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Can you solve urban educational issues and strengthen public schools with arts-based solutions? Urban Arts Partnership thinks so. The organization is a non-profit founded in 1991 that provides sixty New York City public schools with an arts education curriculum that varies from after-school programs to master classes and arts festivals. Urban Arts Partnership provides students with instruction in filmmaking, dance, digital music production, photography, visual arts, language arts, design, and theater. And these kids aren’t just turning out popsicle-stick creations. Their projects have received national awards, two of their documentary films have been featured in the Tribeca Film Festival, and their performances have hosts such as Rachel Dratch, Diane Neal, and Darryl McDaniels, aka D.M.C.

One of Urban Arts Partnerships notable programs is the Life Stories Youth Ensemble, which was founded in 2005. This program focuses on training high school students in acting and playwrighting. Life Stories runs throughout the school year and culminates in an original performance, which will take place this Sunday April 25th , 2010 at Theater Row on 42nd Street. The show is free and allows the students to display what they’ve been working on throughout the year. Life Stories is the product of Urban Arts’ collaboration with The New Group, which funds the program and provides them with theater space to perform and rehearse in.

Stage actress, Julia Grob, is the director of the Life Stories Youth Ensemble. Victor Maog is co-director. Francis Turiano, a graduate of the program, works as the program’s assistant director as well as the assistant coordinator. Finally, Zac Kline teaches playwrighting. Additionally, five up and coming playwrights worked with the student groups. And if you didn’t think they were getting enough education, the kids receive master classes (sessions taught by professional working actors) with the likes of Michael Ealy, Justin Bartha, and Rosie Perez.

Turiano says he thinks the program works, “We put students through school with arts programs that otherwise wouldn’t have [graduated]. They’re given opportunities that they take advantage of, and they flourish.” And an assessment by the Human Services Evaluation and Development Associates serves as proof of that. Their study showed that 100% of the participants in Urban Arts Partnership’s programs were more interested in learning and that 95% reported higher grades.

Most importantly, the students value the experience. Life Stories alumni Meagan Villacorta says the program “helped me grow as a student, a writer, and a human being.”