Click here to join our email list and receive ArtsFlash updates.

Ten Lessons the Arts Teach
By Elliot Eisner

The arts teach children to make good judgments about qualitative relationships. Unlike much of the curriculum in which correct answers and rules prevail, in the arts, it is judgment rather than rules that prevail.

The arts teach children that problems can have more than one solutionand that questions can have more than one answer.

The arts celebrate multiple perspectives. One of their large lessons is that there are many ways to see and interpret the world.

The arts teach children that in complex forms of problem solving purposes are seldom fixed, but change with circumstance and opportunity. Learning in the arts requires the ability and a willingness to surrender to the unanticipated possibilities of the work as it unfolds.

The arts make vivid the fact that neither words in their literal form nor number exhaust what we can know. The limits of our language do not define the limits of our cognition.

The arts teach students that small differences can have large effects. The arts traffic in subtleties.

The arts teach students to think through and within a material.
All art forms employ some means through which images become real.

The arts help children learn to say what cannot be said.
When children are invited to disclose what a work of art helps them feel, they must reach into their poetic capacities to find the words that will do the job.

The arts enable us to have experience we can have from no other source and through such experience to discover the range and variety of what we are capable of feeling.

The arts’ position in the school curriculum symbolizes to the young what adults believe is important.

SOURCE: Eisner, E. (2002). The Arts and the Creation of Mind, In Chapter 4, What the Arts Teach and How It Shows. (pp. 70-92). Yale University Press. Available from NAEA Publications.

ARTSFLASH

February 2007

Young Audiences

June 2, 2007 is the date for the Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut benefit, An Evening with Livingston Taylor.  Young Audiences artists, Blue Jupiter, will open this exciting event. The evening will begin with a reception and performance at the Yale University Theatre in New Haven.  Tickets will go on sale in April 16, 2007.  Sponsorships are now being accepted.

Thank you to Frank Loomis Palmer Foundation for funding social issues based theatre programming for all of the New London elementary and middle schools.  This spring the schools will receive performances and workshops of the following programs:  Chris and Stu, I’m Just a Superhero, Harriet Tubman, The Passion for Justice and The Struggle.

Welcome to Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut’s newest Board Members, Attorney Princess Wiggins from Hartford and Ms. Hyla Crane!!

Showcase News

Young Audiences Spring Artist Showcase will take place on May 4th at McKinley School in Fairfield, CT.  The focus of the Spring Showcase will be workshops and residencies. Join us for a day filled with the arts.  Select artists to connect with your curriculum for the coming year.  Win a drawing for a free solo artist for your school, camp or community center!!!  Cost is $10 per person and includes lunch.  Come and join us for the day. Call 203-230-8101 to register.

Arts Advocacy

www.savetheartsct.org 

Visit this web site to contact your legislators and become informed about pending legislation that will affect the state of the arts here in Connecticut.

 When you enter the website (www.savetheartsct.org) click on choices to send letters to the state legislators for your district.  To begin from this home page – click on "TAKE ACTION" (top right of home page)

click on e-mail, click on the various "talking points" to the right – each time you click on a red arrow, that point will be included in your letter.

Choose your residential town once the letter is completed.

Continue

Click on the legislators you wish to e-mail

Fill in your personal information

Continue

Scroll down and choose to send your e-mail or you can print your letter and mail it

Thank you for your participation in saving the arts in Connecticut!

New Programming

Actress and storyteller, Gwendolyn Quezaire-Presutti, will bring “In Hagar’s Kitchen” to schoolchildren in grades 6-12 throughout Connecticut. This theatre piece will focus on the life of an 18th century slave in the community of Wethersfield.

Mike Kachuba brings new workshops, Math and Music, to the grade PK-5 classroom.  Directly connected to the grade curriculum, these workshops use music composition and arranging to cover math topics such as sets, intervals, patterns, fractions, sequencing, and equivalency.

Programs

The Dance For Life residency funded by the METLIFE Foundation focuses on Brazilian Dance in the Hartford schools this school year.  Efraim Silva and the 4th grade students at Burr Elementary presented Dances of Brazil-a culminating share for their peers, family and Board of Education representatives on January 10th.  The rhythms and choreography for three different Brazilian dances could be heard and seen throughout the school. The students were seen on Channel News 3 that evening.   The students and teachers are engaged in the culture and dances of Brazil. In the spring of 2007 and the fall of 2007 two additional schools will be involved in these residencies.

