Santa Fe Performing Arts

The mission of Santa Fe Performing Arts is to serve the community as a tool for education, to address the issues of our time and place, to collaborate with other social service organizations, and to teach theater to individuals of all ages, while maintaining a professional resident company committed to excellence, in a venue that welcomes innovation and variety. SFPA fosters a wide range of productions, from start to finish, with a constant eye on the needs and interests of the community.

 SFPA’s Educational Programming incorporates two basic areas:

1.  The On-Site Performing Arts Educational Program:  After-school and summer classes in drama, music and dance for children ages 3-19:

1. General Educational Programming, providing a curriculum for all ages at an introductory level incorporating basic performance techniques and a safe place for expression.
2. The City Different Players, a more aggressive after-school performing arts program for 7-12 year olds that culminates in a full scale production at the end of each semester.  These productions are open to the public and include weekday performances for Northern New Mexico elementary school classes to attend.
3. The Teen Company, comprised of 13-19 year olds who attend after-school and summer classes in drama, music and dance.  Their program also culminates in productions open to the public.

2.  The Educational Outreach Program:  Reaching into the community through direct partnership with public education institutions throughout Northern New Mexico, making performing arts available through the public school system where it no longer exists:

1. The Arts-in-the-Schools Residency Program, allows SFPA instructors to go into low-income public elementary schools where arts funding has been cut, and work with the classroom teachers to integrate performing arts into school curriculum. 
2. The Educational Touring Production/Workshop is a bilingual touring production that teaches performing arts techniques in Northern New Mexico public schools to students while addressing a variety of social issues that are important to today’s youth.  Topics dealt with include teen suicide, drugs, gangs and anti-violence/tolerance.
3. The Teacher Training Program provides workshops for public school teachers in integrating the performing arts into their teaching techniques and curricula. 
4. Intern and Apprentice Program employs over fifteen young people a year.  This employment not only develops our student’s knowledge of the administrative and technical aspects of theater arts, but also builds their work ethic and personal confidence.

The Adult Company:  Providing the community with a professional resident company committed to artistic excellence, to create opportunities for New Mexico theater artists to work in a professional environment, to form collaborations with other performing arts companies and community organizations and heighten awareness in the community about current social issues. 

Armory for the Arts Theater:  Santa Fe Performing Arts provides the community with an affordable performing arts facility that is a center for collaboration and fosters professionalism.