Grantees: Arts
ACORN Youth Arts Inc.
ACORN Youth Arts is creating a Regional Literary Arts Program to connect rural VT youth with VT authors for a series of day long workshops culminating in a published literary journal and public reading at the VT State House.
Chandler Center for the Arts
Chandler Center for the Arts is continuing to grow its Youth Musical Summer Program. In its heyday, the program served over 100 students from all over Central Vermont, and they are growing back each year. This summer, rec programs are being cut, and there is a scarcity of childcare options in the area. Chandler fills a need by offering a full-day camp for three weeks during the summer to elementary and high school students. Theater programs and summer camps offer social and emotional benefits, as well as aid in developing skills such as teamwork, creativity, commitment, and literary engagement. They foster mentorship with role models and a sense of community belonging.
Henry Sheldon Museum of Vermont History
All ages are invited to play, create and tinker in the Henry Sheldon Museum’s new kids’ makerspace. This space is designed to support and nurture museum visitors across various disciplines, from history to the arts & humanities to the world of technology. This Makerspace fosters community and family connections and provides a platform for creativity and innovation. From painting fun 3D animal pets to woodworking your own pixel art to learning to stitch a sampler, this VCTF grant supports hands-on learning and creative expression in the makerspace. The Henry Sheldon Museum aims to inspire kids, families and communities to engage, create, and connect right in the heart of Middlebury!
River Gallery School of Art
River Gallery School’s Art in Schools (AIS) residency program places teaching artists in three elementary schools in Southern Vermont. The 2024-2025 school year was their 4th year offering this program to local students in the Brattleboro area. Younger grades receive monthly visits by the same teaching artist, building relationships, artistic identity and confidence in students over the course of the year and culminating in a year-end showcase community event. Older students participate in a month-long intensive in the spring, building art installations in their classrooms, schools and communities. AIS supports community building and individual resilience for elementary students through exploratory art making aligned with the school’s values.
Sandglass Center for Puppetry and Theater Research DBA Sandglass Theater
Sandglass Theater seeks support with hosting residencies for 2nd, 3rd, and 4th grade students attending three of Vermont’s rural elementary schools. Our school residency program includes six days onsite in classrooms with each school partner, totaling eighteen classrooms served throughout the project. Our three partnering schools have limited access to arts enrichment opportunities. During each residency, the Sandglass Youth Engagement Coordinator will present a live performance, facilitate a puppet building workshop, and engage students in interactive theater games focused on performance and communication skills. Sandglass will provide a study guide to classroom teachers, helping integrate the residencies into existing lesson plans.
Southern Vermont Arts Center
Southern Vermont Arts Center employs one person in the Education Department as Education Manager. She manages all educational programming for all ages. In 2023-24, SVAC is proud to report that attendance grew three-fold and served over 4,500 youth. SVAC can reach many more youth with an additional full-time staff member. Their community has asked for more programming. With another person, SVAC will offer extended days to support working families; increase outreach to schools for more school visits and field trips to SVAC; provide a greater presence at partners' events; add additional programs for children and adults with special needs; and create more programming at SVAC for single-day holidays when school is closed and for teachers' professional development days.