Education
Calendar
Performances and Events
Performances for Young Audiences
New worlds of excitement, education and entertainment with commissions, productions, and presentations from the Kennedy Center Theater for Young Audiences and programs of the National Symphony Orchestra, VSA, and Washington National Opera.
NSO Concerts for Young Audiences
NSO performances for Young Audiences include full orchestra Family Concerts and performances by small ensembles for ages 3 to teens. These NSO performances introduce classical music to children in an atmosphere of fun.
School Performances / Events
The Kennedy Center commissions, produces, presents, and tours performances for students and teachers.
Explore the Arts
These events offer adult audiences opportunities for arts participation, engagement, interaction, and exploration through master classes, workshops, demonstrations, lectures, open rehearsals, and more.
Millennium Stage
Each evening, at 6p.m., the Millennium Stage features free performances by a broad range of music, dance, and theater artists from the Washington metro area, across the nation, and around the world.
Events for Students
Students in grades K-12 participate in performance/demonstrations, rehearsals, master classes, and discussions presented by the artists and companies performing at the Kennedy Center.
Opera Look-In and Student Dress Rehearsal
Students are introduced to opera through the Opera Look-In each season and can experience a full-length performance at the final Dress Rehearsals of Washington National Opera's main stage productions.
NSO Instrument "Petting Zoos"
Hands-on fun with instruments! Children (and their parents) have the chance to get up close and personal with the orchestral instruments they will see professionally played on stage.
NSO In Your Neighborhood
The National Symphony Orchestra aims to reach a wide audience through its classical subscription series, pops concerts, and one of the country's most extensive educational programs.
New Visions/New Voices
New Visions/New Voices is a week-long program in May for playwrights and theaters to stimulate and support the creation of new plays and musicals for young audiences and families.
Arts and Schools
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Any Given Child
Seeks to bring access, balance, and equity to each child's arts education, using an affordable model that combines the resources of the school district, local arts groups, and the Kennedy Center.
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Arts Around the Center
This visual arts contest shows John F. Kennedy, and his continuing legacy in the arts and culture.
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Arts and Special Education
The Kennedy Center and its affiliate VSA recognize that the arts play a vital role in the education of students with disabilities. We are committed to serving as leaders in advancing opportunities in the arts for children with disabilities in K–12 education.
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ArtsEdge
The Kennedy Center's free digital resource for teaching and learning in, through, and about the arts.
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Changing Education Through the Arts (Professional Learning for Educators)
Professional Learning in the Arts for Teachers, School Administrators, and Teaching Artists.
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Partnerships with DC Public and Charter Schools
The Kennedy Center is committed to supporting Pre-K to grade 12 students learning in, through, and about the arts through partnerships with District of Columbia public schools and community groups, and by providing opportunities to individual students.
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Performing Arts Series
The Performing Arts Series is an online arts-based resource of full-length programs and short video clips featuring world-renowned artists and companies in performances, demonstrations, and discussions.
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National Partnerships
National Partnerships supports arts education practice and partnerships through professional learning, technical support, and resources for its national networks.
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The Kennedy Center/Stephen Sondheim Inspirational Teacher Awards
Annual $10,000 awards that celebrate the contributions of great teachers from all subject areas serving students of all ages, from pre-kindergarten to post-secondary.
Career Development
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Ballet Class Series
The Kennedy Center Ballet Class Series offers advanced high school ballet students the unique opportunity to participate in master classes with teachers from the national and internationally renowned ballet companies performing at the Kennedy Center.
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Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead
Under the direction of Jason Moran, Kennedy Center Artistic Advisor for Jazz, Betty Carter's Jazz Ahead is an international two-week jazz residency performance and composition project discovering and presenting the next generation of jazz greats.
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Conservatory Project
The Conservatory Project creates an ongoing showcase for our nation's exceptional young talent and introduces Washington audiences to young musicians destined to have important careers.
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Domingo - Cafritz Young Artist Program
This resident-training program offers artists on the verge of international careers a course of intensive training, study, career guidance, and performance opportunities in Washington, DC and beyond.
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Exploring Ballet with Suzanne Farrell
This three-week summer residency offers intermediate to advanced-level ballet dancers, ages 14-18, an opportunity to study exclusively with one of the most important ballerinas of the 20th century, Suzanne Farrell.
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Kennedy Center Internships
Internships are full-time (40 hours per week) or part-time (20-30 hours per week) opportunities that are intended to complement a student's current program of study or other employment.
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Kennedy Center American College Theater Festival
A national theater program involving 18,000 students from colleges and universities nationwide which has served as a catalyst in improving the quality of college theater in the United States.
