History

AIAVAP began in 1987: “Angela Tripi-Weiss and other artists originally hatched the idea when funding for the art teacher at her daughter’s school was eliminated. Since then, AIAVAP has grown to provide the school with fine art to 52% of the classes.” (“How to Give your Child an Excellent Public Education” by Susan Mansell) Since Mansell’s publication of this book in 1999, Arts in Action VAP grew to provide quality fine art education to over 1000 students in all 36 classrooms of her daughter’s school as well as many other Upper West Side schools.

In September 2004, the Blackboard Awards surveyed New York independent, public and parochial schools and cited AIAVAP for excellence in curriculum development, innovative direction, and community outreach.

Founder & Director, Angela Tripi-Weiss is a Three-Time Blackboard Awards Winner for Excellence in Fine Art Education & recognized in The Who’s Who in Art Education Worldwide. Arts in Action Visual Art Program has been on the Honor Roll for the Arts “offering students incredibly sophisticated instruction”.