Asante Art Institute youth programs

Asante Art Institute youth programs include activities in acting, singing, dance, storytelling, poetry, writing, physical movement to music, spoken word, content creation, reading, and public speaking. The Asante Children’s Theater (ACT) Academy offers intensive training in acting, singing, and dance, and Prep4Life focuses on storytelling, acting, poetry, writing, singing, and physical movement to music. Prep Upper Class centers on storytelling, spoken word, acting, and content creation, and Zora’s Daughters uses reading, writing, and public speaking with girls.

• Ages: 8–18 years old

Since 1990, the Asante Children’s Theater (ACT) Academy has been a cornerstone of performing arts excellence, impacting thousands of young lives and serving as the foundation of the Asante Art Institute. The organization is grounded in African and African American traditions and perspectives and is described as one of the city’s oldest creative incubators, with a dedicated focus on youth while also serving people of all ages. Its mission is to cultivate global citizens through the arts, and it uses arts-centered programming that explores cultural and historical themes to guide individuals in creative expression.

Every program is described as strengthening the mental, emotional, and cultural well-being of the youth and families served, with arts-centered experiences that affirm identity, build confidence, and nurture self-worth. The organization states that it uses the arts to foster personal and artistic development in youth and adults from all walks of life so they can connect with each other and grow. It also states a belief that creativity fuels problem-solving and expresses the hope that participants feel equipped to confront challenges, create meaningful impact on the world around them, strengthen the community at large, and become confident, enlightened, and creative citizens of the world.

As Indianapolis hosts the College Basketball Championship Weekend in April 2026, Asante Art Institute is presenting A Touch of Glory, a play that chronicles the historic 1955 Crispus Attucks basketball team. Laura Town’s newly rewritten production of A Touch of Glory is scheduled to take center stage at the Athenaeum during the final weekend of March and the first weekend of April 2026.

Last updated May 14, 2026.