VSA arts of Connecticut – Young Audiences of Connecticut

3074 Whitney Avenue
Building 2, 2nd Floor
Hamden, CT 06518

Eileen Carpinella
Executive Director

Tel.: (203) 230-8101
Fax: (203) 230-8131

www.yaconn.org

Organizational Profile:

Full-time Staff: 2
Part-time Staff: 3
Volunteer Hours: 92 hours/month
Projected Total 2009
Income: $80,000
(including In-Kind Contributions)
Direct Participants: 2,350
Indirect Participants: 13,000

staff pushing an woman in a wheelchair used to paint a large floor painting

Young Audiences of Connecticut’s vision is that all children realize their potential through the arts; that the arts are valued for their ability to improve our schools and communities; and that, by participating in the arts, children will come to understand and value themselves, their neighbors, and the world cultures they share.

Programming Partners and Other Funders:

Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) Soundbridge School; Area Cooperative Educational Services (ACES): Madison, Connecticut, Town Campus; Wintergreen Magnet School; Girls Detention Center; ACES Hamden High School; Celantano Museum Academy School; Grace Webb School; Eagle Hill Academy School; MARC Community Resources LTD; Easter Seals of New Haven; Connecticut Landmarks; Town of Milford Recreation Department; Abilis of Greenwich; Lockwood Mathews Museum Mansion; Green Street Arts Center; Connecticut Commission on Culture and Tourism (CCT); Hartt School of Music; CVS Caremark All Kids Can; Amity Charitable Trust; The Robert and Margaret Patricelli Family Foundation; Thomas Atkins Memorial Fund

Educational Programs and Artist Residencies

AIM HI

Art in the Mainstream for the Hearing Impaired (AIM HI) is a three-year arts initiative developed in partnership between Young Audiences of Connecticut and CREC Soundbridge School, currently in its final year. AIM HI explores the visual and performing arts through workshops, residencies, and a family community arts program. AIM HI directly supports the CREC Soundbridge School mission of giving children who have hearing loss the opportunity to listen, talk, and reach their full educational potential.

ARTS for ACES

ACES (Area Cooperative Educational Services) is partnering with Young Audiences of Connecticut to offer artist residencies in their schools and educational programs serving students with two important needs: 1) issues of racial, ethnic, and economic isolation, and 2) disabilities posing challenges that exceed the capacity of local school districts. ARTS for ACES will provide music, theater, drama and visual arts programs to pediatric patients, and students in kindergarten through grade 12.

ARTS REACH

ARTS REACH, a community arts program in its third year, utilizes the visual and performing arts through workshops and artist residencies inclusive of children and adults with disabilities and their families. Through ARTS REACH, Young Audiences of Connecticut establishes partnerships with arts, community, and cultural organizations in Hartford, Middlesex, New Haven, Fairfield, and New London counties to develop new inclusive arts programs. Workshops and residencies are created to support the vision of each partnering organization, and focus on enhancing creativity, increasing teamwork and self-esteem, and building social skills for participants.

Professional Development and Technical Assistance

Professional Development Program

The Professional Development Program is informed by feedback from teaching artists, arts program coordinators, educators, and others who attend Young Audiences of Connecticut workshops for teachers and artists on developing arts programs that are inclusive of children and adults with disabilities. Workshops provide methods of teaching the arts in an inclusive setting; the importance of using “people-first” language; and updates on current research and adaptive technologies. The professional development program continues to collaborate with the Hartt School of Music to provide artist workshops for Hartt’s summer term.

Cultural Access and Inclusive Arts Services

Site Visits

Site visits, arts program reviews, and planning meetings will be held at the individual sites of the arts, community, and cultural organizations seeking to partner with Young Audiences of Connecticut to develop new inclusive arts programs or make existing arts programs more inclusive of children and adults with disabilities.

Public Awareness and Outreach

Pubic Awareness

Young Audiences of Connecticut will raise public awareness of VSA arts, Young Audiences of Connecticut’s VSA arts affiliation, and VSA arts national programs through the creation of Connecticut’s VSA arts Web site, Young Audiences of Connecticut’s Web site, newsletters, community presentations, presentations at conferences, press releases, and communications with appropriate media staff throughout Connecticut.