Creating a Culture of Confidence

At DREAMS Center for Arts Education, we believe every child has the right to creative self-expression and should be given the opportunity to grow into the person that they are and wish to become – trying new things in a supportive space where they are encouraged to take creative risks, embrace their inner uniqueness, and reach for the stars. The arts are foundational to the well-being and personal growth of all people, and we believe every barrier to access and participation should be removed, especially for youth and teens. Big dreams thrive here!

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#ARTSUSTAINS

We all made it through a tough year, and we did it together. We’ve been resilient and we have continued to let art sustain us.

We know that art has the power to change lives and inspire people of all ages, especially during this difficult time. The DREAMS staff and teaching artists are all channeling our collective creative energy to serve our students and their families in new and innovative ways.

Let’s celebrate with a little joy! Here’s a peak at what we have been up to this semester at DREAMS!

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Right now, the world is experiencing something new and scary. However, whether we’re listening to music, reading, dancing, watching movies, or looking at something visually creative, we are all experiencing the power and sustenance of art.

Imagine the world without this art and you imagine a world devoid of creativity and expression, a world in which the meaningful, emotional, and important don’t have a safe place to stay. Thankfully, we live in this world, a place filled with art that shows us the full spectrum of human emotion, varied and unique perspectives, and commentary on what we feel is right and just.

Art has the power to change lives and inspire people of all ages, especially during this difficult time. The DREAMS staff and teaching artists are all channeling our collective creative energy to serve our students and their families in new and innovative ways.

They need DREAMS now more than ever, and we need your support!

Creating Confidence Through Equity

Every day, we work hard to show our students through action and art, what it means to be respectful, inclusive, to have integrity, to show compassion, and to hold ourselves and others accountable to doing what is right. Dance, music, visual art, theatre – the power of the arts is more relevant than ever and the value of creative self-expression has never been greater. In peaceful self-expression through art, our students can begin to process the avalanche of emotions they are facing and to share their thoughts on what matters, what is important, and what is right.

Today, more than ever, we stand by our Black and Brown students, families, friends, teaching artists, co-workers, brothers and sisters. More than that, we stand against systematic oppression, insidious racism, and anything and anyone who threatens the well-being and human dignity of the students who we serve – DREAMers.

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Why Not?

Starting in one room in the Children’s Museum (the old Rippy Automotive building) and now in our home on Fanning Street DREAMS has grown and changed over the years and we are looking to expand again!

Most recently a boxing gym and a historic Quonset hut, these buildings sit perfectly behind our center within our fence and are both WAITING to be given new life!! As DREAMS continues to grow and these buildings would allow us to expand our programming and provide the additional space we desperately need.

Our Mission

The mission of DREAMS is to create a culture of confidence for youth and teens through equitable access to arts education supported by the values of respect, family, and community.

Our Story

Established in 1997, DREAMS of Wilmington is a youth development organization that is dedicated to creating a culture of confidence for youth and teens, through equitable access to arts education, supported by the values of respect, family, and community.

In 2007, DREAMS received the Coming Up Taller Award, given annually by the President's Committee on the Arts and Humanities to the nation's top after-school and out-of-school arts and humanities programs.

Today, we provide free-of-charge arts programming to more than 600 young people and their families each year. We offer more than 40 classes per week at 6 different sites in the Wilmington, NC area, including our newly renovated, 12,000 square foot inner-city center on Wilmington’s North Side. This space features our 4,000 square foot performance venue and multipurpose space, "The Garage at DREAMS."

You’ll find DREAMS programming at public housing sites, city recreation centers, and in after-school and out-of-school programs across New Hanover County.

We employ more than 20 teaching artists who share our passion of creating a world where every child has the right to self-expression and the opportunity to grow into the person that they are and wish to become.

Additionally, we have the following initiatives: Public Art, Visiting Artists, Teen Council, Family Engagement, Dance Theatre of DREAMS (DTD), The Garage at DREAMS, and The Gallery at DREAMS.

DREAMS is proudly supported by:

Address: 901 Fanning Street Wilmington, N.C. 28401

Phone: 910.772.1501

We'd love to hear from you!

Drop us a line to and we will get back to you as soon as possible.