Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools Arts Education launched the Mentorship and Apprenticeship for Creative Careers (MACC) pilot program on Saturday, Feb. 7, with a kick-off event at the McColl Center. The program is designed to connect high school dance, music, theatre and visual arts  students with leading professionals across Charlotte’s creative sector.

Supported by a grant from the City of Charlotte and the Arts & Science Council, the initiative brings together four key community partners – Charlotte Ballet, Do Greater Charlotte, Arts+  and McColl Center – to provide real‑world, career‑aligned experiences that extend learning beyond the classroom.

The pilot program offers students intensive mentorship, hands-on training and workplace exposure across multiple artistic disciplines. Whether exploring dance, visual arts, digital creativity, or music, participants will work directly alongside industry experts and organizational leaders who model what it takes to build a thriving creative career.

At its core, the program is designed to cultivate three essential skills for success in both the arts and the modern workforce: collaboration, critical thinking, and community engagement. By embedding students within professional creative environments, the pilot deepens their understanding of artistic practice while expanding their confidence, connections, and capacity for innovation.

“This partnership gives our students something invaluable – authentic, sustained access to the people and places shaping Charlotte’s cultural landscape,” said Justin Pierce, director of arts education. “It broadens their vision of what’s possible and helps them imagine themselves as future contributors to our city’s creative economy.”

Throughout the pilot, students will participate in project-based learning, shadow industry professionals, and gain exposure to career paths that often remain hidden from emerging young artists. The program aims not only to build technical and artistic skills, but also to affirm students’ identities as creators and problem‑solvers with a meaningful role to play in their community.

The Mentorship and Apprenticeship for Creative Careers pilot represents a new level of partnership between CMS and Charlotte’s arts organizations – one that opens doors, strengthens networks and ensures that young artists have a vibrant, supported pathway into the region’s creative future.