Special Programs

Ailey Camp

Ailey Camp

Urban Gateways partners with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, the Chicago Park District and Chicago Public Schools to implement an innovative summer dance and youth development program that serves inner-city children grades six to eight. The camp provides young people with an invaluable opportunity to explore their creativity, learn to master their bodies, and strengthen respect for themselves and others within a supportive framework, giving an important foundation for their future. A combination of artistic and personal development classes are conducted for the students.

 

Art Options

Art Options is an apprenticeship program for middle and high school students which uses art-making as a vehicle for youth and community development.

Participants work on a community-based arts project that explores an issue, provokes questions, inspires critical thinking, and encourages change in the community.

Students work one-on-one with leading artists in a studio environment and participate in the entire artistic process from the conception of original design ideas, through instruction and implementation of multidisciplinary arts techniques, to the presentation of finished works. As apprentices, students receive a stipend for participation in the Art Options Program.

 

Girls Got Game

Looking for a program to engage your female students after school while increasing their skills in science, technology, engineering, and math?? Do you have a computer lab? Then you need the Girls Got Game program in your school!

WHAT: Exploring the basics of game design, game art creation, game audio development, and game programming through a visual scripting system, middle school-aged Girls Got Game students design and build a fully-operational PC- based computer game. Girls also explore gender issues and stereotypes within the content of video games.

WHEN: Fall and Spring semesters - 10 weeks each/2 times per week during out-of-school hours

WHO: 5th - 8th grade girls with 2 UG teaching artists per classroom of 15 GGG participants. We will be looking for students who are interested in developing video games as an expression of their creativity while instilling technological skill sets (graphic design, web interface and audio and video production).  

WHERE: The program was piloted this year with great success at four technology magnet cluster schools including: Dumas, Dvorak, Dunne, and Spencer. UG teaching artists and staff have reported an incredible response from extremely engaged participants. We are looking to expand the program to include 10 schools in the 2011-12 school year.

FOR MORE INFORMATION: Britton Bertran, bbertran@urbangateways.org, 312.922.0440 x 2762

 

Consultant Projects

Urban Gateways staff and artists are available as consultants to assist corporate, cultural, civic, community-building, and health and social service organizations in achieving project goals in the arts. Our team of trained professionals is available to conduct projects in the following areas:

• Artist Training
• Project Management
• Program Development
• Program Evaluation
• Front-of-House Operations Management

Past clients include:

• Chicago Children’s Museum
• The Chicago Community Trust
• Chicago Cultural Center
• Chicago Park District
• Columbia College Chicago DanceAfrica Festival
• Harris Theater for Music and Dance
• Leo Burnett
• Wyland Foundation
• District 65 Schools, Evanston
• District U-46 Schools, Elgin