The Harlem School of the Arts

The Harlem School of the Arts (HSA) is a school in Harlem, New York. It was founded in 1964 by the soprano Dorothy Maynor, and offers its programs to students of all ages. Mezzo-soprano Betty Allen succeeded Maynor as director in 1979. DeeDee Dickey became acting director upon Allen's death in 2009.

According to its website, the mission of the Harlem School of the Arts is "to enrich the lives of children and their families in the Harlem community and beyond, through exposure to and instruction in the arts." In 2005, the school was among 406 New York City arts and social service institutions to receive part of a $20 million grant from the Carnegie Corporation, which was made possible through a donation by New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg. .

In April 2010, the school shut down temporarily due to financial difficulty. But gifts totaling $1 million enabled the school to reopen later that month. The plan to reopen the school came with a condition of replacing several members of the board of directors, which parents and teachers blamed for the school's dismal financial health.

The school offers courses in both classical and jazz music, with instruction in musical instruments and voice, as well as dance (including ballet, modern, ethnic, jazz, and tap dance). In addition, classes are offered in theater arts, creative writing, and visual arts (including sculpture and photography).

Most of the school's students are of African American or Latino cultural backgrounds, and tuition is relatively inexpensive in contrast to similar educational institutions in the United States.

Notable faculty

 * J. D. Parran