The Passion for Justice-The Prudence Crandall Story was presented by ACES as part of an inter-district program for middle school students from Cheshire, Wallingford, Hamden and New Haven. The students focused on issues of diversity, bias and prejudice and how they can make a difference at their schools and in their communities.

The New Haven Family Art Series 2nd Performance featured Pinocchio with CT Opera at the Little Theatre in New Haven.  Over 100 adults and children enjoyed this performance.  Sirius Coyote will bring Music of the Americas to the families on March 23rd.

PACK family program events at the Keefe Community Center included Blue Jupiter-A Cappella who shared the joy of singing and a cappella music and Moses Ole Sakuda who shared the customs and culture of the Massai people of Kenya to our families.

Each family took home a learning kit to extend the learning into their homes. March 9th will feature Mikata with African drumming and dance. April 13th will feature Anne Pasquale-Liberty Belles Living History. PACK, Parents and Communities for Kids is based at the Keefe Community Center with the target population of New Haven and Hamden.  Call the office at 203-230-8101 to learn how your community can begin a family learning program.

Mike Kachuba completed a successful song writing residency at Naylor School in Hartford.

Puppeteer, Larry Engler of Poko Puppets, engaged students at the John Lyman School in the art of puppet making and manipulation.

Tom Lee brought his Visualization Program to the students at North Branford Intermediate School. 

Sarah Haskell assisted students at Pleasant Valley School in South Windsor weave a tapestry of Africa. Students made art items to attach to their weaving which connected with their study of Africa.

This residency was funded by Bob’s Discount Furniture through their annual arts contest.

Eshu Bumpus worked with students at McAllister School in Suffield on storytelling and story development.  This residency was sponsored by the J. Gladwin Cannon Trust.

Adam Battlestein took his Storeography performance to each of the ten Westport Elementary schools. Thank you to Coffee Pond Productions for their contribution to this performance series.

Coffee Pond Productions also contributed to the performance series of Karim Nagi Mohammed at each of the eleven West Hartford Elementary Schools.

VSAarts News

Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut is a new affiliate of VSAarts. As an affiliate, we will bring arts programming to children and adults with disabilities in Connecticut.

Some of our recent programming for VSAarts includes:

Judith Mortensen led a weaving residency supported and designed by Sarah Haskell at Soundbridge School in Wethersfield for hearing impaired and non-hearing impaired Pre-K students and their families.  The students and their families were engaged in making dolls and weaving a colorful mandala which will hang as a permanent piece of artwork at the school.

Artist Craig Norton began a photography residency with middle school students in Wethersfield.  This program is inclusive of students with hearing impairment and those without impairment.

The students will learn about digital photography and will curate their own visual art show as a culminating activity.

Artist Mike Kachuba is working with movement and music concepts in a residency at the CREC Soundbridge preschool students.

Artist News

Mike Kachuba has been invited to present Math and Music at the weeklong ArtsPowered School Institute from June 18-22 at Albertson College in Caldwell Idaho.  This Institute is presented by the Idaho Commission on the Arts and the Idaho Department of Education.

Nandi Christine Dixson Smith of Sankofa Kuumba will receive a 2007 Vision Award from the Charter Oak Cultural Center at their Gala on May 10th.

Judith Mortensen, VSAarts Manager, attended the Regional VSAarts Conference in February 2007 which was held in New Orleans.

Congratulations to Dexter Singleton and Aaron Jafferis on the production of Kingdom at the Fair Haven Middle School Theatre in New Haven.

Funding

Did you know…

That Coffee Pond Productions, a school photography studio, will donate $100 towards any Young Audiences arts program in Connecticut schools that engage them in school photography.

Congratulations to Jeff Benoit of Chariot of the Sun and Tim Latta of Motion 360 who are recent additions to the CT Commission on Culture and Tourism Roster.  This means that you can now apply for Presentation Grants for these artists.

Dovie Thomason has availability on May 23 &24

Brien Engle has availability on April 18, 19 & 20

Cubanana has availability the week of May 21 through the 25

CT Commission on Culture and Tourism

Arts Presentation Application Deadlines:

(Postmarked or Hand Delivered by 5 p.m.)
 May 1, 2007 for programs between 7/1/07 & 6/30/08
 August 1, 2007 for programs between 10/l/07 & 6/30/08
 November 1, 2007 for programs between 12/31/07 & 6/30/08

Program Reviews

Harriet Tubman

What the students of West Hill Elementary in Rocky Hill are saying about this program:  "I liked the way the actress moved across the river.  It made me feel like I was actually in the river when she (Harriet) was escaping."  "The actress used different voice to become other characters".  "I felt that I was right alongside Harriet in the field and in the water". The teachers stated, "This was a powerful presentation", "The actress was talented and engaging", "This presentation added a new dimension to our study of the South".

