Dear Friends,
On Monday evening, we paid tribute to one of our groundbreaking arts education programs for high school students, Art2Art: Dear Evan Hansen, its lead producer Stacey Mindich and the outstanding cast, creative team, and supporters that make this partnership possible.
Additionally, thanks to all of our generous patrons, our 2019 Benefit Celebration raised $750,000! This support of our efforts ensures that we are able to provide pathways to opportunity through the arts for our city’s public school students, in- and-out-of-school time.
Many of our special friends spoke about the importance of arts education: host Nicolle Wallace reminded us that “the arts are not an extra—that the arts are essential to providing our children—the future leaders of our communities—with an education of real breadth and depth”; Principal Theresa Mshar described the role our residencies played within her school culture at JHS 185 in Queens, “[students are] motivated to enjoy school more and learn to express themselves in creative ways that would not be possible without ArtsConnection”; Teaching Artist Brian McCormick told us “to encourage our teens to become themselves. There is always hope. They are it.” Our very own Teen Programs alum, Tengku Hana Shafikah, highlighted that statement even more by stating, “I had to be a messenger—a messenger for the teens out there who need to be told that they too can have their voice heard.”
Our programs cultivate a creative, committed and inspiring culture of administrators, teachers, and students, as well as interested and engaged parents and communities. As we enter our fifth decade, we look forward to working with all of you to bring the joy of the arts to all children of New York City.
Sincerely,
Debra Harounian Peltz
Board Chairman
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