Education Programs

In close partnership with local education agencies, Performance Santa Fe’s award-winning education programs bring the vibrant world of music, dance, and theater to life for the young people of our community.  These programs seek to enhance the role of the performing arts by inspiring greater awareness of their educational, cognitive, and emotional power.

By encouraging an active and experiential study of the arts, Performance Santa Fe advances the belief that all human beings are inherently creative.  These programs are designed to build on that creativity by equipping individuals with the skills necessary for a life-long engagement with the arts and an understanding of their essential contribution to enlightened citizenship. 

Every year, we provide inspiring performances, innovative programs, and life-changing interaction with world-renowned performing artists to more than 3,000 students in 24 local schools.  These programs serve as a catalyst for academic achievement, enriched creativity, mental well-being, and personal growth. 

In a community where nearly 70% of students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, Performance Santa Fe is committed to providing unique opportunities to enhance the learning process through the performing arts by offering these programs at absolutely no cost to participants.  These programs are funded entirely by foundations, grants, and individual donors.

Field Trip Series

This series provides local students, including every 5th and 6th grader in the Santa Fe public school district, with the opportunity to experience student matinee performances from our extraordinary lineup of international performing artists.  Performance Santa Fe offers these interactive matinees to thousands of students at various venues across Santa Fe throughout the year.  For many students, these Field Trip Series matinees are their only encounter with the performing arts, and serve as an introduction to the world of live performance.  Resource materials for teachers are available upon request to help make the experience for students as meaningful as possible.

Masterclass Series

Through the Masterclass Series, aspiring young musicians, dancers, and actors have the unique opportunity to interact and work closely with the internationally-renowned mainstage artists we present in an intimate masterclass setting.  These intensive experiences are offered to intermediate and advanced high school students pursuing arts education and allow hundreds of students each year to benefit from instruction from some of the brightest luminaries in their field.  During our 2020-2021 Season, nearly half of our mainstage artists will offer masterclasses as part of this series.

Masterclass Series participants receive free tickets to the artists’ mainstage performances.  Please call our office at 505 984 8759 if you are interested in underwriting these tickets.

Arts for Life

Arts for Life (formerly Sostenuto) supports existing chorus, band, world music, orchestra, guitar, dance, and theater programs in the Santa Fe Public Schools by engaging professional Teaching Artists to work alongside the classroom teachers, providing individualized instruction, support, and technical expertise to students. During our 2020-2021 Season, Arts for Life will serve Aspen Community Magnet School, Capital High School, El Camino Real Academy, El Dorado Community School, Mandela International Magnet School, Milagro Middle School, Nina Otero Community School, Ortiz Middle School, and Santa Fe High School.

For more information or to find out how your student or their school can participate in these programs, please contact Education + Administration Coordinator Allie Norris at alice@performancsantafe.org or 505 985 8759.

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