ARTSFLASH

DECEMBER 2006

On Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut’s new website you can get updated information on artist programming for schools and community venues.   In addition, many new teacher professional development workshops are listed.

Showcase News

The Fall Artist Showcase at the McGee Middle School in Berlin was a great success with over 200 Cultural Coordinators, teachers and administrators attending this exciting day. Thank you to the Marjorie Moore Charitable Trust for their support of this event. Thank you also to the staff and administration of McGee Middle School for their planning and support of showcase.

Young Audiences Spring Artist Showcase will take place on May 4th at McKinley School in Fairfield, CT.  The focus of the Spring Showcase will be workshops and residencies.

New Programming

American Ballet Theatre will offer dance residency programs to schools in Connecticut during weeks of January 8th and January 22nd.  Please call the office for more details.

Beginning on January 1st, actress and storyteller, Gwendolyn Quezaire-Presutti, will bring “In Hagar’s Kitchen” to schoolchildren in grades 6-12 throughout Connecticut. This theatre piece will focus on the life of an 18th century slave in the community of Wethersfield.

Mike Kachuba brings new workshops, Math and Music, to the grade PK-5 classroom.  Directly connected to the grade curriculum, these workshops use music composition and arranging to cover math topics such as sets, intervals, patterns, fractions, sequencing, and equivalency.

Programs

The Dance For Life residency funded by the METLIFE Foundation focuses on Brazilian Dance in the Hartford schools this school year.  Efraim Silva of Ginga Brasileira is working with 4th grade students at Burr Elementary on the rhythms and choreography for three different Brazilian dances.  The students and teachers are engaged in the culture and dances of Brazil. In the spring of 2007 and the fall of 2007 two additional schools will be involved in the residencies.

Two elementary schools in Berlin, Connecticut received story development residencies with Young Audiences storytellers, Eshu Bumpus and Motoko.  The third elementary school this winter will participate in a literacy residency using visual thinking strategies and artwork from the New Britain Museum of American Art.

Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut, received a grant award from Target Stores for author Leslie Bulion’s Fatuma’s New Cloth programs in the Meriden Schools.  This program which focuses on the culture of East Africa and proverbs will engage young readers.

The New Haven Family Art Series opened with Ginga Brasileira this fall at the Little Theatre in New Haven.  Upcoming events are CT Opera with Pinocchio on February 2nd and Sirius Coyote with Music of the Americas on March 23rd.

The PACK family series this fall brought Ginga Brasileria with Dances of Brazil, Cowboy Ernie Sites and Songs from the West, CT Opera and Little Red to the Keefe Community Center in Hamden. The November event with CT Opera saw a record number of families from both Hamden and Ansonia come together to enjoy this performance.  The Hamden libraries had featured the Little Red story at their location. The Eli Whitney Museum also collaborated on this project by inviting the families to their facility on Saturday and Sunday to make the characters from the story.

Upcoming PACK events include:

1/12 Blue Jupiter-A Cappella

2/9 Moses Ole Sakuda-The Way of the Massai

3/9 Judith Mortensen-Visual Art Workshop

4/13 Anne Pasquale-Liberty Belles Living History

The Mercy Center in Madison was the site for family programming at the Earth Fair Bazaar.  Artists Che Cartafalsa and Sirius Coyote performed to the delight of many families. Thank you to the Madison Foundation who graciously funded the artist performances for the families.

Young Audiences Fall Appeal

Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut’s Fall Appeal is now underway and has currently raised 60% of the goal for this campaign.  If you wish to make a donation, please send it to Young Audiences of Connecticut, 3074 Whitney Avenue, Building 2, 2nd Floor, Hamden, CT 06518.

YAC Welcomes

Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut welcomes Public Relations and Communications Consultant, Jenni Chasen. Ms. Chasen has Bachelor of Arts in Communication from UMASS. Jenni will be preparing press releases and increasing the visibility of Young Audiences throughout the state.

An Evening with Livingston Taylor

June 2, 2007 is the date for the Young Audiences Arts for Learning Connecticut benefit, An Evening with Livingston Taylor.  Young Audiences artists, Blue Jupiter, will open this exciting event. The evening will begin with a reception and performance at the Yale University Theatre in New Haven.  Tickets will go on sale in March 2007.  Sponsorships are now being accepted.

