Community Impact

Each year, Curtis students reach more than 1,500 members of the community—students and schoolchildren, hospital patients and hospice residents, the homeless, prison inmates, and more—through social entrepreneurship and community artist programs.

Impact

In an average year, Curtis reaches:

All-City Orchestra: 100 students

Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia: 30 patients and family members

Jefferson Hospital NICU: 100 babies

Penn Memory Center: 50 patients and family members

Penn Rittenhouse Hospice: 60 patients and family members

Pennsylvania State Correctional Institution at Graterford: 25 inmates

Play On, Philly!: 25 students

Project HOME: 30 residents

Roosevelt Elementary: 25 students

Samuel Powel Elementary: 350 students

South Philadelphia High School: 600 students

Temple Contemporary/Found Sound Nation: 25 broken instruments for students in the school district

Urban Hope Church: 25 children and family members

Vare-Washington School: 25 students

Village of Arts and Humanities: 25 students

William Cramp Elementary: 40 students and family members

  • “The fact that (our workshop participants) are incarcerated does not limit the richness of their talents, abilities, and humanity. It does limit their ability to be heard. Through my work with CAP, and now going forward as a Community Artist Fellow in the 2017–18 school year, I’ve committed to making music with the incarcerated people at Graterford. They continue to write new songs, and we will record an album this year. … My goal is to help bring these voices back into the broader community.”

    — —Emily Cooley (Composition ’17), Community Artist Fellow

  • “The work of the ArtistYear Fellows at Kate’s Place, a permanent housing residence for low-income men and women, was influential, extraordinarily impactful, and everlasting. Residents there were able to find a voice for their thoughts and experiences through the work with the ArtistYear Fellows, who passionately and patiently worked alongside them to create beautiful music. We are forever grateful for Rimbo and T.J. for their commitment to the Project HOME community, and know that their work with us will be felt for years to come.”

    — —Elle Gordon, Volunteer and In-Kind Gifts Coordinator, Project HOME

  • “During my ArtistYear, I realized that composition is not solely a form of self-expression; when used as a toolbox, it can also give voice to those who haven’t had access to the necessary tools to showcase their creativity. Everyone is creative in their own way, and everyone has something unique and valid to say.”

    — —T.J. Cole (ArtistYear ’17)