Word for Word/Youth Arts at Z Space is a unique arts education program that exposes hundreds of Bay Area students annually to the joys of language and theatre. Teaching artists lead students in transforming fiction or poetry into staged performances in the Word for Word style. By helping youth become better listeners, speakers, and readers, Youth Arts instills a love of language and reading, enhances performance skills, and bolsters confidence and self-esteem in the classroom and beyond.

Youth Art Exchange sparks a shared creative practice between professional artists and public high school students, furthering youth as leaders, thinkers, and artists in San Francisco. This is conducted through year round programming, which includes: In-School and After-School Arts Classes; Summer Stipended Arts Internship Program; Year-Round Paid Internships: Youth Advisory Board, Teaching Assistants, Alumni Intern; and Culminating events, exhibits, and performances each session.

Young Rembrandts (YR) teaches drawing, the basis of all visual arts, in a fun and nurturing setting that ensures success for every child. YR lessons combine basic drawing techniques, portraiture and cartooning skills by exploring different themes and subject matters. Students will improve core learning skills while delving into a favorite subject matter. And yes, all that learning comes with a big bunch of fun. YR strives to enrich our community by passing along the joy of ART!

YPT’s Theatre Arts academy teaches children as young as three years old the fundamentals of dramatization and instructs older children in acting, performance, and musical theatre. Advanced students from the age of nine are invited to audition for main-stage plays, where they have the opportunity to work alongside adult actors in a professional production. The Academy also sends teachers into schools to conduct acting and creative play workshops.

Young Audiences of Northern California makes art happen in schools and community venues every day. Our mission is to create arts experiences that inspire young people, expand learning, and enliven communities. Working closely with a roster of world-class, community-based teaching artists, we serve children and young adults, preschool through high school, their teachers, and families, in both public and private schools as well as in community and after-school settings.