Boston Arts Academy (BAA) in Boston, Massachusetts, USA is the city's first and only high school for the visual and performing arts and is a partnership between Boston Public Schools and the ProArts Consortium.Boston Arts Academy: Overview Professional_Arts_Consortium Retrieved February 16, 2011 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.Grace Rubenstein, "How to Grow Students' Opportunities Through Private Partnerships" Edutopia, The George Lucas Educational Foundation. (October 2006). Retrieved February 15, 2011
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."National Schools of Distinction Winners" 1998 - 2011 The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Retrieved February 15, 2011
Construction of new facilities at 174 Ipswich Street commenced July 1, 2018, leading to relocation of both Boston Arts Academy and the Boston Arts Academy Foundation.
Programs BAA is Boston's only public school dedicated to the arts.Kirk Carapezza, "Arts Academy Sees Record Auditions" Radio Boston, WBUR FM. (February 14, 2011) Retrieved February 15, 2011 The school day has no sports, yet is eight hours, two hours longer than normal schools, to allow for classes in the arts disciplines.Tracy Jan, "Aiming for Fame" The Boston Globe (February 4, 2007). Retrieved February 15, 2011 BAA was also Boston's first full-inclusion high school; students with disabilities are fully integrated into the school program."Students of Color: Joseph Truss" Tufts University. Retrieved February 17, 2011Iris Fanger, "‘Dance Across the City’ returns" Boston Phoenix. (January 7–13, 2005). Retrieved February 16, 2011Mark Shanahan, "The krumper: Russell Ferguson" The Boston Globe (January 2, 2011). Retrieved February 16, 2011"Derek Walcott’s Ti-Jean and His Brothers" Central Square, Cambridge, Massachusetts. Blog post. Retrieved February 17, 2011
Although admission is academic-blind, eighth graders must audition to be accepted to the performing arts program. 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. BAA had 800 applicants for 150 slots in 2011.
BAA offers an education to urban youth who come from less-than ideal backgrounds.
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.June Q. Wu, "With art, students express unspeakable anxieties" The Boston Globe (August 4, 2010) Retrieved February 15, 2011 The students had very poor attendance records and social problems, such as direct experience with violence. Most were in danger of not being promoted. 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.
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.Mission Statement Professional Arts Consortium, official website. Retrieved February 16, 2011 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 Russell Ferguson, winner of season 6, So You Think You Can Dance Diane Guerrero, actress (rose to prominence with role in Orange Is the New Black) David Davidson, guitarist with the band Revocation Isaac Akiba, principal with the Boston Ballet Company Kori King, drag queen (rose to prominence on season 17 of Rupaul's Drag Race)
References
External links Boston Arts Academy website