About

NYC Kids Project is an educational arts program advocating empathy, acceptance, and inclusion. Performances and classroom visits include the use of large theatrical puppets, storytelling, and sign language--as well as an extensive question and answer period. The focus is on character development and socio-emotional learning. Audiences talk with our puppet characters to ask questions about belonging and understanding others. They are encouraged to examine attitudes surrounding disabilities and differences while fostering empathy and an awareness of what truly connects us all.

History of the Project

NYC Kids Project has a long and distinguished record of service, having been established by the NY State Office for People with Developmental Disabilities in 1981. To date, more than one million children, in all five boroughs, have seen our performances. As the mainstreaming of students become more prevalent in NYC schools and people of differing abilities became more visible throughout the city, it became apparent that children of all abilities needed to be taught to be more inclusive. Due to budget cuts in 2011, the government funding that had fully supported NYC Kids Project’s operations was withdrawn. Through the dedication of lead teaching artists Mindy Pfeffer and Cecilia Arana, NYC Kids Project was reborn as an independent 501c3 non-profit organization in 2014. On average, our team of educators works with 10,000 students in over 35 schools each school year.

Awards