VSAarts

Young Audiences congratulates Judith Mortensen, VSAarts Project Consultant for a job well done on the 2006 VSAarts initiative which included surveying arts and non-arts organizations in the counties of Hartford and Middlesex to discern whether programs for students with disabilities were offered and their interest in partnering with Young Audiences on VSAarts programming.  In addition, Judith coordinated an all day training program for artists that are interested in working with special needs populations.  As a result of this project, several new initiatives will begin in 2007 where Young Audiences artists will work with special needs populations. Judith also presented at the SERC Conference in December.

Artist News

Mike Kachuba has just completed a two month residency at the CT Children’s Medical Center in Hartford.  The pediatric patients wrote songs with Mike and then recorded them on a CD, which they can share with family and friends.

Adam Battelstein and Eileen Dulen Jennings were both presenters at the Connecticut Science Educators Conference this fall.

Brian Gillie was busy over the summer when he traveled to Cleveland and took a course in dance at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  Brian has now incorporated contemporary dance into his dance residencies.

Young Audiences Artist, Gregory Rahming, continues an amazing run on Broadway in Phantom of the Opera. He still makes time to visit schools throughout Connecticut with his "Inside Opera" program. Congratulations Gregory!!!

Artist Leslie Bulion has two new books, Hey There Stinkbug and Uncharted Water.  Using these two new literary works, Leslie now offers poetry workshops and writing workshops to schoolchildren.

Artist Steve Schuch performed for all the elementary schoolchildren in Manchester, Connecticut.  This was made possible through grants from the Savings Bank of Manchester Foundation and the Foulds Family Foundation.

In September, the 5th grade students of Rotella Magnet School enjoyed a visual art residency with artist, Colin Coots.  In May 2007 the kindergarten students of Rotella will also participate in a visual art residency with Colin.

Reviews

From the East Granby Creative Arts Council, November 2006:

”We had the pleasure of having Ginga Brasileira come to both our middle and high school today. The performances were awesome. We are very pleased and so were the teachers. The students enjoyed the show immensely. This group was professional, interesting and lots of fun. They related well to the students and were able to get even the high school kids to wake up and participate!! Our sincere thanks to you for having such a fantastic group of performers to choose from. We would recommend them to everyone”. Kyle Spears

From the Clintonville Elementary School, North Haven:

“This performance was full of such contagious energy and enthusiasm that our students and teachers are still raving about it today. Teaches and parents a like remarked on Efraim's ability to connect with all students. We were impressed with the various ways her changed the show to match the needs of his audience, while teaching valuable information about he history and culture of Brazil. All of the performers had our gymnasium electrified with energy, our students enthusiastically engaged and our teachers and parents dancing and singing. This was the best show we have had at Clintonville for all these reasons. People also let me know that they noticed a true kindness of spirit towards children of any age and ability, which highlights their understanding of child development and their genuine people skill. I am not surprised that Efraim is on of Young Audiences Master Teaching Artists, this accolade is well-deserved”. Aimee McLaughlin-Kobierowski, Grade 5 Teacher

What the staff at CT Children’s Medical Center said about Blue Jupiter’s visit to the Center: “The members of Blue Jupiter did such a fantastic job yesterday at CT Children’s Medical Center. The musicians sang to every child there and saw hope in all of their eyes. This day not only touched the children, but deeply affected the vocalists of Blue Jupiter as well. In fact, after spending a few hours there Blue Jupiter donated CD's to the children to play in their CD's players in each of their rooms”!

One staff member stated, “I just wanted to thank you again for coming in to perform for the kids. One young girl was blown away by Blue Jupiter. She fell asleep with the picture of Blue Jupiter in her hands. It meant a lot to her. It's not every day that people get to have a talented group of musicians perform right in front of them-up close”!

 JUNE 2006 ARTS FLASH

SHOWCASES

The Spring Showcase at Vogel Wetmore School in Torrington was a huge success. Thank you to the Northwest Connecticut Arts Council, Vogel Wetmore School, the city of Torrington and the Community Foundation of Northwest Connecticut for your support. Also a big thank you to the artists who traveled from far and wide to our showcase and made the day happen!! Mark the date of SEPTEMBER 15th for the Spring Showcase on your calendar. McGee Middle School in Berlin will host the Fall Showcase of the Arts.

