Grantees

For 30 years Chandler Center for the Arts has served the families of Central Vermont with an exceptional theater arts program. Each summer for several weeks between 60 to 150 kids participate in a powerful, collective experience creating a complete staged musical production, which helps them to form strong social connections, while also allowing them to achieve their full potential. Each year during these weeks of rehearsal, and during four public performances clustered around the 4th of July, children and teens learn to rely on each other, while testing their own abilities. While they also receiving supportive mentoring from the adults managing the show: the Director, Musical Director, Choreographer, Tech Director, Costumer, and volunteers

River Gallery School is a 45 year old community art program located in Brattleboro, Vermont that holds the core belief that each person has artistic and creative capacities which, when nurtured, will lead to unique and valuable expression. We are expanding our Children's Art Program which serves 3 to 18 year olds and offers an individualized approach to painting, drawing, and sculpture, in an environment where we nurture each child’s free imagination, while supplying technical support where needed.

The Saint Albans Museum (SAM), located in the heart of St. Albans, Vermont, is a non-profit organization that aims to preserve and educate the public about the rich history of St. Albans and the greater Vermont region. In the past couple of years, SAM has made a strong effort to create a more engaging and inclusive environment for all community members, especially young children and families. Our program, CREATE at SAM! is the most recent and largest initiative to date to do just that; standing for Crafts, Reading, Exploration, Art, Technology, and Education at the Saint Albans Museum, this program is designed to provide children with opportunities for exploring local and state history in an interactive, hands-on and multi-disciplinary way.

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.

The Arts Bus Ever After Kids Program is GROWing & GOing! What we piloted in 2019 with partner OnePlanet & VCTF’s grant has grown to an award-winning, efficient, year-round art enrichment & empowerment program-not just for kids, but for care providers, families, art educators, schools, libraries & communities. The research-supported, needs-based program is based on 2 systemic facts: 1) there will FOREVER be children at-risk in AFTER care programs; and 2) quality art education will ALWAYS be sacrificed from school budgets. It was a steep learning curve to roll out this program just before a pandemic, but that inspired initiatives for art kits & supplies to remote areas in every weather, which together makes magic for heaps of ever after kids!

After a decade of service, The Arts Bus mission of “empowering joy & authentic self-expression through the arts” finds Vermont’s favorite green bus at the crossroads of limited public art education resources and ever-increasing costs of raising children. The EVER AFTER KIDS Program is based on acceptance of two systemic facts: 1) there will FOREVER be children in AFTER care programs; and 2) quality art education will ALWAYS be limited in school budgets. Through this program, The Arts Bus bridges the opportunity gap by offering programs free of charge to children who otherwise have no other quality art education outside of public schools, working in creative partnerships with libraries, towns, schools, art centers & after-care providers.

Through in-school and after school enrichment classes, WonderArts provides direct programming to over 500 children in a tiny corner of Vermont’s rural Northeast Kingdom. We support the physical, social, and emotional development of local youth by offering outlets for self-expression, exposure to new activities, and opportunities for development of creative skill sets. In an area where resources are limited, WonderArts collaborates with schools, community organizations, and local teaching artists to create meaningful experiences and guide our children and young people in achieving their true potential. RAC will continue building vibrant, safe, and resilient communities around our valued youth and their families.

NEYT is a non-profit theatre serving students ages 6-19, year-round. In 2019 NEYT piloted its Leader-In-Training (LIT) program, giving participants training as well as opportunities for teaching and leadership. Under the guidance of the Education Director, LITs work alongside directors and teachers, embedded in the programs that serve our younger students. In addition to gaining skills in teaching, leadership, communication, and organization, LITs build deep relationships with each other, younger students, and staff, while strengthening our entire NEYT community. LITs are selected through an application and interview process. Each LIT receives a stipend and a certificate of leadership training upon completion of the program.