Celebrating 75 Years of Arts for Learning
Dear A4L Community,
75 years ago, founder Nina Collier ignited a spark with a question: “Why can’t we bring professional musicians into our schools to introduce children to the joy of classical music?”
Her answer: The “Young Musicians’ Series”–live chamber concerts performed by professional musicians in Baltimore schools. This idea marked the beginning of Young Audiences of Maryland–what is now Arts for Learning Maryland.
Today, Arts for Learning envisions a Maryland where the arts are valued for their capacity to transform lives.
We pair artists–musicians, actors, poets, visual artists, and dancers–with educators to create dynamic experiences for children in their classrooms. Students participate and perform, create and compose, explore, and engage in academic subjects through a particular art form in a practice called arts integration. They find their unique voices through the arts, in community with one another. Decades of research have shown the transformational power arts-integrated learning has on academic achievement and supporting authentic social and emotional growth, principals and school district leaders see these results.
This year, we release our
10-Year strategic plan, built on four strategic priorities:
1. Expand student access to the arts
Strengthen our relationships with Maryland school districts–particularly those with the highest student need–and prepare more professionals to implement culturally affirming, arts-integrated, educational experiences for students.
2. Advance equitable outcomes
Intentionally create classrooms of belonging where every young person, especially Black and brown students, feels loved, valued, affirmed, and included.
3. Innovate and implement
Continue intentionally seeking new ways to address gaps in educational systems and infuse these spaces with transformational opportunities.
4. Elevate the role of the artist in education
Amplify artists as catalysts of innovation, essential in the education of children. Create professional development and career opportunities to attract and retain artists to the field of teaching artistry.
2. Advance equitable outcomes
Intentionally create classrooms of belonging where every young person, especially Black and brown students, feels loved, valued, affirmed, and included.
1. Expand student access to the arts
Strengthen our relationships with Maryland school districts–particularly those with the highest student need–and prepare more professionals to implement culturally affirming, arts-integrated, educational experiences for students.
4. Elevate the role of the artist in education
Amplify artists as catalysts of innovation, essential in the education of children. Create professional development and career opportunities to attract and retain artists to the field of teaching artistry.
3. Innovate and implement
Continue intentionally seeking new ways to address gaps in educational systems and infuse these spaces with transformational opportunities.
Our mission and impact remain the same today as they did in 1950: we believe unwaveringly that by connecting educators, professional artists, and communities, we can transform the lives and education of our youth.
We invite you to celebrate this milestone with us by sharing your favorite A4L memories on social media using the hashtag #75YearsOfA4L.
Consider a gift of $75 to celebrate 75 years of Arts for Learning.
Additionally, look out for some exciting events coming up later this year and take a journey through the last 75 years in the timeline below.
Here’s to another 75 Years!
