Imagine. Learn. Achieve.
Support a New Arts Academy in Bethlehem, Pa.
Help bring arts-based education to more local school children
The Community Charter School of the Arts is a proposed K–8 charter school planned in Bethlehem, Pa. for the 2027–2028 school year.
Built on the successful Arts Academy Elementary Charter School model in Allentown, this proposed school would combine strong academics with meaningful instruction in visual art, music, dance, and theater.
Community support matters!
If you are a local resident, family member, business leader, public official, or advocate for the arts and education, please join us! Before Community Charter School of the Arts can open, it must receive charter approval. Your presence helps demonstrate the support needed to provide quality, arts-based education in Bethlehem, Pa.
Submit your signature today to voice your support for an arts-based education opportunity in Bethlehem Pa.
Signatures from residents, families, business owners, community organizations, and civic leaders help show that Bethlehem-area students and families want access to this opportunity.
Attend a public hearing on August 10, 2026
Please mark your calendar to attend a Bethlehem Area School District (BASD) public hearing on August 10, 2026 to show your support for the proposed Community Charter School of the Arts.
Bethlehem Area School District Education Center
1516 Sycamore Street
Bethlehem, PA 18017
6:00 PM - 8:00 PM
Why community support matters?
Arts-based education helps students find their voice. Through visual art, music, dance, theater, performance, and creative expression, students build more than artistic skill. They develop confidence, communication, discipline, critical thinking, teamwork, and problem-solving skills that support success in school and in life.
Community Charter School of the Arts would bring this approach to Bethlehem-area families through a charter school model focused on the whole child.
What the proposed charter school offers?
K–8 Arts-Based Education – Students would receive a strong academic foundation supported by meaningful arts instruction across visual art, music, dance, and theater.
Gymnasium & Auditorium – The proposed school would include space for physical education, performances, assemblies, school events, and community arts opportunities.
Safe Property with Playground – The proposed Bethlehem location would provide a beautiful, safe setting for learning, play, creativity, and school community life.
Regional Arts Connections – The school model has included meaningful connections with respected regional arts and cultural institutions, including the Allentown Art Museum, Miller Symphony Hall, Lehigh University Art Gallery, and more.
Transportation Access – Eligible students would qualify for transportation, helping make the school accessible to local families.
A proven model serving real community needs.
Arts Academy Elementary Charter School in Allentown already serves a diverse student population, including many students from economically disadvantaged households. The existing Arts Academy model continues to show that an arts-integrated public education can support students academically, creatively, socially, and emotionally. Students are not only learning core subjects, they are also building confidence, self-expression, critical thinking, collaboration, and a stronger sense of belonging.
The positive impact of an arts-based education
The current Arts Academy model gives students annual opportunities to learn and participate in:
Visual art
Music
Dance
Theater
Public performance
Creative expression
Collaborative projects
Critical thinking
Speaking and presentation skills
These experiences help students grow as learners, creators, performers, classmates, and future community members.