ARTS FORCE
Bloomingdale’s Teen Leadership and Arts Workforce Program
MISSION STATEMENT
ArtsForce activates teens to strengthen their leadership muscles in a nurturing community space through music-related projects where learning happens by doing. Students take safe, creative risks, build real-world skills, and develop a profound sense of agency.
ABOUT ARTS FORCE
ArtsForce activates teens to strengthen their leadership muscles in a nurturing community space where creativity, responsibility, and real-world learning come together. Students take safe creative risks, work alongside peers and professionals, and develop practical skills through music-related projects that connect artistic growth with leadership, service, and community engagement.
Unlike a traditional classroom model, ArtsForce is rooted in action. Students do not just learn about leadership, they practice it by planning events, supporting performances, mentoring younger students, exploring arts careers, and contributing to the life of Bloomingdale School of Music.
WHAT STUDENTS DO
ArtsForce students participate in a yearlong mix of workshops, projects, and leadership opportunities designed to help them grow as creative thinkers and community leaders.
Students may:
- Meet guest artists, educators, administrators, and arts professionals
- Participate in interactive workshops and career conversations
- Help plan and lead student-driven projects
- Support Bloomingdale events, performances, and community programs
- Explore teaching, mentorship, production, arts administration, and student advocacy
- Build professional skills through real responsibilities and collaborative projects
The program gives students a chance to move from participating in the arts to helping shape how the arts are shared, supported, and experienced.
THE ARTSFORCE YEAR
FALL: WORKSHOP & CAREER EXPOSURE
WINTER: STUDENT-LED PROJECT
- In winter, ArtsForce students develop and lead a creative group project.
- In 2025–26, students created a Musical Holiday Market, a student-initiated event featuring:
- A bake sale
- An instrument petting zoo
- Crafts
- Other student-devised activities
- Students led the planning and activities from start to finish.
- The project raised funds for spring programming.
- Through the process, students practiced teamwork, follow-through, and creative problem-solving, the kind of skills strong leadership requires.
Spring: Community Leadership & School Events
- In the spring, ArtsForce students continue their leadership work through planning sessions and school-wide engagement.
- Students support a student-initiated senior graduation open mic event.
- Students also contribute to Bloomingdale’s annual Performathon scholarship fundraiser.
- These spring projects give students the opportunity to bring their ideas into public-facing events.
- Through this work, students support the broader Bloomingdale community while continuing to build leadership, collaboration, and project-planning skills.
Skills Students Build
ArtsForce helps students practice the skills that make strong leaders, artists, collaborators, and future professionals.
Students build skills in:
- Leadership and responsibility
- Professional communication
- Creative problem-solving
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Event planning and project management
- Teaching and mentorship
- Production and front-of-house support
- Arts administration
- Critical thinking
- Confidence, agency, and follow-through
A core part of ArtsForce is helping students learn how to turn an idea into action. Students practice breaking large goals into clear steps, working with others, adapting when challenges arise, and seeing a project through from beginning to end. The grant outline describes this as a shift from passive observation to active execution, with students learning how to manage real tasks and responsibilities within a professional arts environment.
2025-26 GUEST ARTISTS
- David West, music teacher Celia Cruz High School, Bronx, NY
- Erika Atkins, Executive Director, Bloomingdale School of Music
- Alexei Gonzalez, cellist, NY Philharmonic
- Andy Kozar, freelance trumpeter, entrepreneur Loadbang Ensemble
- Daniela Candillari, conductor
- Marc Peloquin, pianist, private teacher
- Patti Onorato, early childhood music teacher
- Seong Ae Kim, composer
Skills Students Build
ArtsForce helps students practice the skills that make strong leaders, artists, collaborators, and future professionals.
Students build skills in:
- Leadership and responsibility
- Professional communication
- Creative problem-solving
- Collaboration and teamwork
- Event planning and project management
- Teaching and mentorship
- Production and front-of-house support
- Arts administration
- Critical thinking
- Confidence, agency, and follow-through
A core part of ArtsForce is helping students learn how to turn an idea into action. Students practice breaking large goals into clear steps, working with others, adapting when challenges arise, and seeing a project through from beginning to end. The grant outline describes this as a shift from passive observation to active execution, with students learning how to manage real tasks and responsibilities within a professional arts environment.
2025-26 GUEST ARTISTS
- David West, music teacher Celia Cruz High School, Bronx, NY
- Erika Atkins, Executive Director, Bloomingdale School of Music
- Alexei Gonzalez, cellist, NY Philharmonic
- Andy Kozar, freelance trumpeter, entrepreneur Loadbang Ensemble
- Daniela Candillari, conductor
- Marc Peloquin, pianist, private teacher
- Patti Onorato, early childhood music teacher
- Seong Ae Kim, composer
TAKE A LOOK AT ARTSFORCE IN ACTION
HOW TO JOIN ARTSFORCE
Interested in learning more about ArtsForce?
ArtsForce is designed for teens who are ready to take creative risks, build leadership skills, and play a meaningful role in the Bloomingdale community.
STUDENT ELIGIBILITY
– Must study at Bloomingdale School of Music
– Students must be in high school, 9th – 12th grade
application deadline
TBD
ACCEPTANCE LETTERS SENT BY
TBD
Annual Tuition
No tuition; $30 registration fee, waived based on need.
APPLICATION FORM
Brochure
Questions and Information
Margalit Cantor
Program Director
(212) 663-6021