ARTIST NEWS

Susan Rosano just completed a Creative Collaboration Residency at Yale New Haven Children's Hospital. Susan is also an honoree at the Guilford Art Center Achievement Award Cermony on June 9th and will be recognized for her work in the health field using the arts. Congratulations Susan.

YAC touring artist, Gayle Danley, was selected as Young Audiences National Artist of the Year. Congratulations to Gayle for her committment to arts-in-education.

NEW LONDON PROGRAMS

Artists Ernie Sites-Songs of the West, Mikate-African Drumming and Dance, Cubanana-Music and Dance of Cuba, and Dennis Waring-Trash to Tunes performed and conducted workshops for the students of the elementary schools in New London. Ball in the House-Accapella performed for the students at Bennie Dover Middle School in New London. This project was made possible due to the generosity of the Frank Loomis Palmer Foundation.

WESTPORT SCHOOLS

Jeff Benoit and his Chariot of the Sun performance that focuses on mythology was wonderfully received in the Westport Elementary Schools. Every 5th grader participated in the program and many remarked on how much fun the performance was and how much they learned. The Chariot of the Sun inspired many students in theatre!

WOODBURY LIBRARY PROJECT

Thank you to Motoko, Eshu Bumpus and Leslie Bulion who presented wonderful programs for the families at the Woodbury Library. Stories were shared and the families enjoyed the artist presentations.

INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL OF ARTS & IDEAS

Young Audiences of CT Artists will be performing on the Chapel Street Stage from 1:30pm-2:30pm. Come and join the following artists: Sirius Coyote- June13th, Racha Agrawal-June 14th, Mikata-June 15th, Taikoza-June 16th, Brian Gille-June 20th, Carnival Trio-June 21st, Ginga Brasileira-June 22nd, Cool Cat Jazz-June 23rd. Also many CT Commission on the Arts Artists will be showcasing on Saturday, June 24th.

NATIONAL CERTIFICATION

During April Young Audiences of CT underwent a National Certification administered by National Young Audiences. At that time we took the Certification Team to many performances and workshops throughout Connecticut to best demonstrate the work that we do in the state.

Many thanks to the staff of YAC, the Program Committee, the Board and the artists who all helped with this process. A special thank you to the artists who shared their programs with the team: Jeff Benoit-Chariot of the Sun, Eshu Bumpus-Story Development Workshop, Mike Kachuba-Professional Development Workshop for Teachers, Dennis Waring-Instrument Building Workshops, Ginga Brasileira-Dances of Brazil, Tom Lee-The Language of Art Workshop, Tamara Malawitz and Dexter Singleton-Harriet Tubman, and Brian Gillie-Music of the Americas. Thank you to the schools who volunteered to host programming: Bear Path School-Hamden, Worthington Hooker School-New Haven, Clintonville School-North Haven, Butler School-Groton, Mary Hooker School-Hartford, Asylum Hill Church-Art Show, and the Florence Griswold Museum. Thank you to CT Children's Medical Center for opening their Art Show at the Asylum Hill Church in Hartford for a viewing by the Certification Team Members. Thank you to our evening event hosts, Kathryn and Fred Giampietro and Jamie and Alden Murphy for their hospitality.

WELCOME TO OUR NEW YAC ARTISTS

Young Audiences is please to announce that the following artists have joined the YAC roster:

• Karim Nagi Mohammed
• Music of the Middle East
• Moses Ole Sakuda
• The Way of the Massai
• Eileen Dulen Jennings
• Storytelling, Theatre and Teacher-In-Service.

In addition, several of our current artists have new programs:

• Tom Lee and Rachna
• The Rama Project-a cultural collaboration residency featuring storytelling, writing, and dance
• Tom Lee and Mike Kachuba
• The Language and Music of Art-Using artwork from the New Britain Museum of American Art students will use visual thinking strategies to create songs and develop stories
• Dexter Singleton
• The Civil Rights Movement-a theatre piece that will highlite several characters from this period in history
• Dexter Singleton
• Diversity Workshops
• Claudia Matthison-Math and Quilts

CT COMMISSION ON CULTURE & TOURISM

The grant deadlines for the Presentation Grants for the upcoming year are:

• August 1, 2006 for programming between October and June
• October 2, 2006 for programming between January and June
• The deadline for the Creative Collaboration Grant is October 26, 2006

SUMMER PROGRAMMING

Call 203-230-8101 for availability and pricing for special summer programming!!