Arts

The 90-Second Newbery Film Festival is an annual video contest in which young filmmakers create weird short movies that tell the entire stories of Newbery-winning books in about a minute and a half. Anyone can enter! Please visit their website to enter, and view the submission deadlines for each year.

Visit the 90-Second Newbery Film Festival Website

The mission of the AM Project is to empower youth to explore their creativity through the use of urban music, the arts, and creative writing while instilling lifelong values and skills to view the world in a positive way.

Visit The AM Project Website

Artpace invests in our youth by offering contemporary art programming that challenges students to think critically and creatively about their own lives and the world around them. Each program aims to educate, engage, and to spark a dialogue about contemporary art that nourishes the mind, ignites imagination, and builds community.

Visit the Artpace Website

Do you love to write? Want to be an author? BiblioTech can help support your dreams of self-publishing your books. Use the ONLINE Writer’s Corner tools to create, share, and promote in the San Antonio community and beyond.

Visit the BiblioTech Writer's Corner Website

Founded in 1983, the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio is dedicated to enriching and expanding the experiences of young people through choral singing and musical performance. CCSA’s commitment to artistic excellence, social inclusion and individual responsibility empowers young singers to embrace and explore a broader, more positive view of self and the world. As a resident company of the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts, CCSA’s eight citywide community choruses in conjunction with its early childhood music program provide inspirational and transformative musical experiences for hundreds of young people annually from birth through young adulthood.

Visit the Children’s Chorus of San Antonio Website

Since it’s founding in October 1974: Crossmen has enriched and shaped the lives of young musicians and performers through music education and the performing arts. Family, honesty, perseverance, dedication, independence, interdependence and excellence are taught and practiced by each and every member at Crossmen.

Visit the Crossmen Drum Corps Website

Writers in Communities (WIC) sends professional writers into diverse community settings — such as shelters, schools, neighborhood centers, and detention facilities — to work alongside students of all ages, needs, interests and abilities. WIC writing workshops — always free to participants — focus on oral traditions, reading, and creative writing, and, because we publish work by each student, represent for many their first acknowledged success with writing. WIC participant numbers have grown some 700% since 2003, reflecting Gemini Ink’s strong emphasis on literarily underserved populations.

Always looking for young people to intern as teaching assistants, or to help with general operations.

Visit the Gemini Ink Website

Interested in photography? Love the environment?

Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas has a mission to sustain the natural environment and enhance urban spaces through land conservation, community engagement and education.

Green Spaces Alliance has three programs: Land Conservation, Urban Land & Water, and Picture Your World youth photography. The Alliance also provides conservation services, workshops, events, and volunteer opportunities – most prominently at the Bulverde Oaks Nature Preserve and at over 50 community gardens across San Antonio.

Learn more today!

Visit the Green Spaces Alliance of South Texas Website

Behind the Scenes supports students that do not have access or the means to participate in the performing arts. Each year, 40 selected students attend touring Broadway shows at the Majestic Theatre, study unique curriculum from each production and participate in master classes and talk-backs with the cast and crew to learn what it takes to bring a production to life.

Visit the Las Casas Foundation - Behind the Scenes Website

Camp Broadway in San Antonio is designed to spark a love of theatre by facilitating Broadway professionals for a week long intensive workshop series, culminating in a final performance at the Charline McCombs Empire Theatre. Ages 10-17

Visit the Las Casas Foundation - Camp Broadway Website

Renowned muralist and Blue Star’s Artist-in-Residence Alex Rubio mentors students five days a week, after school and during summers, for an intensive, year-round, arts education. Students participate in Blue Star’s programs, and also attend workshops, lectures, and exhibitions at local cultural institutions and artist studios to gain further exposure to the city’s artistic landscape.

This program is free and available for ages 13-19 years old. For more information or to schedule a portfolio review, please contact Alex Rubio, MOSAIC Artist-in-Residence, at rubio@bluestarart.org

Visit the MOSAIC Student Artist Program Website

Network for Young Artists (NYA) provides affordable classes in voice, guitar, percussion, keyboard, and dance for San Antonio area youth ages 4-20. The youth are empowered and building their self-esteem, self-confidence, and developing leadership skills.

Visit the Network for Young Artists (NYA) Website

Serving San Antonio’s youth, SAY Sí is a year round, long-term, non-profit multidisciplinary arts program that provides students opportunities to develop artistic and social skills in preparation for higher educational advancement and professional careers.

Visit the SAY Sí Website

The Southwest School of Art is a nationally-recognized leader in arts education, currently offering studio programs for more than 4,000 adults, children and teens annually on its campus.

The school also organizes contemporary art exhibitions, and houses a small history museum, and a lunch café. During a typical year, more than 225,000 people attend events, view exhibitions, enroll in classes or visit the historic site.

The mission of the Southwest School of Art is to teach and advance the visual arts.

Visit the The Southwest School of Art Website

Summer of Service (SOS) is dedicated to education through service and travel by providing students with the opportunity to learn abroad in order to better their own communities and serve back home. We provide multiple monthly service opportunities here in San Antonio, and various travel opportunities in the summer. We see a world in which all young people – no matter their background – believe in their power to make a positive difference in their communities.

Visit the Summer of Service (SOS) Website

The mission of Youth Orchestras of San Antonio (YOSA), the premier orchestral experience for youth citywide, is to enhance education, enrich the community, and transform lives by pursuing excellence in classical music in a stimulating, nurturing, and fun environment that is equally accessible to all youth.