From 1950 to today…
75 Years of Arts for Learning
Initially named “Young Musicians Series,” Young Audiences evolved out of Nina Collier’s concern that young people were completing school and living their lives without ever having heard a live performance by a professional musician. In New York City, Mrs. Edgar Leventritt and Mrs. Lionello Perera (Mrs. Collier’s mother) immediately saw the possibilities in Mr. Menuhin’s experience. It confirmed that direct contact with the best professional artists could awaken and stimulate a strong sense of beauty and creativity in children. Both women also recognized the urgent need to give the best artists of the day employment. By bringing artists together with children in an educational setting, both could be enriched. “This year, the Young Musicians Series has sponsored 53 concerts in schools of this city—a gain of 21 programs over the previous year.” Schoolchildren weighed in on whether the Young Musicians Series should change its name to Young Audiences through an essay contest! The renaming of the Maryland affiliate would conform with that of the national organization. With a new name, Young Audiences of Maryland expands its repertoire beyond classical music to include a variety of genres, as well as dance and theater troupes. Young Audiences of Maryland is incorporated as Baltimore Young Audiences, Inc. We in the schools, value the high quality of performance which is constantly exhibited by the various performing groups under the auspices of Young Audiences.” — Dr. J. Marion Magill, Director of the Division of Music in the Baltimore City Public Schools, May 5, 1968 The Mayor of Baltimore proclaimed “Young Audiences Week” as the organization celebrated its first 20 years, presenting free street concerts throughout the city. In 1973, the organization received a grant from Morris Mechanic Theater through WBAL-FM and the Dance Theater of Harlem came to Baltimore for a one-week Young Audiences residency. Programming expanded to parts of Maryland outside of Baltimore City including Wicomico, Harford, Howard, Anne Arundel, Baltimore, and Frederick counties where 290 programs were presented. In 1978 Ella Fitzgerald performed a benefit concert for Young Audiences of Maryland with the Billy Taylor Trio at the Lyric Theatre! Young Audiences programs reached 18 counties and Baltimore City. Baltimore Young Audiences changed its name to Young Audiences of Maryland, Inc. to reflect its statewide constituency. 702 programs were presented in 19 counties and Baltimore City. The organization raised enough money to purchase computer equipment, permitting automation of scheduling and other office processes. Programs reached every Maryland county and Baltimore City for the first time in 1985 with 1,060 programs presented! The building, which was built almost 160 years ago, is a four-story brick row house in the historic Mt. Vernon section of Baltimore City. Donated by Sherrie Ehrman, an employee and volunteer with Young Audiences of Maryland for 17 years, the building was in need of serious renovation and repair. Young Audiences of Maryland joined the national Young Audiences network at the White House to receive the National Medal of Arts from President Bill Clinton. The organization was the only arts group to receive the honor this year—and the recognition solidified Young Audiences’ role as the premier arts-in-education organization in the country. In 1996, YAMD began a capital campaign. Contributions included an emergency bond from Baltimore City for funds to stabilize the facade of 927 North Calvert Street. Additional donations from foundations, corporations, individuals, and the award of a $150,000 State Bond Bill greatly increased political awareness of Young Audiences and its educational services. At the time, approximately $200,000 was still needed to complete the renovations. Stacie Sanders Evans is hired to serve as Young Audiences of Maryland’s second executive director in November 2004. A unique partnership between Young Audiences, the Arts Education in Maryland Schools Alliance (AEMS), and the Maryland State Arts Council (MSAC) was built in the creation of the Teaching Artist Institute (TAI). The program expertly pairs classroom teachers with teaching artists and builds the artists’ capacity to contribute to student learning in and through the arts. After piloting residencies for 3-5-year-olds in Baltimore City, Young Audiences launched its early learning initiative, becoming the Maryland Wolf Trap affiliate. Young Audiences partnered with Harford County Public Schools to develop its first-ever district partnership that provides professional development to every Title-1 school to improve academic performance through the arts—the first partnership of its kind in the nation. Young Audiences of Maryland’s executive director and grants manager, plus a board member and artist participate in a seven-month DEI training program. In addition to continuing their work in the schools as teaching artists, they will also serve in an expanded capacity by consulting with school districts and partners on arts integration strategies and practice, leading professional development, and mentoring other teaching artists. “This program has been exactly what I needed to restore my energy as an artist. THANK YOU!!!” The adoption of Baby ArtsPlay!