Who We Are
The Imagine Project, Inc. was founded in 1992 by Bill Bartlett under the auspices of The Creative Arts Team of New York University. Since then we have worked in over one hundred schools in the New York City / New Jersey area.
Founder Bill Bartlett created the Imagine Project to fight what he saw as a growing disipation of those energies in kids awash in electronic media like television and computers.
Bill Bartlett is a New Yorker. He attended Tufts University and graduated from American Academy of Dramatic Arts where he was a teacher/ director for many years. He continues his career as an actor and director while guiding The Imagine Project as we celebrate of our 35th year as a not for profit corporation. Bill has two daughters, Alison, an actor, and Holley, a musician and the Music Director of The Imagine Project.
Bill believes with all his heart in the power of love and art to overcome all obstacles. Being human, he does not at all times act on this conviction.
Holley Bartlett has been Imagine Project Music Director for twenty five years. In addition to teaching, she has composed the majority of the over two hundred songs used in our programs. Holley is Founder and Director of Musicians Teach Music. A not for profit website offering free music instruction taught by some of this country’s most prominent musicians.
Nikki Ghiselle has been with Imagine Project for many years. She studied with Bill Bartlett at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts and did her high school internship with us. Nikki can be seen as a regular on the primetime series “Starved”.
Alison Bartlett began her career on Broadway opposite William Hurt and Candice Bergen in Mike Nichol’s production of “Hurlyburly”. She has appeared for many years as Gina on “Sesame Street” and was seen in season five “The Sopranos” and recently completed a costaring role opposite Paul Mescal in “The History of Sound”.
Bill at screening of “Day Of The Fight” staring former student and dear friend Michael Pitt. Michael has worked with us in several homeless shelter programs.
What We Do
The Imagine Project, Inc., a not-for-profit corporation, was founded on the principle that there exists within each child a creative energy which must not lie dormant. Eventually, as with all sources of power, it must either extinguish itself, excel or explode.
Our soul objective is to encourage and guide children to nurture, develop, and when necessary, recapture those innate gifts of childhood which so often are lost by the age of ten, as children begin to ask: “What if I make a mistake? What if they laugh at me?
By envisioning, experimenting without fear of failure, and creating projects which are ultimately performed, often set to music and videotaped, children developed a sense of fulfillment, self-confidence and direction which may serve them throughout their lives.
At left: Our first day back after the Pandemic – PS 139 Brooklyn New York. October 2023
Our Mission Statement
THE IMAGINE PROJECT Inc., a not for profit 501(c) 3 corporation, dedicated to nurturing a child’s creativity through the arts, was founded in 1990 on the principle that there exists within each child a creative energy which must not lie dormant. Rather, this creativity must be channeled to radiate light. For energy misdirected can lead to things far more destructive than darkness. We must create and facilitate a safe environment for children to explore and engage these creative forces. We must encourage and enable them toward the realization of these vast talents and creative abilities. We must help to nurture, develop and when necessary recapture those innate gifts of childhood which so often are lost by the age of ten as children begin to ask: “What if they laugh at me? What if I make a mistake?”
We believe above all else that art has the power to save lives. We have seen this time and again since our inception. We have nurtured underserved children who barely speak; to sing, children who hardly move; to dance, children who never thought it possible, to turn their own ideas into staged works of art with music created by the children themselves. For many children The Imagine Project may be the only place they may ever have to discover that all accomplishments start with a dream, and that all dreams are possible.
I believe all children are born geniuses. As we grow, most of the wonder is taken away by the day to day realities of life. I have seen over the years that The Imagine Project has the power to bring this magic back into [children’s] lives, allowing them to rediscover their own extraordinary potential. The Imagine Project is without question the most beautiful program I have ever experienced.
Address
Imagine Project
540 Ocean Parkway
Brooklyn, NY 11218