Visit the YOSA Website

The Carver Community Cultural Center celebrates the diverse cultures of our world, nation and community, with emphasis on its African and African-American heritage, by providing challenging artistic presentations, community outreach activities and educational programs.

Visit The Carver Community Cultural Center Website

The Guadalupe Academy nurtures an appreciation for Latino arts and builds life long skills by immersing students in a culturally rich learning environment.

We offer classes and workshops for learners of all ages in six key areas: Dance, Theater Arts, Literature, Music, Visual Arts and Media Arts. Each class is managed by experienced instructors who share a passion for teaching and conserving essential components of the Latino experience.

Visit the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center Website

Inspire focuses on the visual arts: Drawing, painting, sculpture, welding… and introducing some other art areas; songwriting & guitar. Courses are offered throughout the year in four 10 week sessions. Teens can participate in both adult and teen classes. Inspire also uses volunteers!

Visit the Inspire Community Fine Art Center Website

San Anto Cultural Arts Center leads two programs: the El Placazo Community Newspaper & Mentor Program, and Community Mural & Public Art Program. The target demographic is inner city youth ages 9-19, but impacts the entire community and serves as am incubator for local artists. In it’s 22-year history they’ve created 48 murals and published over 200 issues of El Placazo!

Visit the San Anto Cultural Arts Website

The Classic Theatre creates excellent theatre that is relevant, diverse, entertaining, and transformative.

Visit The Classic Theatre of San Antonio Website

The Magik Theatre’s mission is to nurture a love and understanding of theatre and literature by providing extraordinary, affordable, and professional theatre and education experiences.

Visit The Magik Theatre Website

The Majestic & Empire Theatres are San Antonio’s premier performing arts facilities featuring Broadway shows, concerts, comedians, and other live events.

Visit The Majestic Theatre & Empire Theatre Website

The Playhouse produces high quality, live theater that inspires, educates, & entertains audiences of all audiences.

Visit The Playhouse Website

The Tobin Center has transformed the performing arts in San Antonio by delivering a world-class venue and world-class performances for everyone. The Tobin strives to excite all ages, cultures, lifestyles, and income levels with performances in the venue.

The Generation NEXT Education Initiative at the Tobin Center provides unique artist interactions for audience members and students throughout the year. These include open rehearsals, Q&A sessions, master classes, and in-school artist visits.

Visit the Tobin Center for the Performing Arts Website

The Woodlawn Theatre, Inc. is a non-profit organization devoted to creating opportunities for it’s surrounding community by providing quality, entertaining, educational, and affordable programming for all ages!

Visit the Woodlawn Theatre Website

Blue Star inspires the creative genius in us all by nurturing artists through innovative contemporary art. It is the first and longest-running venue for contemporary art in San Antonio and offers exhibitions and after-school educational programs.

Check out the website for hours and current exhibits. Students with ID are FREE! Everyone is Free Thursdays after 4:00 p.m. and all day on the First Thursday and First Friday of each month.

Visit the Blue Star Contemporary Art Museum Website

The Briscoe Western Art Museum, named in honor of the late Texas Governor, Dolph Briscoe, Jr. and his wife, Janey, preserves and interprets the art, history, and culture of the American West through engaging exhibitions, educational programs, and public events reflective of the region’s rich traditions and shared heritage.

Extended hours and FREE ADMISSION every Tuesday night from 4:00-9:00pm !!

Visit The Briscoe Western Art Museum Website

The McNay Art Museum engages a diverse community in the discovery and enjoyment of the visual arts. The museum houses an art collection of over 20,000 objects to date in addition to rotating exhibits and community events. Teens can visit and get involved by becoming a Teen Art Guide (TAG).

The McNay now also offers free general admission to teens 19 years and under every day! All ages are free every Thursday evening between 4-9 pm.

Visit the McNay Art Museum Website

The San Antonio Museum of Art houses the largest and most comprehensive collection of ancient Egyptian, Greek and Roman, as well as Asian, art in the southern United States. The Museum also has a significant collection of Latin American art, from Pre-Columbian times to the present, showcased in the Nelson A. Rockefeller Center for Latin American Art.

For teens, SAMA offers free art opportunities, check out their calendar! Also, get in for FREE Tuesdays 4 pm – 9 pm & Sundays 10 am – 12 pm, or for $5 anytime with your student ID.

Visit the San Antonio Museum of Art Website

The Institute of Texan Cultures is a museum that provides multicultural education by investigating the ethnic and cultural history of the state of Texas and presenting the resulting information with a variety of offerings, including:

• Exhibits, programs, and special events designed to entertain, inspire, and educate
• Outreach programs to schools and other groups
• Teacher-training workshops

The museum is a Smithsonian affiliate which grants the museum with greater access to artifacts, programs, and resources for San Antonians and visitors to enjoy.

Museum admission for minors (6 - 17) and college students with ID is $8, 5 & Under are free, and everyone is FREE on the Second Sunday of each month!

Check out their website for more information on hours, current exhibits, and events.

Visit the UTSA Institute for Texan Cultures Website

With a focus on natural science, history, and art the Witte Museum offers many learning experiences for San Antonio youth through both permanent exhibits like the H-E-B Body Adventure and the South Texas Heritage Center in addition to traveling exhibits offered year round.

Join in the #FreeKnowledge every Tuesday from 3:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. when general admission is FREE!!

Visit the Witte Museum Website