Church Street School for Music and Art

Mission: Church Street School for Music and Art is the only nonprofit community school for the arts in lower Manhattan, committed to providing high-quality art and music programs for diverse students of all ages, abilities, race, gender, sexual orientation, religions and socioeconomic backgrounds. We believe in the transformative and therapeutic power of the arts and are dedicated to providing accessibility to the arts for all.

About the Organization

Church Street School for Music and Art (CSSMA) is a non-profit community school founded in 1990. Over the last 30 years, more than 20,000 families and alumni have been part of this vibrant artistic community. In March 2020, the school pivoted to online offerings in response to Covid-19, gradually adding innovative, in-person programming as protocols allowed. Agility and perseverance have allowed the school to continue serving many in its community and beyond. 

A typical annual in-house student enrollment is 500 growing to over 1,000 students participating when community partner programs are included. Students from ages 1-100 participate in individual and group music and arts offerings. CSSMA has an operating budget of $1.5 million.

Thirty-five talented musicians and artists comprise the school’s faculty. A 9-person engaged and working Board, a 23-person impressive artist advisory council, and a committed and passionate staff of 7 all ensure that this extraordinary organization realizes a mission that is more important now than ever.

Church Street School for Music and Art specializes in process-oriented approaches to arts education, striving to foster creativity and give expression to each student’s natural musical and artistic sense through direct, physical experience, while providing a strong foundation in technique and theory. Programs are offered in visual art, group and private instrumental music, Dalcroze Eurhythmics and dramatic play. CSSMA offered a thriving Preschool for many years until the organization moved in 2017. An organizational conversation around the future of the Preschool is ongoing. 

CSSMA is a member of the National Guild of Community Arts Education.