(Left) Duncan YMCA Chemin Center for the Arts presents Grease, performed by The Youth Theatre Workshop in collaboration with Columbia College Chicago's Theater Department, 2001.

(Top) Community Arts Leadership & Learning workshop, 2006.

Photo credits: Bob Kusel (left); Julio Flores (top)

Urban Missions

Urban Missions stands as an international model demonstrating how an urban college can collaborate with community-based arts organizations to develop an array of sustainable, high-quality arts programming. The process of building reciprocal partnerships, developed by Urban Missions, has become the foundation for all of the Center for Community Arts Partnerships' (CCAP) initiatives. From the beginning, it was recognized that the benefits of partnership flow both ways. All members of a community—teachers, artists, administrators, college students and youth—have much to offer each other in terms of knowledge and expertise.

Urban Missions' community partners work jointly with Columbia College academic departments to bring to life dozens of inspiring youth-arts projects, from theatrical productions and puppet parades to video documentaries and written anthologies. Urban Missions has touched the lives of over 5,000 Columbia College undergraduates and Chicago youth from elementary through high school. Together, Urban Missions partners are using their knowledge of the arts to broaden and transform the character of human and cultural experience.

For more information on how to get involved with Urban Missions, please visit the Get Involved page. To speak to someone about this exciting work please contact the Community Partnerships Director.

Meet Our Partners

Community-Based Organizations:

Columbia College Chicago

Academic Departments:

Offices & Centers: