Ifetayo Cultural Arts

Mission Statement:

Ifetayo Cultural Arts Academy is an arts and cultural organization dedicated to supporting the creative, educational and vocational development of youth and families of African descent in Flatbush, Brooklyn and surrounding communities. Ifetayo was born in the spring of 1989 as a six-week series of free modern dance classes for 50 students. It has since grown to encompass six integrated programs that serve over 2,000 students annually through our on-site academic and literacy training classes, performing, martial and visual arts classes, personal skills development, community development, cultural heritage classes, socially responsible art making and an additional 5,000 youth and families through our affiliated programming and public performances. In addition, we provide social services to our students and their families either directly or through referrals to strategic partners. 

The organization’s name comes from the West African Yoruba word “ifetayo” which means love is enough for joy” and captures Ifetayo’s nurturing approach to empowering youth and redefining community development. 

We encourage our students and their families to:

Be leaders, developing her/his unique sense of capabilities and potential.

Work collectively for the benefit of their respective communities and the larger global community.

For over two decades we have taken a leadership role in improving the quality of life for our community members. Equally important is our engagement of the parents and the families of children we serve and the schools that nurture them. We are a supportive network and extended family that is able to provide our students with skills development and new perceptions leading to responsible decision-making. 

Ifetayo has been a pillar of strength in Brooklyn and surrounding neighborhoods, inspiring a new generation to reach high levels of creative, personal and academic achievement.