NEWS & EVENTS

In January 2020, we had a calendar packed with events celebrating our students, alums, teaching artists, staff, and supporters in honor of Opening Act’s 20th Anniversary, as well as our ever-present goal to continue broadening and deepening our impact. When the world changed in March, our celebrations were put on hold, and we improvised rapidly to ensure that 2020 would still be our most impactful year yet. Fueled by an unrelenting belief that Opening Act always shows up, we closed our physical doors, welcomed our community into our virtual classrooms and onto our virtual stages, and renewed our commitment to providing trauma-informed, healing-centered, joy-filled programming for our students and alums.

Thanks to our dedicated supporters – including YOU – through this crisis, we have maintained programming in all 57 partnering schools, deepened our engagement with District 79 (NYC’s alternative school district), provided 98 alums with internships, scholarships, and professional development, launched Opening Act for All (free, virtual OA programming for anyone, anywhere!), and so much more!

Today, on the final day of 2020, we celebrate you, and we THANK YOU. 

All that we accomplished this year would not have been possible without YOU. Thank you for believing in Opening Act’s mission to remain a positive and consistent force in the lives of young people regardless of outside circumstances and for helping us sustain a strong future ahead. As we move onwards and upwards, you still have time to make an end-of-year contribution to Opening Act – DONATE HERE. 

Happy New Year!

Zareta Ricks, Executive Director