Arts Conservatory for Teens

Arts Conservatory for Teens (ACT) is dedicated to improving the lives of teens by providing arts education to under-served school systems and communities. Founded in 2012, with headquarters in St. Petersburg, Florida, ACT offers world-class training and performance opportunities in Music, Theater, Dance, Film, Art, Leadership and Entrepreneurship.

ACT is dedicated to serving under-served and at-risk communities, using the arts as a catalyst to prepare students for high school graduation, higher education and the workforce. Many of our students have cultivated their gifts and talents in the performing arts and have gone on to the likes of Berklee College of Music, Otterbein University and have established careers in television, film, the music entertainment industry and Broadway.

In 2012, two creative thought leaders, Alex Harris and Herbert Murphy, founded the Arts Conservatory for Teens. Harris and Murphy together have more than 40 years of experience in the arts, youth development and philanthropy. Seeing a need in the local community for teens (use of opiates, crime, school dropout, lack of adequate access to opportunities to excel), the two men developed a curriculum that has a strong appeal with teenagers providing programming that is fun, educational, empowering and culturally enriching. The model developed by Harris and Murphy is not your typical after-school program, it is unique, innovative and life-changing. Since its inception, Arts Conservatory for Teens has helped to change over 5000 middle and high school students and families’ lives.