Since launching in fall 2021, the partnership between Children’s Theatre Company (CTC) and Bethune Arts Elementary School in Minneapolis has been redefining arts education through a multi-year, schoolwide initiative. This collaboration offers integrated arts programming at every grade level, professional development for educators, and family engagement—all designed to nurture student achievement and build community.
Ann Joseph-Douglas, director of Education at CTC, oversees the initiative and credits the program’s success to strong relationships between CTC, Bethune staff, and the broader Minneapolis Public Schools system. “The collaboration between CTC and Bethune and Minnesota Public Schools has been fantastic,” said Joseph-Douglas. “The ongoing communication between all stakeholders has been the key to the success in the classroom and beyond.”
The partnership is grounded in the belief that high-quality, integrated arts education supports both academic performance and social-emotional development. In-depth programming, including contributions to Bethune’s Summer Scholars program, is made possible by widespread buy-in across the school and district.
Evaluation results from Wilder Research demonstrate the partnership’s impact. Caregivers overwhelmingly support the program, with 97% noting its benefits to their children’s social-emotional development and enthusiasm for school. Students in grades 3 and 4 showed marked improvements in storytelling and writing skills, with scores increasing by an average of 2.25 points from December to May. Improvements were also noted in emotional literacy, executive functioning, and social awareness.
“Our partnership with CTC and all the grade level residencies has been more powerful and impactful than any other that we have worked with,” said Jody Lazo, Bethune’s Arts Integration Magnet Specialist. “The support of CTC is invaluable… The depth and investment of this partnership is what makes it so successful.”
Bethune, a Turnaround Arts magnet school located in Minneapolis’s Heritage Park neighborhood, is part of a national school improvement initiative through the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. CTC’s involvement supports this mission by addressing Minnesota’s persistent achievement gap.
Children’s Theatre Company reaches nearly 250,000 students and families each year through performances, education programs, and partnerships. Its collaboration with Bethune exemplifies CTC’s commitment to equitable access to arts education—transforming not just classrooms, but entire school communities.