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Welcome to Philadelphia Performing Arts:
A String Theory Charter School

Founded in 2000, Philadelphia Performing Arts is the largest 
tuition-free, K-12 charter school in the city of Philadelphia.

Our arts-infused curriculum starts in Kindergarten and grows with every student through high school, pairing academic excellence with hands-on training in the arts and sciences through our Majors Program. Every student is nurtured as an individual, encouraged to build confidence, creativity, and the skills to lead.

Why Philadelphia Performing Arts?

Philadelphia Performing Arts: Top 10 Pennsylvania Charter Elementary School

Philadelphia Performing Arts has the largest charter in Philadelphia and is one of the only K-12 schools in the city. We are also the only school with an arts-integrated curriculum designed for elementary school children.

Apple Distinguished School

Philadelphia Performing Arts, Vine Street Campus, is recognized by Apple as an Apple Distinguished School. 

A Mission Dedicated to the Arts and Innovation

We believe in the profound positive impact that exposure to the arts has on a child's creativity, confidence, self-discipline, and greater understanding of the world. Starting in Kindergarten, our students have seven additional arts classes woven into their daily schedules each week. Once a student enters fifth grade they begin their own artistic and academic journey in our unique Majors Program.

Authentic Learrning Experiences

From performing at professional venues to working at our student-run coffee shop, Café Vine, to internships with our Incubator Fellows, our students have access to a variety of exciting real world experiences.

Learn more: Incubator Fellowship

Philadelphia Performing Arts: Recognized as a Top Public High School

Our high school is located at our Vine Street Campus, a state-of-the-art 265,000-square-foot facility. This building promotes project-based learning and interdisciplinary instruction with a motion capture studio, a 200-seat theater, two ballet studios, four science labs, four music studios, two fine arts studios, an engineering and robotics lab, a culinary test kitchen, a recording studio, and a student-run cafe. Our middle school is also housed at Vine Street Campus.

Featured News Stories

Maria's Story on 6abc

From war-torn Ukraine to Philadelphia to New York, Maria's journey is one of extraordinary resilience. Watch her story on 6abc to hear why she chose IDeATE, String Theory School of Design's early college program, and how she has channeled her experience into action, organizing school events and performances to raise awareness about the war and funds for those still in Ukraine.

 Softball Team and Seniors Annamae Uhl and Alaina Petrone in the South Philly Review

Great article featuring our winning softball team and highlighting the importance of team "chemistry" in sports. In the piece, journalist Mark Zimmaro writes, "It’s basic science, and it’s also a basic winning formula in softball...the senior battery of pitcher Annamae Uhl and catcher Alaina Petrone always focuses on the positive energy each game. No matter the circumstances, Uhl knows she has a good friend just 43 feet away." Read the article in the South Philly Review here

Photo by Mark Zimmaro

Inquirercom-StringTheoryCollege (PDF)

Exciting news from String Theory Schools!

The Philadelphia Inquirer recently featured Philadelphia Performing Arts in a major story highlighting the launch of String Theory College: "This Philly charter is starting its own college so kids can graduate with high school diplomas and college credits — for free."

A USC professor describes the initiative as "a spectacular thing" with the potential to "teach the rest of the nation something." One senior shares why she's excited: "I like to challenge myself and do things that other people see as hard. And I like that it's free—it helps with college costs."

From kindergarten through college, String Theory Schools provides an unparalleled educational continuum in the heart of Philadelphia. Read the full article to learn more about this transformative opportunity for Philadelphia families.

A close-up view of a black French bulldog wearing a blue and green harness, with a blurred background.

String Theory Schools is proud to announce the launch of our new therapy dog program in partnership with AIR Dogs. This incredible new program is now happening at all three Philadelphia Performing Arts campuses and Arts and Sciences. Watch this news clip to learn more and see one of our newest pups in action.