The Creative Arts Team (CAT) uses theatre as a catalyst to activate social and academic skills, foster creativity, and critically engage with the world.
CAT educators and teaching artists support social, emotional, arts, and academic learning in NYC Public Schools, college campuses, and community organizations. CAT’s approach is known as Applied Theatre, which is the practice of using theatre techniques for discovery and interactive learning, exploring personal and social issues, identifying problems, and actively rehearsing solutions. The Creative Arts Team envisions connecting with every young New Yorker and becoming a national hub for applied theatre, recognized globally for advancing applied theatre theory and practice.
Who We Are
- We are Participant-Centered: Participants drive all CAT programs, which are trauma-informed, culturally competent, and socially and emotionally responsive.
- We are Pioneers: As NYC’s largest and oldest applied theatre organization, CAT has shaped the field and nurtured leaders. In 2008, CAT helped establish the nation’s first Masters in Applied Theatre at CUNY’s School of Professional Studies.
- We are NYC: Founded in 1974 at NYU and relocated to CUNY in 2004, CAT is part of CUNY’s Office of K16 Initiatives and serves all five NYC boroughs. Our diverse team and participants reflect NYC’s diversity, and while we present projects globally, we remain rooted in NYC.
- We are Evidence-Based: CAT uses various evaluation techniques to gather feedback on each program, measure effects on student learning, and offer recommendations for improving program design and implementation.
- We are Arts Access: Arts education is crucial for all children, yet only some of NYC’s one million students have access to these opportunities. CAT is part of a community of arts organizations dedicated to ensuring every student benefits from arts education.
What We Do
Serving pre-K through college students, parents, and teachers, CAT’s workshops and residencies are tailored to the diverse needs of different age groups, classrooms, and learning goals. CAT also hosts two city-wide youth programs in midtown Manhattan and offers residencies ranging from single-day to yearlong in schools, colleges, and community organizations.
Theatre Making
Our playbuilding approach lets young people create theatre reflecting their own concerns and challenges. They build a creative community, enhance literacy and critical thinking, and produce socially relevant, artistic pieces. This boosts confidence, fosters relationships, and engages participants as active citizens. Programs include city-wide out-of-school programs, after-school residencies, and in-school workshops.
Theatre-In-Education
CAT’s interactive workshops and residencies foster open discussions and reflection, helping participants rethink their world and practice new perspectives. Actor-teachers use theatre techniques and present short scenes as starting points for workshops that enhance college/career readiness, life skills, problem-solving, self-advocacy, decision making, healthy relationships, and violence prevention. Workshops can also support specific academic subject knowledge, and take place across various subjects, including social studies and language arts.
Leadership Development
These projects, aimed at high school and college students, educators, and youth development professionals, explore college, career, and life goals. Student cohorts discuss access, readiness, success, and overcoming barriers. For adults, CAT offers CTLE professional development tailored to individual sites, focusing on drama tools for student engagement, social-emotional learning, and arts education practices.
Our Impact
Since 1974, with the support of private and public funders, CAT has been supporting participants in classrooms, theaters and community sites throughout New York City and beyond.
1.3
Million
Participants
10,000+
Participants
Annually
100+
Schools &
Sites Annually
3000+
Sessions
Annually
CAT Participant
“CAT helps me be more confident, and I’m able to grow and learn about my surroundings and society. I’ve learned that we all have a voice, and we can change the world.”
Our Programs
Making Theatre & Building Communities
CAT Youth Theatre
Year-long out-of-school-time program for middle and high school students focused on developing and presenting original ensemble work.
NYC Student Shakespeare Festival
Professional Development for teachers and in-class development of literacy and theatre skills via Shakespeare’s text for grades 2-12.
Theatre for Learning
In-school residencies focused on theatre making, including Cultural Afterschool Adventures, Cultural Immigrant Initiative, and Early Learning Program which is focused on emergent literacy and SEL skills.
Theatre Strategies for Education
Learning Through Drama
In-and after-school programs for middle and high school students, focused on drama, literacy, health & wellness, college readiness, leadership and more.
Social Emotional Educational Drama
The Social Emotional Educational Drama (SEED) Program, formerly known as the College and Adult Program (CAP), uses the power of applied theater to impact and address topics on social and academic challenges that affect young people and adult populations.
Leadership, College, and Careers
Sound Thinking NYC
Sound Thinking NYC is a career pathway program for high school students that creates opportunities in all aspects of the music industry, in support of building the next generation of music industry leaders.
Professional Development
CAT offers CTLE-certified professional development tailored to individual sites, focusing on drama tools for student engagement, social-emotional learning, and arts education practices.
CUNY School of Professional Studies MA in Applied Theatre
The first degree of its kind in the United States, this program uses theatre as a medium for education, community development, and the pursuit of social justice.
Acknowledgements
CAT is reliant on the support and participation of its public and private sector partners.
