ArtSmart transforms the lives of young people in underserved communities around the United States through tuition-free music lessons and mentorship from paid, professional artists. ArtSmart offers private voice and instrumental lessons through its One-to-One Mentorship Program as well as a Vocal Theater Mentorship program, where small groups create original performances that amplify student voices and explore community issues. Mentors and students meet weekly for the entire school year during the school day to maximize access and minimize barriers to participation. Their music mentorship program aims to provide young people a pathway to academic, economic, and emotional stability. They enable their students to thrive in all areas of life by providing them with the resources and deep connections necessary for their creative and personal development.
As part of the Local Impact Grant program, NBC10, Telemundo62, and the Comcast NBCUniversal Foundation have given nearly $35,000 in grant funding to ArtSmart to support the programmatic operations of their One-To-One and Vocal Theater Music Mentorship Programs in Philadelphia. This includes funding four music mentorship studios for an entire 28-week program year in 2024-2025 which will ensure that more under-resourced youth receive arts education and mentorship to become empowered leaders in their communities.
ArtSmart was founded by operatic tenors Michael Fabiano and John Viscardi, who met at the Academy of Vocal Arts in Philadelphia and have been friends for over a decade. They shared a vision of making a difference in the world of music. Acknowledging the impact of their voice teachers, they recognized that many students struggle to access quality music lessons and mentorship due to the high costs of private lessons. They also wanted to provide a pathway for musicians to make a living doing something directly related to their area of expertise. This shared passion led to the creation of ArtSmart.
ArtSmart begins each year with auditions for students interested in the program. Those who are accepted are paired with a mentor. After an orientation, they start their lessons, developing a strong relationship with their mentor and collaboratively setting goals. Students participate in two on-stage recitals, receive masterclasses from professional artists, and gain access to artistic enrichment opportunities. Since its inception, ArtSmart has delivered over 10,000 music lessons and mentorship to students in Philadelphia and over 45,000 sessions nationwide.
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To identify schools most in need of their programs, ArtSmart maintains close partnerships with the School District of Philadelphia. Within those school partners, ArtSmart collaborates with designated Site Ambassadors who serve as liaisons between students, mentors, and program staff, helping to identify students who would benefit most from participating in ArtSmart.
ArtSmart’s success is largely due to students building strong, positive relationships with adult role models, allowing them to use artistic expression to communicate freely within that connection. The program equips students with essential skills, such as setting and achieving goals, navigating challenges healthily, and gaining the self-confidence to advocate for their beliefs - and they have the data to prove that it works.
In June 2023, ArtSmart concluded a two-year longitudinal study in partnership with the WCG Institutional Review Board to evaluate its impact on student social, emotional, and academic outcomes. Key findings show that ArtSmart has a positive, causal impact on students that goes well beyond music education Participation in ArtSmart significantly boosts students' intentions to pursue higher education, nurtures meaningful connections with adults at school, provides students with an adult they can talk to when stressed or having problems, and is a driving factor in excitement to attend school.
Community
Through these comprehensive benefits, ArtSmart creates a ripple effect of positive change for individuals and communities by equipping youth with the skills, confidence, relationships, and ambition to succeed in all walks of life.
