Labyrinth Arts Academy – Cultivating Denver’s Future Cultural Leaders

Founded by José Mercado, Labyrinth Arts Academy is one of Denver's newest and most exciting arts education organizations that supplies the demand for education in the theater and media arts for public schools and for at-risk youth.
There is compelling evidence to suggest that schools should increase the time devoted to teaching the arts. However, due to budget restraints, the arts are the first to go. Theater promotes the kinds of thinking, enthusiasm, self-esteem and discipline that are necessary requisites for life and demanded from today's workforce.
An Associate Professor of Theater and Film at the University of Colorado Denver and former teacher at Denver North High School, Jose Mercado leads the effort to nurture a generation of youth who learn how to tap into its own creativity, resourcefulness and power through the arts.

A word from José Mercado:

Thanks to support of people like you who believe in the power of art in the lives of our youth, we have been able to fill this void while exposing them to the arts in a fun and collaborative way. Labyrinth has been able to cultivate culturally relevant and poignant work that examines our world - yet compliments local educational mandates.

By no means is this a small accomplishment considering the challenges faced by inner city schools, such as North High where I taught for 4 years. Schools like North serve an increasing number of English language learners, at-risk youth and others most vulnerable especially in today's climate. Your support helps us meet the growing need in these communities and helps make up for the budget shortfall of diminishing revenue streams. Many of you have heard these statistics before, but allow me to remind you. In 2006, North's graduation rate was 25%. That means, 25% who entered as freshmen earned their high school diploma. Students involved in the theater program graduated at a rate of 97% during my 4 years at North. Yes…97%!!!

Tell me the arts don't change lives!

Please make your year-end contribution to support Denver's youth and arts education in 2009.