Art programs for 3,500 in-need New York children

Thanks to your unwavering support of our programs, the spring semester at Arts For All ended on a high note! We were able to continue offering several programs to in-need children at our partnering schools, including our annual “A Day at the Met” field trip, the Creative Works Program, and the Video Creation Project.

In May, thanks to our corporate sponsor, Capgemini, we brought over fifty 2^nd Grade students from PS 163 and youth aged 10-13 from New Alternatives for Children, to the Metropolitan Museum of Art for our annual “A Day at the Met” field trip. The children toured the museum led by a museum tour guide, as well as an exhibit-specific tour by Arts For All Teaching Artists. Students from both groups were eager and enthusiastic to learn about the museum’s classics throughout the day, evidenced by their active participation in art discussions.

Our Creative Works Program led by Teaching Artists Melissa Smith and Darian Dauchan was also a great success. We worked with New Alternatives for Children to provide children experiencing both mental and physical disabilities the opportunity to create their own performance pieces. In her final presentation evaluation report, Melissa noted that the children demonstrated significant growth in both teamwork and self-confidence. NAC staff also reported that one young girl who participated, who is at risk for Non Verbal Learning Disability and who has a history of being bullied, found the program especially valuable as she was able to make friends in a supportive, fun environment. This was a new experience for her.

In May, Teaching Artist Franklyn Strachan led the Video Creation Project, a program designed to teach youth video creation and editing techniques as well as storytelling and creative self-expression. We held May’s Video Creation Project at the Incarnation Children’s Center, a facility providing specialized care for children and youth living with HIV and AIDS. For this project, Franklyn worked with the students to create an original script ( see attached). The students enthusiastically all agreed to work on a zombie movie ( “Kid Zombie”). Franklyn reported back that once again the students were engaged throughout the process and seemed to enjoy the freedom of working on a fictitious script.

This spring, 2^nd grade students in our Literacy Through the Arts Program (LTA) at PS15 visited the Tenement Museum: a structure erected in 1863 that once housed working class immigrants. They had previously visited the museum last December for the Tenement’s Cultural Adaptation school program, where students were introduced to the fictional character, Victoria Confino, a 14- year-old Italian girl who lived in 97 Orchard Street in the early 1900s and faced the challenges of adapting her cultural heritage to life in a new country. The student’s two field trips to the museum fueled their interest in developing Victoria’s story further and adapting her into the title role in Cinderella. The students learned historical accounts of immigration in Manhattan’s Lower East Side, and also applied their newfound knowledge to create a play based on the character Victoria Confino and Cinderella.

We’re preparing for a busy fall of programs that includes our Audience Project, Tour, the Artistic Residency Program at 17 different locations, and the Literacy Through the Arts Program (LTA) at Hamilton Heights Elementary and PS 15. Once again, thank you for continuing to support our programs! We’re looking forward to another great semester of free programs for in-need children in New York. The Arts For All team wishes you a great rest of your summer!

Links:

• For more info on current programming, please visit our website.