PURPOSE AND HISTORY

All-City Arts is a district-wide after school and weekend program providing artistic and college readiness skills which is produced by the Cleveland Metropolitan School District's Department of Arts Education. All-City Arts collaborates with certified arts teachers, teaching artists and community arts partners to produce All-City Arts instruction, productions and events.

All-City Arts, managed by the Department of Arts Education, is the department’s oldest and most distinguished program, with a long and impressive history in Cleveland and its cultural community. The Music Division of the Cleveland Public Schools initiated the All-City Arts program in 1954. At that time, All-City programming included an All-City Symphony Orchestra, All- City Choir and All-City Concert Band, which all performed mid-year and end-of-the-year events. Severance Hall, home of the world-renowned Cleveland Orchestra, served as the stage for All-City’s spring concerts, the culminating events of the academic year. Music supervisors auditioned and selected students from individual schools to participate.

From the late 1970s until the beginning of the new millennium, All-City did not exist, and arts education in general made a sharp and severe decline in the schools. In 2000, CMSD established the All-City Arts initiative after a nearly 30-year absence.

Today, All-City Arts is far more inclusive of other art forms and styles than the original concerts, which focused mainly on classical music. All-City Arts encompasses after-school and weekend college readiness built upon the “Live Learning Lab” curriculum. The Department of Arts Education collaborates with district-certified arts teachers, practicing arts professionals and over 40 community arts and cultural partners to produce All-City programs, productions and events. 

Students participate in All-City Arts through three options:

1. Enroll in the intensive nine month after school and weekend program
2. Perform or exhibit at All-City events
3. Experience All-City performances and exhibitions

All-City Arts Events:

• Winter Concert
• Rock Your World with STEAM Family Festival
• All-City Musical - see the list of past performances

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