Education through creation
For Noelle Picara, her work in education, social justice, and the arts all work to speak to humans on a deeper, more expressive level.
“We have a unique opportunity at this point in history to connect with each other to heal each other and the planet. Education is one of the first gatekeepers that either nurtures humans to a prosperous future or excludes them from opportunities. We have a chance to build a more empathetic and advanced society by steeping children in the arts, and by boosting the voices of those kept voiceless.”
–Noelle Picara, on her work
About Noelle
Art has been a part of Noelle Picara’s life from the beginning; she has been playing piano since she was first able to reach the keys, and she’s been dancing since she was just four years old. Noelle’s artistic journey has taken her in several different directions, from performing to creating to teaching, with social justice woven in wherever possible. Art is in her blood, but even more so is her love or helping others find the same freedom of expression. Given a choice between performance and teaching, Noelle always chooses to open the space to help others express themselves.
Throughout the years, Noelle Picara has built herself a professional niche unlike any other. Professionally, she likes to work at the intersections of ideas and movements, helping to forge new connections between different groups, be it students and professionals, education and social justice, writing and visual art, or any other groups that she can marry together to create a more empathetic society.
Currently, Noelle Picara is working as the Arts Integration Specialist at Kuumba Academy Charter School in Wilmington, DE. In this role, Noelle creates and implements arts integration across all age groups and within the four national arts disciplines — music, arts, dance, and theater. Noelle teaches all ages in each of these disciplines.
Noelle is also the Founder of Re-Humanizing, LLC, an organization that offers equitable expressive arts education and workshops in conjunction with social workers and nonprofits. She founded the organization in February 2018 and now works with these groups on the production of special projects within the art and social justice spheres.
Noelle Picara works primarily in Delaware and Pennsylvania, but her work in education has seen her travel to New York, live and perform in Europe, and teach in both India and Germany for more than seven years. She’s accumulated more than 14 years of experience teaching music, musical theater, choir, piano, creative writing, and dance to students aged 3-18 and adults in the United States as well as Germany.
Accomplishments
Production
- 2016 Produced and starred in the interactive show “Alone With All of You: a Valentine’s Alternative” with White Pines Productions in Philadelphia, PA, an improvised show with music, actors from Bright Invention, art exhibit and audience participation to explore ideas of isolation and connection
- 2016 Encore performance of “Alone With All of You” at Rabbithole in Brooklyn, NY with the Creators Collective and dance troupe C5
- 2014 Produced and starred in a performance of Tori Amos’ full “Little Earthquakes” album at the Queen, Wilmington as a benefit for SOAR (Survivors of Abuse in Recovery)
- 2017 Produced the multimedia release of “The World Without Us” album and art exhibit with Joe del Tufo, photographer
- 2017 Producer of “Framed: Delaware Supports the Arts,” an interactive art exhibit at the Ladybug Festival, encore exhibit at LOMA
- 2019 Producer of “Unwarranted: The Human Cost of Fines,” an interactive art exhibit about mass incarceration created in partnership with the Design Thinking Academy, Delaware Center for Justice, Christina Cultural Arts Center, People’s Paper Co-Op, and the Creative Vision Factory
- Music producer of “The World Without Us” EP
Teaching
- Arts Integration Specialist at Kuumba Academy Charter School — since August 2019
- Over 15 years as a full-time educator teaching voice, piano, and dance, including 10 years directing musical theater
- 2018/19 Community Project Manager, Design Thinking Academy, teaching English and Music
- Founded and produced the Tatnall Coffee House at the Queen, 6 sold-out performances for 6 years
- Conducted the 5 choirs at Tatnall, including a performance at the Vice Presidential Mansion in 2015 for Joe Biden
- 2017 founder and leader of “Circle Songs Wilmington” – leader of communal singing at Christina Cultural Arts Center
Expressive Arts Healing
- Co-Creator of the “Creative Healing Collaborative,” a business collaboration of healing arts professionals in the Delaware/PA/NJ area
- Creator and Teacher of “Re-Humanizing through Singing” at Ahimsa House in Philadelphia