GIFTEDACADEMY

WE DEFEND AND NURTURE THE GIFTS IN BLACK AND BROWN YOUTH

2026-27 Season - Enrolling NOW!

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2026-27 Season - Enrolling NOW! |

GiftedAcademy

GiftedTech | School of Design

Enroll HERE

THE ATTACK

All children today are under attack. Their gifts, their confidence, and their ability to dream freely are being crushed by harmful social media narratives, unrelenting societal pressures, and a lack of access to critical mental health support.

Research shows that Black and Brown children carry the greatest weight of this assault. Centuries of systemic racism, coupled with generational inequities and daily encounters with discrimination, magnify the harm. They face higher rates of anxiety, trauma, and hopelessness—signals of a crisis that is stealing futures before they have a chance to fully begin.

This is not just a momentary challenge; it is a deep, persistent force shaping the identities and possibilities of our youth, threatening to silence their gifts and potential for generations to come.

OUR RESPONSE

We Amplify the morals and values taught in the home, surrounding our artists with intentional care and support.

We Celebrate the culture and gifts of our artists in every practice, performance, stage, and with every audience.

We use Knowledge to understand the truth about ourselves, our culture's richness, and to arm us with the answers and solutions to oppressive systems.

Through intense year on year training and curriculum, we develop Skills and reinforce Habits that translate to our artists finding accomplishment and fulfillment in their current and future lives

The artists that spend multiple years invested in GiftedAcdemy results in the development of an Achievement Roadmap. 

TESTIMONIALS

Enroll HERE

GIFTEDACADEMY

GiftedAcademy is our premier, immersive youth performance academy designed for young artists ready to go deeper in their development. Through our custom formula and curriculum, students embark on a multi-year journey that builds personal power—self-worth, confidence, and drive—while developing high-quality artistic skills.

Our program teaches metacognition, exploration, reflection, and presentation skills, enabling youth to think critically, understand their learning process, and express themselves meaningfully.

GiftedAcademy artists develop skills transferable to any profession, giving them the drive and confidence to succeed with excellence in whatever path they choose.

Graduates from our PerformanceAcademy, reach a pre-professional level of artistry, preparing them to:

  • Successfully audition for school and community arts programs

  • Be accepted into competitive college arts majors

  • Step into leadership roles as youth counselors and arts instructors

At its core, GiftedAcademy is a safe, culturally responsive space where young people explore their identity, discover their purpose and greatness, and cultivate the skills to flourish in every aspect of life.

SESSION TIMES: Academy members meet weekly on Saturdays from September - May at our main site. Currently, all academies meet from 10a-2:30p, except MiniAcademy (hours noted below).

LOCATION: 1100 N Raleigh Blvd., Ste# 142, Raleigh, NC, 27610

COST: $70/month with an enrollment fee of $100. Scholarship Program is available upon request.

JUNIORACADEMY (3RD - 5TH)

Artists engage in community performance training, while fostering social-emotional learning and development.

TIME: Saturdays at 10 A - 2:30 PM

MINIACADEMY (K - 2ND)

Artists engage in community performance training, while fostering social-emotional learning and development.

TIME: Saturdays at 10 A - 12:30 PM

COREACADEMY (6TH - 8TH)

Artists engage in community performance development and leadership training activities.

TIME: Saturdays at 10 A - 2:30 PM

SENIORACADEMY (9TH - 12TH)

Artists engage in community performance and  leadership development, future pathway guidance experiences, workforce training, with opportunities for employment with TheGifted Arts.

TIME: Saturdays at 10 A - 2:30 PM

PERFORMING ARTS

  • Our certified artistic instructors help our students explore the benefits of movement, as our students engage in hip hop, West African diasporic foundations, and western codified dance techniques. Artists are encouraged to apply the skills learned and train as choreographers, as they teach and present their original pieces at our annual showcase, GiftedExperience.

  • We invite artists and community members that have been a part of the rich tradition of Stepping to pass down the artistic lore. Stepping is an energetic percussive form of art that has been made popular from African American fraternities and sororities from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs). The rich tradition of stepping can be traced back to the 1880s, where South African miners created the “Gumboot Dance” art form, as a way to survive the isolation and secretly communicate with each other as they endured the weight of a migrant labor system and oppressive laws.

  • Our annual Fashion and multi-arts exhibition is our culminating event, where our artists present the year's theme through fashion design and performance. Our opening number celebrates our heritage, while supporting scenes are highlight the personal character development each student has navigated throughout the year.

  • We engage local artists to instruct master classes preparing our youth artists to deliver a yearly theater production. Our original shows are based on themes that reflect the cultural richness, beauty, stories of triumph and resilience of our black and brown communities. Our youth artists immerse in literature and discussions to understand the context and relevance of the message so they can deliver powerful performances to engage, inspire, educate, excite and empower the audiences.

  • We teach music production, songwriting, vocal performance, and stage presence. Our music programming is centered around individual expression through music. This is not an instruments based program, although we do encourage students to include them when appropriate for development.

  • We use poetry to speak to social justice, politics, race, and community issues. Students learn technical, creative writing and oratorial techniques to deliver powerful performances.

Questions about our program?

Complete this form, and a staff member will reach out to you.

This program is funded in part by the City of Raleigh based on recommendations of the Raleigh Arts Commission.