Cool Culture® provides 50,000 low-income families with free, unlimited access to over 80 cultural institutions—so that parents can provide their children with educational experiences that will help them succeed in school and life.

Description and/or History:
Who We Are

Founded in 1999, Cool Culture helps low-income families access and enjoy New York City’s cultural life in order to provide educational experiences for their children and to serve as their child’s first educator.

Why We’re Here

Prevented by cost, lack of information or the perception that museums are “not for us,” far too many low-income families and children miss out on the rich family and child focused programming available at arts and cultural institutions around the City. These programs are designed by top notch educators to develop young children’s curiosity and love of learning – and are just the kind of activities that prepare children to succeed in school.

What We Do

• Cool Culture partners with over 400 of the City’s Child Care, Head Start, Pre-Kindergarten and Title I Schools to give 50,000 underserved families free, unlimited admission to 80 participating museums, botanical gardens and zoos.

• Cool Culture provides families with informational resources about available programs – a quarterly newsletter, a monthly e-zine, and a 24 hour hotline where they can hear recommendations from other families and museum educators just by calling from any phone.

• Cool Culture trains partner early educators to market the arts and arts education opportunities to families in their communities and to integrate arts education in their classrooms . . . and much much more!

What We Believe

All families want the best for their children. Cool Culture believes that all parents can instill a love of learning in their children, and that when given the resources to do so they will be successful at preparing their children to do well in school. While the achievement gap between middle-class children and those living in poverty begins before children enter preschool – research shows that family involvement in learning is a predictor of a child’s academic achievement. Cool Culture provides parents with the tools they need to get involved and become their child’s first teacher.

Contact people:

Li Zhou, Program Assistant, (718) 230-4186 ext. 300, (email) Monica Abend, Program Director, (718) 230-4186 x 301, (email) Candice Anderson, Executive Director, (email)

Address:

80 Hanson Place, Suite 604 Brooklyn, NY 11217 (See a map)

Directions:

Take the 4,5,D,V,B, 2,3 to Atlantic Ave or the C Train to Lafayette Street.   Nearest Metro/Subway Stop: C Train to Lafayette Street,   Walk distance (in minutes): 5