boston Arts Academy Foundation.

Original building of the Boston Arts Academy partially demolished, January 2019

Programs

BAA is Boston's only public school dedicated to the arts.[5] The school day has no sports, yet is eight hours, two hours longer than normal schools, to allow for classes in the arts disciplines.[6] BAA was also Boston's first full-inclusion high school; students with disabilities are fully integrated into the school program.[7][8][9][10]

Although admission is academic-blind, eighth graders must audition to be accepted to the performing arts program.[6] In 2007, only 27% of the dance applicants were accepted, just 6% were accepted to the drumming program; and just 25 of the 81 theater applicants.[6] BAA had 800 applicants for 150 slots in 2011.[5]

BAA offers an education to urban youth who come from less-than ideal backgrounds.[6]

In 2010, the school ran a pilot program for 125 ninth graders in summer school, who spent Fridays at BAA in remedial courses with recent BAA graduates as teachers.[11] The students had very poor attendance records and social problems, such as direct experience with violence. Most were in danger of not being promoted.[11] The program was set up to rekindle an interest in school through non-traditional learning using theater, music, martial arts, poetry and other art forms.[11]

BAA is a member of the ProArts Consortium. Other members include Berklee College of Music, the Boston Architectural Center, The Boston Conservatory, Emerson College, Massachusetts College of Art, and the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.[12] ProArts coordinates programs among its members to expand educational opportunities and resources for participating institutions and works to enrich the arts and arts education in Boston and throughout the Commonwealth of Massachusetts.

Notable alumni

References
  1. "Boston Arts Academy". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved December 12, 2018.
  2. Boston Arts Academy: Overview Archived July 27, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Professional Arts Consortium Retrieved February 16, 2011
  3. Grace Rubenstein, "How to Grow Students' Opportunities Through Private Partnerships" Edutopia, The George Lucas Educational Foundation. (October 2006). Retrieved February 15, 2011
  4. "National Schools of Distinction Winners" 1998 - 2011 Archived October 9, 2007, at the Wayback Machine The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Retrieved February 15, 2011
  5. Kirk Carapezza, "Arts Academy Sees Record Auditions" Radio Boston, WBUR FM. (February 14, 2011) Retrieved February 15, 2011
  6. Tracy Jan, "Aiming for Fame" The Boston Globe (February 4, 2007). Retrieved February 15, 2011
  7. "Students of Color: Joseph Truss" Tufts University. Retrieved February 17, 2011
  8. Iris Fanger, "‘Dance Across the City’ returns" Archived July 8, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Boston Phoenix. (January 7–13, 2005). Retrieved February 16, 2011
  9. Mark Shanahan, "The krumper: Russell Ferguson" The Boston Globe (January 2, 2011). Retrieved February 16, 2011
  10. "Derek Walcott’s Ti-Jean and His Brothers" Archived 2011-08-13 at the Wayback Machine Central Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Blog post. Retrieved February 17, 2011
  11. June Q. Wu, "With art, students express unspeakable anxieties" The Boston Globe (August 4, 2010) Retrieved February 15, 2011 (subscription required)
  12. Mission Statement Archived July 16, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Professional Arts Consortium, official website. Retrieved February 16, 2011

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