In 2001, Tony Bennett and his wife opened an arts school for 250 students; how it looks 25 years later

Photo courtesy: franksinatraschoolofthearts.org In 2001, late singer and painter Tony Bennett and his wife, Susan Benedetto, helped open a public high school in New York for students who wanted to pursue the arts alongside their academic studies. It began in temporary quarters with space for 250 students. Twenty-five years later, the Frank Sinatra School of the Arts in Astoria, Queens, has specialist studios, theatres, a film lab and a concert hall where students can perform and screen their work. The school was named after Frank Sinatra, Bennett’s friend and fellow singer. According to the school’s official website, the idea began in 1999, when Bennett and Benedetto, a former public school teacher, set out to create a public high school that combined serious arts training with a strong academic curriculum.They worked with the New York City Department of Education and local leaders to bring the plan to life. The school opened in temporary premises in 2001 before moving to its permanent building at the Kaufman Astoria Studios complex in 2009.From temporary classrooms to a purpose-built arts schoolThe move to the permanent building gave students access to dedicated spaces for differe...