New Expression takes a different spin on youth arts. What’s different about it? Everything! Some details, please? We believe that performing and visual arts are an incredible way to develop self-expression, but the arts are just the beginning, and open the door to so much more.
For starters, we aren’t about perfection or skill level. We don’t judge talent the way some do either. We are more interested in fun, creativity, authenticity, and helping young people find positive ways to impact the world around them.
The Back Story
New Expression (formerly Random Acts of Theatre Company) was founded in January of 2008, when a small group of service-minded young professionals felt inspired to design a program for young people. We hoped to create a space that was all-inclusive, focused on self-expression, and offered youth mentoring. We determined from the beginning that everyone was welcome, regardless of ethnicity, creed, gender, orientation, skill level, appearance, age, or experience. Our first production featured a diverse cast of 60 youth and adults, who performed Footloose: the Musical to sold-out audiences. We haven’t slowed down since! Over the past nine years, New Expression has reached three states, with over 100 staff and volunteers, and thousands of participants over the years. Our young artists have performed more than fifty shows in cities across the country, including Washington, DC and New York. We have expanded our artistic scope beyond theatre and dance arts, into film production, spoken word, slam poetry, improv, music composition, sound design, writing, painting, and anything else our participants want to explore!
Our continuing mission is to provide safe, inclusive, discrimination-free spaces for young people to develop their potential and discover their voices; where they can hone their artistic expression, have FUN, and build a community for more young people to join! Our primary aim is not to produce art, but rather to produce young, confident, humble leaders with hearts to give back.
We currently host New Expression in two different communities in the Atlanta area — Clarkston and Fayetteville
E-mail: NewExpressionATL@somethingnew.org
Leave us a message: (678) 664-4515