ASTEP was conceived by Broadway Musical Director Mary-Mitchell Campbell and Juilliard students to transform the lives of youth using the most powerful tool they had: their art. Today, ASTEP connects performing and visual artists with youth from underserved communities in the U.S. and around the world to awaken their imaginations, foster critical thinking, and help them break the cycle of intergenerational poverty.

At ASTEP, we are deeply committed to empowering individuals who suffer from an absence of choice, especially children. The right to choose is a fundamental human right, and we strive to end the poverty that robs us of that humanity. The performing and visual arts create a unique safe space to rediscover choice.

We see every day how access to the arts gives children vital skills that can be used in school and in their personal lives. They become better communicators, build their confidence to participate, and learn how to solve problems by thinking outside the box. Most importantly, the arts show each child that their voice is important.
There is infinite possibility in that belief.

ASTEP partners with schools and community organizations to create after-school and summer programming that celebrates young people’s strengths and builds up their unique areas for growth. ASTEP Volunteer Teaching Artists use the arts as a vehicle to teach youth the social emotional skills they need to be the best versions of themselves. By providing access to the arts in communities that lack this vital resource, ASTEP provides an essential, missing component to comprehensive youth development.

What makes ASTEP unique is that we craft models that best fit the needs of our partner’s student population, working collaboratively within existing structures. This approach means that we are complementing our partners’ goals, ensuring the needs of the whole child are met. Practically speaking, this means that all ASTEP programs look vastly different from one another.

Our programs currently serve the following vulnerable populations: youth affected by immigration status, homelessness, gun-violence, incarceration, the justice system, HIV/AIDS, systemic poverty, and the caste system.

The quality of the artists who volunteer with ASTEP uniquely positions us among other arts education nonprofits. Our Volunteer Teaching Artists are highly successful Broadway performers, professional artists, or students and faculty from arts programs, offering a variety of disciplines such as dance, visual art, music, and drama. They become transformative role models in the lives of the youth we serve, combining their passion for the arts and their ability to use artistic tools to teach important life skills.