2006 annual report - Urban Gateways

our programs at a glanceG Chinese Folk and Classical DanceCultural Enrichment ProgramThrough this core program, Urban Gatewayspartnered with schools that servicedeconomically disadvantaged communities toimplement multi-year arts plans that addressedboth programmatic and financial capacitybuilding. Customized programs were developedto integrate the arts within their core curriculumas outlined in the school’s School ImprovementPlan. Eleven schools followed the 4-year ArtsPlan Model.21st Century CommunityLearning CentersGrant awarded through the Illinois StateBoard of Education partnering public schoolswith community organizations. The programconcentrated on providing academic andenrichment programs for students, parents,and other community members during crucialafter-school, evening, and weekend hours,extending the hours of normal operation. UrbanGateways served as a lead partner with ChavezMulticultural Academy, Greeley ElementarySchool, and Pilsen Academy.Artist-in-ResidenceUsing artists-in-residence in the literary,performing, and visual arts, arts educationpackages and customized programs weredesigned to provide a foundation in the artsfor students, teachers, and parents. Public andnon-public schools and community buildingorganizations planned programs that consistedof combinations of artist residencies, in-schooltouring performances, matinee performances,field trips to leading cultural institutions,teacher development institutes, and parentworkshops. Four new teaching artists wereadded to the roster: Elisa Foshay (dance), Leyda“Lady Sol” Garcia (dance), Maria Gaspar (visualarts), and Lauren Parets (dance). 40 teachingartists delivered residency programs.Touring PerformancesLocal performing companies traveled toeducational venues providing 40-minuteperformances and companion workshopsin dance, music, and theatre. Six newperformances were added to the roster: Allthe Americas by Claudia Perez Brown and herensemble; New Kid by Chicago Theatre forYoung Audiences; One World Dance Theaterby One World Dance Theater; Sharpe’s WorldMusic by Tom Sharpe; Shakespeare’s Scenes,Songs, and Sonnets by Oak Park FestivalTheatre; and String Groove by Edgar Gabriel’sString Groove. 45 productions were offered.Matinee PerformancesThis series of performances brings studentsfrom all over the metropolitan area toexperience the artistry of local, national,and international performing companies.Performances were one hour in lengthpresented at the Harris Theater for Music andDance, the Athenaeum Theatre, and the ClaudiaCassidy Theatre. Urban Gateways was proudto present exclusive performances by GusGiordano Jazz Dance Chicago, Ballet Chicago,Luna Negra Dance Theater, and Children ofUganda. 10 performances were presented.WorkshopsFacilitated by professional artists, workshopsactively engaged participants in creativewriting, dance, music, theatre, and the visualarts. Each workshop was designed to expandparticipants’ knowledge of the arts whileaddressing the Illinois Learning Standards.Workshops were offered for students,educators, and parents as an introductoryexperience to Urban Gateways’ more in-depthartist-in-residence programs. 74 workshopswere offered.PEN/Faulkner Writers in SchoolsUrban Gateways implemented for the thirdyear, a regional PEN/Faulkner Writers in Schoolsprogram, a literary outreach program thathas been successfully bringing nationallyknown writers into the public high schoolsof Washington DC since 1989. The programdevelops the next generation of readers andwriters through conversations between studentand professional writers and by conductingthree-day writing workshops. Teachersfrom four high schools – Gwendolyn BrooksCollege Prep, Kenwood Academy, Lane TechHigh School, and Walter Payton High School– received 2 PEN/Faulkner author visits.Students read and studied the books prior tothe professionals’ visits to the classroom. Thewriters participating in the program included:Stuart Dybek, Aleksander Hemon, Tayari Jones,Alex Kotlowitz, Peter Markus, Achy Obejas,Susan Richard Shreve, and Dawn Turner Trice.H Morikeba: Griot of Senegal with student1415