Or send a check made out to “Creative Arts Team, Inc.” to: Creative Arts Team, 101 West 31st Street, 6th Floor, New York, NY 10001.
CAT is grateful for the current support and partnership of:
- The Baron Tikkun Olam Charitable Fund
- Black Male Initiative
- BlocPower
- Brown’s Bagels
- Community Foundation of Louisville
- Community Service Society of New York
- Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation
- Hispanic Federation/Miranda Family Fund
- Jewish Communal Fund
- Lucille Lortel Theatre
- Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment
- Myrna & Stephen Greenberg/Jewish Communal Fund
- National Music Publishers’ Association
- NYGEAR UP
- New York City Council
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs
- New York City Department of Youth & Community Development
- New York City Public Schools
- New York State Council on the Arts
- Penguin Random House
- Reverb
- Soto Bachman Family Fund
- Two Trees/Walentas Family Foundation
- Wegman’s Food Markets
- And many generous individuals!
We are grateful for our current and former partners, some of which are listed below.
- City University of New York (CUNY) and Research Foundation of CUNY: CAT is a part of the CUNY Office of K16 Initiatives. Research Foundation of CUNY (RF) is a non-profit educational entity that manages private and government sponsored programs at CUNY.
- New York City Public Schools: As a certified NYCPS vendor, CAT is able to collaborate with schools across NYC to provide programming for students, educators, and parents.
- New York City Council: The City Council has provided support for CAT’s citywide programs and initiatives for nearly five decades.
- New York City Department of Cultural Affairs: DCLA supports and strengthens NYC vibrant cultural life. CAT is grateful to receive support through their Cultural Development Fund, as well as several NYC Council Initiatives.
- New York City Department of Youth & Community Development: DYCD has funded several of CAT’s academic and social literacy programs.
- New York City Mayor’s Office of Media and Entertainment: MOME’s support enabled us to launch Sound Thinking NYC, a program for high school students focused on addressing gender equity in the music industry.
- New York City Mayor’s Office of Criminal Justice: CAT has been a Cure Violence/Crisis Management Systems provider since 2014, and continues to expand the program under the Office Of Neighborhood Safety, now housed at DYCD.
- New York City Department of Corrections: CAT previously provided life skills, violence prevention, and health and wellness programming at Rikers Island and other NYC facilities with incarcerated youth and adults.
- New York State Education Department: CAT is certified by the NY State Education Department to provide Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (CTLE) credits, and provides professional development workshops to share our approach to interactive strategies and student-centered pedagogy with teachers, paraprofessionals, and administrators across NYC’s public school system.
- New York State Council on the Arts: NYSCA is dedicated to preserving and expanding the rich and diverse cultural resources that are and will become the heritage of New York’s citizens. CAT is grateful for NYSCA’s support for NYC Student Shakespeare Festival and CAT Youth Theatre.
- New York State Department of Health: DOH partnered with CAT for three decades to provide programming related to HIV/AIDS education, including past projects like Project CHANGE, a leadership development program focused on adolescent health.
- CAT is a proud Affiliate of the Arts Education Partnership, a national network of more than 100 organizations dedicated to advancing arts education.
- CAT is a long-time member of the New York City Arts in Education Roundtable, a service organization and community of arts education practitioners.
- Stephen R. Aiello
- Elyse Buxbaum
- Joanie Halev
- David R. Jones
- Steven L. Krause
- Jack Lusk
- Chris Vine
- Nancy Walker
- Lynda Zimmerman, Founding Executive Director
- In Memoriam: Nancy F. Swortzell, PhD
Selected Awards
- Alliance for the Arts Schools and Culture Award
- American Alliance for Theatre in Education: Ann Flagg Multicultural Award
- American Alliance for Theatre in Education: Campton Bell Lifetime Achievement, Lynda Zimmerman, Executive Director
- American Alliance for Theatre in Education: Lin Wright Recognition Award
- American Alliance for Theatre in Education: Sara Spencer Award for Sustained Artistic Achievement
- American Alliance for Theatre in Education: Winifred Ward Award for Excellence in Theatre for Young People
- American Alliance for Theatre in Education: Youth Theatre Director of the Year Award, Helen White, Director, CAT Youth Theatre
- Chase Bank Racial Harmony and Diversity Award
- Citibank Award of Excellence
- New York City Council Striving for Excellence in Educational Theatre, D.R.E.A.M. Award
- New York State Division of Substance Abuse Services Recognition Award
Special Appearances
CAT has been invited to share its innovative work in the national and international arena and has presented special performances at the following prestigious venues:
- Contacting the World International Youth Theatre Festival, Liverpool, England
- American Alliance for Theatre and Education
- American Place Theatre
- Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts
- Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts
- National Black Theatre Festival
- Public Theatre – New York Shakespeare Festival
- Scottish International Children’s Festival, Edinburgh, Scotland
- Spirit 2000 International Youth Theatre Festival, London, England
- United Nations
- Vancouver International Children’s Festival, Vancouver, Canada