™ marks the organization’s expansion into the infant + toddler space. Research from Baltimore City Public Schools and evaluation firm WolfBrown showed that the infusion of the arts into traditional learning content transformed the classroom experience, resulting in academic gains for SALA students. Baltimore City Public Schools analyzes student performance on the i-Ready math assessment, taken at the end and beginning of each school year to gauge summer learning loss. Results showed that SALA attendees had significantly less summer learning loss in i-Ready math compared to BCPSS students who did not attend the program. The district evaluation also highlighted YA as the most cost-efficient elementary program with the highest rates of enrollment and attendance. When the COVID-19 pandemic sent the world into isolation and left families & school districts scrambling to support students with virtual learning content and resources, Young Audiences saw a way to help and jumped into action. Working together, our innovative and talented teaching artists created 50 (50!) original episodes of “Arts & Learning Kids”–a series featuring arts-integrated content for students of all ages. This provided teachers and parents with reliable, substantial, high-quality content for students (FREE when it was streamed live) and created a paid work opportunity for our contracted artists while in-person residencies, assemblies, and workshops were put on hold. A teaching artist emergency fund is created to help offset the loss of income because of school shutdowns and a nationwide switch to remote learning. An evening of virtual performances–featuring dancers, beatboxers, drummers, storytellers, and more–called Superheroes Unite! is broadcast to benefit Young Audiences of Maryland Artists. This is Young Audiences’ first virtual fundraiser. Young Audiences and community partners hand out project-based arts kits called Arts & Learning Snacks at meal sites across Baltimore City. The take-home art kits–designed by YA teaching artists–include all the supplies needed for children and caregivers to take a break from the screen for hands-on creating and learning. We decided our name needs to reflect the evolution of our work. In multiple creative brainstorming workshops beginning in 2019, board members, staff, artists, educators, students, donors, and community and education leaders convened and identified—and often reaffirmed—our universal truths: The arts transform lives. Integrating the arts with academic learning produces powerful results. Throughout this process, it became clear that the words that best describe us were already with us. They are “arts for learning.” Our move from Howard Street to Odell’s–the historic nightclub on North Avenue known for bringing Baltimoreans together time and time again to share in the joy of living creatively–means more space for classrooms and community engagement and for our growing organization to work and dream together under one roof. For decades, Young Audiences has been welcomed into school and community buildings across the state. Now, for the first time in our 70-year history, students and their families and caregivers can come to our new home and explore their creativity, express themselves, and discover the arts’ power to enhance learning, to enrich communities, and to change lives. “Thank you to Code in the Schools and Young Audiences for keeping up the tradition of Odell’s… You’ll know when you’ll belong was the saying at Odell’s, and what Young Audiences and Code in the Schools are doing here is telling our young people that they belong. We know the arts are a vital tool in allowing our young people to imagine and envision a future for themselves and their community… We need to allow our young people to dream about what they want Baltimore to be for them. This is how we inspire the beautiful minds of our young people.” –Mayor Brandon Scott Arts for Learning Maryland is named the Community Schools Lead Agency for three Baltimore City Public Schools: Mount Royal Elementary Middle in Bolton Hill, Hazelwood Elementary Middle in Northeast Baltimore, and Green Street Academy in West Baltimore
Young Musicians Series, Inc. Founded by Nina Collier
1950 
World-renown violinist Yehudi Menuhin provided the inspiration for the series. Rehearsing for a concert in Mrs. Collier’s living room for a group of children, Mr. Menuhin conversed and interacted with the children. Their enthusiastic response caused Mrs. Collier to perceive the value of this experience and began replicating it for other children.
A Defender of Youth is Scoring with Bach
1951 
Young Audiences, Inc.
1952 
In 1952, Mrs. Leventritt and Mrs. Perera began the chamber music program in New York City. Through a grant from the Leventritt Foundation, they incorporated Young Audiences, assembled the first board of directors and hired the first executive director.
49 Baltimore Students Submit Impressions of Concerts
1953 
50 Concerts Presented in Baltimore City Schools
1955 
90 Programs Presented in Baltimore City Schools
1960 
Essay Contest: Name Change!
1961 
Young Audiences of Maryland
1963 
Jazz Goes to School
1966 
Baltimore Young Audiences, Inc.
1968 
“The cultural enrichment program of the Baltimore City Public Schools is dependent to a large degree on the services provided by Young Audiences, Inc.
Young Audiences, Inc. to Present Special Concerts during Special Week
1970 
National Young Audiences Week
1971 
Salzburg Puppets to Perform
1971 
First Executive Director Hired
1972 
The Dance Theater of Harlem
1973 
Awarded First Grant from Baltimore City
1975 
Expanded Programming to Six Maryland Counties.