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NSO Youth Fellowship Program
The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) Youth Fellowship Program is a full scholarship orchestral training program for talented young musicians in grades 9-12.
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NSO Young Associates' Program
The National Symphony Orchestra (NSO) is sponsoring its Young Associates' Program for high school students in grades 11 and 12 in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area who are interested in pursuing a musical career.
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NSO Young Soloists' Competition
To perform as a soloist with the National Symphony Orchestra is every music student's dream, and this is the prize of the NSO Young Soloists' competition, High School Division, designed to encourage and foster the development of young performing artists in the Washington metropolitan area.
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NSO Summer Music Institute
Every summer, approximately 70 students (ages 15-20) from all over the nation meet in Washington, D.C., to attend the National Trustees' National Symphony Orchestra Summer Music Institute (SMI).
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Opera Institute
This three-week summer training program for talented high school singers and pianists features an intense and focused curriculum geared toward preparing students for college performance programs and beyond.
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VSA International Young Soloists Competition
This award annually recognizes outstanding emerging young musicians living with disabilities, ages 14 to 25, from around the world and nurtures their pre-professional career experiences.
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Rosemary Kennedy Internship Initiative
Students and young adults living with disabilities who have an interest in the arts, arts education, and arts administration are provided with hands-on experiential professional skill development opportunities.
VSA and Accessibility
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About VSA
VSA provides arts and education opportunities for people with disabilities of all ages.
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VSA Affiliates
VSA works with affiliated organizations nationwide and in more than 50 countries worldwide.
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VSA Programs
VSA offers opportunities for students, teachers, and artists to participate in annual programs, including the Playwright Discovery Program, International Young Soloists Program, and calls for visual art.
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Resources
Valuable resources about accessibility, arts and education are available for teachers, students, parents, artists and arts administrators.
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About Accessibility
The Kennedy Center's Accessibility Office strives to make the cultural arts accessible to patrons and visitors with disabilities through national and international initiatives.
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Leadership Exchange in Arts and Disability (LEAD)
An international network engaging cultural arts administrators in a conversation on accessibility, disability, compliance and inclusion in the cultural arts.
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Patron Services
Information about accommodations and services for patrons and visitors with disabilities attending performances or visiting the Kennedy Center.
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Rosemary Kennedy Internship Initiative
Career development opportunities for individuals with disabilities.
Major support for educational programs at the Kennedy Center is provided by
David and Alice Rubenstein through the
Rubenstein Arts Access Program.
Additional support is provided by the U.S. Department of Education.
Gifts and grants to these programs are provided by Sandra K. & Clement C. Alpert; AnBryce Foundation; The Argus Fund; Bank of America; The Honorable Stuart Bernstein and Wilma E. Bernstein; Carter and Melissa Cafritz Charitable Trust; Centene Charitable Foundation; The Charles Engelhard Foundation; The Clark Charitable Foundation; Mike and Julie Connors; DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities; Dr. Gerald and Paula McNichols Foundation; David Gregory and Beth Wilkinson; Harman Family Foundation; The Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust; Hilton Worldwide; The Isadore and Bertha Gudelsky Family Foundation, Inc.; The J. Willard and Alice S. Marriott Foundation; James A. Johnson and Maxine Isaacs; Kaplan, Inc.; Mr. James V. Kimsey; The King-White Family Foundation and Dr. J. Douglas White; The Kiplinger Foundation; Natalie and Herb Kohler and Kohler Co.; Macy's; The Markow-Totevy Foundation; Linda and Tobia Mercuro; The Meredith Foundation; The Millennium Stage Endowment Fund; The Morningstar Philanthropic Fund; The Morris and Gwendolyn Cafritz Foundation; Myra and Leura Younker Endowment Fund; National Endowment for the Arts; Newman's Own Foundation; Park Foundation, Inc.; Paul M. Angell Family Foundation; Mrs. Irene Pollin; Prince Charitable Trusts; Rosemary Kennedy Education Fund; Dr. Deborah Rose and Dr. Jan A. J. Stolwijk; Ryna and Melvin Cohen Family Foundation; Share Fund; Mr. and Mrs. Albert H. Small; Target; The Volgenau Foundation; Volkswagen Group of America; Washington Gas; Wells Fargo; Beatrice and Anthony Welters; William R. Kenan, Jr. Charitable Trust; generous contributors to the Abe Fortas Memorial Fund, and by a major gift to the fund from the late Carolyn E. Agger, widow of Abe Fortas.
Education and related artistic programs are made possible through the generosity of the National Committee for the Performing Arts and the President's Advisory Committee on the Arts.
The content of this program may have been developed under a grant from the U.S. Department of Education but does not necessarily represent the policy of the U.S. Department of Education. You should not assume endorsement by the federal government.
