Celebrating 10 Years of Strengthening Future Artists
What We Believe
Who Are We?
Community Arts Sustaining Academics(CASA) is an initiative by the National Museum of Mexican Art to promote After School and During School Art programming focusing on engaging students to pursue the Art’s and explore Mexican Identity, through Education.
Our Mission
Our mission is to educate and strengthen the future artists of our communities by providing resources to neighborhood schools that allow them to engage students to pursue the Art’s and explore Mexican Identity. Through the National Museum of Mexican Art, CASA provides after/ during school programming targeting Diverse Schools and focusing on areas such as Visual Arts, Performing Arts, Digital Arts and Parent Development. CASA continues to work on a road that combines Art, Education and Community; we have been able to provide Community Classes, Events and Workshops to further our mission. We continue to give students the opportunity to not only grow into artists but also grow into leaders.
The Vision
CASA will support creative individualism through Classes, Performances, Exhibitions and Public Art. Through these efforts we hope to help students learn about their roots and move past the stereotypes of our society and improve the Social Emotional Learning of our Communities.
The CASA connection is enthusiastic about providing a variety of programs to help direct students and instructors to connect with their communities and cultures, along with the wealth of educational resources and artifacts from the collection at the National Museum of Mexican Art. It also provides meaningful learning for students by building social and emotional bonds with peers and mentors within our programs, with all learning connected to Illinois State Learning Standards. Our programs also incorporate SEL as a core value, allowing students to share, participate and engage with their peers.
Visual Arts
Performing Arts
Digital Arts
Painting
Sculpting
Drawing
Murals
Crafts
Mariachi
Folkloric Dance
Latin Dance
Music
Latin Jazz
Photography
Digital Illustration
Videography
Animation
E-Sports
Parent Engagement
ESL Courses
Art
Technology
Dance
CASA is currently serving 10 schools across Illinois, providing After School programming for over 600 students year round.
Current Partners:
Eric Solorio Academy High School
Calmeca Academy of Fine Arts and Dual Language
Richards Career Academy
Foreman College and Career Academy
Sherlock Elementary School
Columbus West Elementary School
Drexel Elementary School
Lincoln School
Chicago Public Schools
Stevenson Middle School
Washington Dual Language Academy