1976 
Young Audiences received its first grant from Baltimore County Commission on the Arts and Sciences.
Ella Fitzgerald at the Lyric
1978 
Artist Roster Expanded to Include Visual Artists!
1980 
Young Audiences Programs Reach 16 Counties and Baltimore City
1981 
First Maryland State Arts Council Artists-in-Education Grant Received.
1982 
Young Audiences of Maryland, Inc.
1983 
First Computers
1985 
Young Audiences of Maryland, Inc. became the 5th largest Young Audiences chapter in the nation and celebrated its 35th anniversary with entertainment and an art auction!
Statewide Reach
1985 
927 N. Calvert Street
1994 
In 1994, Young Audiences received its largest gift—the building that housed its offices at 927 North Calvert Street.
Received the National Medal of Arts
1994 
Arts Medal Goes to Young Audiences
1994 
A Capital Campaign Increased Visibility
1996 
New Executive Director Hired
2004 
Young Audiences/Arts for Learning
2006 
Teaching Artist Institute
2006 
Access for All
2008 
Young Audiences launched Access for All to create equitable access to the arts for Baltimore City Public School students, providing schools with deeply discounted programs.
Miller’s Court
2009 
Now operating with 10 employees, Young Audiences sold 927 North Calvert Street and moved into Miller’s Court in the Remington neighborhood of Baltimore City.
Rural Access for All
2010 
Maryland Wolf Trap
2012 
SMART Program
2012 
Through the SMART embedded professional development program, teachers learned to distinguish between arts-integrated teaching and engagement through the arts, how to integrate the arts into their daily lessons to accelerate the academic achievement of all students, and how to collaboratively plan, teach, and reflect on a lesson with a professional teaching artist.
Budget Hits $2.5M
2013 
Summer Arts Academy
2015 
Race Equity Work Begins
2015 
Summer Arts & Learning Academy (SALA)
2016 
Bloomberg Arts Internship
2017 
Budget Hits $6M
2018 
Two Resident Teaching Artists Are Hired
2018 
Katherine Dilworth and Valerie Branch are hired as resident teaching artists–a brand new role created within the organization. Both Katherine and Valerie are highly skilled in teaching artistry and have been delivering arts-integrated instruction and teacher professional development with Young Audiences for years.
Summer Artist Corps
2018 
Summer Artist Corps is launched to recruit and train artists to work in Summer Arts for Learning Academy.
Baby ArtsPlay!™ Starts
2019 
SALA Data Shows Large Academic Gains in Students
2019 
Arts & Learning Kids
2020 
Superheroes Unite!
2020 
Arts & Learning Snacks
2020 
After School Arts for Learning Academy (ASALA)
2020 
NSLA 2020 New York Life Excellence in Summer Learning Award
2020 
Blacktastic! A Virtual Celebration of Maryland Black History & Culture Begins
2021 
Principal Fellowship Launches
2021 
Young Audiences Arts for Learning Maryland Changes Name to Arts for Learning Maryland
2021 
Bloomberg Arts Internship Is Extended into the School Year
2021 
Move into Odell’s
2022 
Northeast Baltimore Community Center to Reopen as Arts for Learning at Goodnow
2022 
Month of the Young Child
2023 
Arts for Learning Is a Community Schools Lead Agency
2023 
Four Resident Teaching Artists Join Arts for Learning Maryland
2024 
Tracie Jiggetts, Cristii Rodriguez, Mikela Thrasher, and Caroline Ferrante join the staff of Arts for Learning Maryland as full-time teaching artists.
U.S. Department of Education Honors A4L with the Engage Every Student Award
2024 
Stacie Sanders Evans’s 20th Anniversary
2024 
Staff Grows to 60 Employees
2025 
75th Anniversary of Arts for Learning
2025
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