Closing the Gap is about providing classrooms with practical powerful tools that create educational equity.
J. Curtis Jones is a co-founder of Cooperative Artists Institute and the founder of The Center For The Transformation Of School Culture®. He is the co-creator of the Tribal Rhythms Program® and a developer and director of The Partnership For Whole-School Change (Partnership). Four schools and five organizations make up our Partnership. We provide transformative services and work with these schools to help them establish their "Intentional School Culture."
Evan Hastings, MA, Adjunct Professor of Education, Lesley University, integrates Theatre of the Oppressed, Drama Therapy and elements of Hip Hop culture into his approach to artistic social healing. Grass Rooted in community organizing, he acts in, directs and produces original performance pieces that grapple with pressing issues while innovative aesthetics demand audience engagement. Evan facilitates Theatre groups for youth and also works with educators to strengthen Arts Integration through consulting and professional development. evanhastings.com
COOPERATIVE ARTISTS INSTITUTE (CAI)
The Cooperative Artists Institute (CAI) uses the arts to help people successfully work with people. Whether creating First Night’s New Years Eve Procession, or pioneering the concept of culture to facilitate school change, our artists use the performing and visual arts to improve the quality of work, play, education, and social services. Since 1970, CAI has created 87 offerings for school, college, community, workplace, religious, and elder care settings. These services have bettered the lives of over two million people and are available in the horizontal navigation above. Each service uses the arts in non-traditional ways to overcome the effects of family and community fragmentation.
