Ringing In a New School Year

As we embark on a new school year, we would like to share three recent and exciting happenings which highlight the work we will be doing with students in 2019.

This summer, in partnership with the Office of English Language Learners, we worked with 4,000 English Learners, grades 2-8, in 73 school sites throughout the five boroughs. Through instruction in theatre and puppetry, the students built language skills while participating in theatre games, scene study and the creation and manipulation of story-inspired puppets. The work was an extension of our DELLTA (Developing English Language Literacy through the Arts) Program which will continue to be part of our work during the upcoming school year. Highlights of the summer program can be seen on our Instagram page (@ArtsConnection).

Art2Art: Dear Evan Hansen, now entering its third year, gives teenagers the opportunity to attend hands-on workshops about the musical, interact with members of the cast and production crew, see the show and create visual art pieces that respond to the tenor and message of the production. The program was the focus of a feature on WNET’s MetroFocus, and featured three of our students sharing how the program has impacted their lives and their artistic work. It’s a great story and you can see it by watching the video on their site.

We are also thrilled to be one of the initial grantees of the NYC Department of Cultural Affair’s Create NYC Disability Forward Fund whose goal is to support new and ongoing efforts to engage people with disabilities as artists, cultural workers, and audience members. ArtsConnection’s project, “It’s Our Story to Tell,” will work with students at the Dr. Horan School, a District 75 school in East Harlem, serving grades 7-12 and children with multiple disabilities. Students will study documentary filmmaking and create original works communicating their unique perspectives. Many documentaries have been made about children with disabilities. Our project will put the camera in their own hands. We look forward to sharing their films with you in the spring. Read more about Create NYC and the Fund here.