The Black Eyed Peas' Peapod Foundation and Adobe Foundation Launch Youth Academy

The Black Eyed Peas Peapod Foundation and the Adobe Foundation launched a new Peapod Adobe Youth Voices music and multimedia academy in New York City.

Building on the success of existing academies in Oakland, Los Angeles and Redwood City, Calif., the collaboration between the two non-profit foundations focuses on empowering underserved youth. The academies make leading technologies available for art, dance, music and video production which, in turn, nurture self-expression, creativity, community involvement and digital literacy among young people.

The New York academy is located at 21 Howard Street in a facility operated by Urban Arts Partnership, an organization designed to advance the intellectual, social and artistic development of underserved public school students through arts-integrated education programs. The site features professional-grade multimedia creation software and an innovative curriculum developed by Adobe Youth Voices, the signature program of the Adobe Foundation, combined with high-tech music studio tools and a premium recording facility provided by the Peapod Foundation. Through the creation of digital media projects and expression via the performing arts, underprivileged teens are given the opportunity to find their voices, comment on important topical issues and inspire social change in their communities.

Six-time Grammy Award-winning recording artists The Black Eyed Peas -- will.i.am, apl.de.ap, Taboo and Fergie -- officially announced the new Peapod Adobe Youth Voices Academy at a private ceremony on Tues., April 19. Beginning July 2011, programs and services will be offered for youth ages 13-19. An estimated 150 youth are expected to participate in the academy annually.

Visit the Peapod Foundation site peapod.dipdive.com/ for more info.