Grantees

Very Merry Theatre aims to provide affordable and accessible theatre arts summer camp programming in 3 rural VT communities. While VMT's home base is in Burlington, through this grant we aim to advance our mission to build strong, inspired youth and communities by offering camps in locations where access to theatre arts programming is less available. We intend to accomplish this goal through building sustainable partnerships with community members in three rural locations. More broadly we hope to enrich the lives of children and families through offering high quality and enriching summer camp experiences where children can make friends, develop literacy, leadership, and social skills, and experience the joy and magic of storytelling.

SafeArt will work with students at Oxbox High School for three years thorugh a multi-disciplinary arts program that includes sexual violence awareness and prevention programming.

After a successful pilot with strong community feedback, Sandglass Theater seeks support to expand our school residency program for 2nd–4th grade students at four rural Vermont elementary schools. We will host seven days onsite in classrooms with four partner schools (three new partners, one repeat), serving twenty classrooms in total. Many of these schools have limited access to arts enrichment. During each residency, the Sandglass Youth Engagement Coordinator will provide an educator orientation, present a live performance, lead a puppet-building workshop, and facilitate interactive theater games that build movement and communication skills. Teachers will receive a study guide to help integrate the residency into existing lesson plans.

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.

Expand their creative arts program for children ages one through five called "Sprout About ART".

Start With The Arts instills a lifelong love of learning in Vermont’s youngest children by combining direct service arts-based literacy activities for children with professional development for childcare providers. In 2022-23, Start With The Arts will pilot Arts First, a new version of the program that focuses on supporting providers in meeting the emerging and increasing mental health and behavioral needs of children through arts-based social and emotional learning activities.

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 we 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.

Provide violin instruction, music and movement for early education student as part of supervisory union's family wellness initiative. The Family Wellness Program is designed to support families in making healthy choices for all members.