Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education

Casita Maria Center For Arts & Education The first and oldest Latino serving charitable organization in NYC, founded in 1934.

Presents diverse, contemporary visual & performing arts & education programming for all ages. Casita Maria, headquartered in the South Bronx, was established in 1934 by Claire and Elizabeth Sullivan as the first charitable organization to serve Latinos in New York City. Operating from a five-room tenement apartment in East Harlem, the Sullivan sisters, public school teachers who were also relatives of TV personality Ed Sullivan, had a primary mission to offer after school enrichment and recreational activities for the children of newly arrived families from Puerto Rico.

09/11/2026

Thank you to the Mayor’s Office of Nonprofit Services for featuring Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education in your series!

We are grateful for the opportunity to share our 92-year history and continued commitment to enriching and elevating children, families, and community residents through arts, culture, and education.

Another school year is just a month away. If you are looking for a safe, fun, and enriching after-school program for you...
09/02/2026

Another school year is just a month away. If you are looking for a safe, fun, and enriching after-school program for your artistic-minded child, enroll in Casita Maria Center for Arts & Education.

At Casita Maria, children in kindergarten through 5th grade explore music, dance, theater, visual arts, and enriching summer and after-school programs in a welcoming environment led by caring teaching artists. Along the way, they build confidence, make new friends, discover their talents, and develop skills that support their success both in and out of the classroom.

At Casita Maria, children are encouraged to find their voices and think critically about the world around them. We believe every child deserves the opportunity to express themselves, celebrate their creativity, and feel connected to a community that values who they are and who they will grow up to be.

Learn more about us online at casitamaria.org.

Out and about and expanding our worldview. That’s what Summer Day Camp is all about. School may not be in session, but c...
08/31/2026

Out and about and expanding our worldview. That’s what Summer Day Camp is all about. School may not be in session, but children never stop absorbing new information and thinking about the world around them. At Casita Maria, we provide fun and engaging activities and day trips that encourage their inquisitive nature as they explore their community, learn, and develop positive emotional outlets.

Last month, we visited Fox Park in the South Bronx to view the "Puerto Rican Sun,” a 25-foot-tall steel archway designed by Puerto Rican artist Rafael Ferrer and installed in 1979. The sculpture has become a hallmark of South Bronx identity, and it reminds our young artists that honoring one’s culture through artistic expression can resonate for decades, making an impression on millions of people who have passed by it over the years.

📣 We’re hiring for the 2026–2027 after-school year!Open positions:• Group Facilitators• Activity Specialists• Content Sp...
08/31/2026

📣 We’re hiring for the 2026–2027 after-school year!
Open positions:

• Group Facilitators
• Activity Specialists
• Content Specialist
• Teaching Artists: Music Appreciation

Scan the QR code or visit www.casitamaria.org/careers for more information and to apply.

✨ Something new is taking shape in the Casita Maria Gallery!Our team is currently installing What Makes Us, Us, an exhib...
08/28/2026

✨ Something new is taking shape in the Casita Maria Gallery!

Our team is currently installing What Makes Us, Us, an exhibition exploring the experiences, stories, and connections that shape who we are.

Check out this behind-the-scenes look at our process. Please plan to visit the exhibition during its run and save the date for the Opening Celebration on Thursday, October 15, 2026!

📍 Casita Maria Gallery
928 Simpson Street, Bronx, NY 10459

Learn more: https://www.casitamaria.org/current-exhibition

Summer Day Camp at Casita Maria continues to inspire! Our young artists in kindergarten and first grade have been up and...
08/28/2026

Summer Day Camp at Casita Maria continues to inspire! Our young artists in kindergarten and first grade have been up and on their feet experiencing the power and poise of ballet, thanks to the BE BOLD dance class series hosted by the Misty Copeland Foundation. BE BOLD encourages children to build problem solving, teamwork, stress management, and other important socioemotional skills as they learn to enjoy movement and self-expression.

BE BOLD has become an integral part of Summer Day Camp for our youngest artists, who eagerly await the opportunity to learn from the program’s ballet professionals each week. We are grateful to have the support of a lauded organization that is dedicated to preserving diversity and expanding opportunities for children interested in dance.

This summer, Casita Maria’s Teen Arts Apprentice Program visited BronxNet for a behind-the-scenes tour of its production...
08/26/2026

This summer, Casita Maria’s Teen Arts Apprentice Program visited BronxNet for a behind-the-scenes tour of its production studio, giving young artists a closer look at how storytelling, media, and community-centered broadcasting come to life.

BronxNet creates cable and digital programming that informs, engages, and amplifies community voices across the Bronx and beyond. During the visit, TAAP participants explored career pathways in television and media, met industry professionals, and saw how creative skills can become future opportunities without leaving the community they call home.

The Teen Arts Apprentice Program supports young artists in grades 9–11 as they build professional skills, strengthen their creative voices, and imagine futures in the arts, media, culture, and creative industries. This academic year, Casita Maria welcomed 19 Teen Arts Apprentices. Experiences like the BronxNet visit help them connect their creativity to real-world pathways, local leadership, and the many ways South Bronx artists and storytellers continue shaping culture. For many young artists, this is where creative exploration becomes a clearer sense of what is possible next.

✨ As we say goodbye to Remember, we celebrate the joy, imagination, and shared humanity that Bronx-based artist Ebony Bo...
08/25/2026

✨ As we say goodbye to Remember, we celebrate the joy, imagination, and shared humanity that Bronx-based artist Ebony Bolt brought to the Casita Maria Gallery.

Through vibrant prints, repeating patterns, light boxes, sketchbooks, and 12 acrylic self-portraits, Ebony transformed the Gallery into a fearless and welcoming space. Inspired by New York City commuters, nature, fashion, and textiles, her work explored urban life, community, cultural identity, and the importance of showing up with loving kindness—regardless of our circumstances.

Thank you to everyone who visited the exhibition, attended the Opening Celebration, met the artist, and spent time experiencing the stories within her work. Your presence, curiosity, and thoughtful conversations brought the exhibition to life.

Our deepest appreciation goes to Ebony Bolt for inviting us into her memories, her imagination, and the joyful playground of her inner child. Although Remember has come to a close, its colors, rhythms, stories, and message of connection will remain with us.

08/24/2026

🎭✨ What did El Teatro Casita mean to the young artists who brought it to life?

Watch highlights from the stage and hear directly from our young artists and the team who guided them through this joyful production. Through singing, dancing, movement, storytelling, and ensemble performance, they found their voices, built confidence, and worked together to proudly share their creativity with the community.

We extend our heartfelt thanks to the families, friends, and community members who supported and celebrated our young artists. Your presence, encouragement, and applause made this experience even more meaningful and showed them that their voices, talents, and hard work matter.

We are incredibly proud of everyone who stepped onto the stage and helped make El Teatro Casita an unforgettable celebration of imagination, courage, and community.

Press play to experience the energy and hear the story behind the performance!

El Teatro Casita

Videography Direction: Almonte Creative,
Cinematography: ReelTrack Media,

Address

928 Simpson Street
New York, NY
10459

Opening Hours

Monday 10am - 5pm
Tuesday 10am - 6pm
Wednesday 10am - 6pm
Thursday 10am - 6pm
Friday 10am - 6pm

Telephone

+17185892230

Website

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