Hamden, CT – Arts for Learning CT (AFLCT) is proud to announce that it has been awarded a $10,000 grant from the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation to support Tell Your Story @ Hamden Middle School, an arts learning initiative designed to strengthen students’ social and emotional resilience through creative expression.
Launched in 2021, Tell Your Story is a four-week immersive arts program that directly brings more than 120 workshops into classrooms, engaging all 800+ students at Hamden Middle School. With the support of the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation, the program returned to full capacity in spring 2025, offering students the opportunity to explore movement, storytelling, spoken word, visual arts, and music through the lens of identity, culture, and community.
“This generous grant helps ensure that every student at Hamden Middle School has access to meaningful, culturally responsive arts learning experiences,” said John-Michael Parker, Executive Director of AFLCT. “By empowering students to tell their stories and see themselves reflected in the arts, we are fostering deeper connections to learning, each other, and the school community.”
Serving a diverse population, 75% of whom identify as Black, Indigenous, or People of Color, and more than half of whom qualify for Free or Reduced Price Meals, Hamden Middle School has embraced Tell Your Story as a powerful tool for equity, engagement, and emotional well-being. During the program, professional Teaching Artists, each specializing in a unique art form, including spoken word, dance, storytelling, music, and visual arts, will facilitate multiple creative workshops, working alongside teachers to integrate the arts into core curriculum subjects. Students will gain new artistic and communication skills and learn strategies for expressing themselves and building stronger peer relationships.
This year’s funding is part of a broader collaboration that includes support from the Town of Hamden’s Community Development Block Grant program and individual donors through AFLCT’s regional “Open Arts” fund.
With a legacy of innovation, collaboration, and impact, Tell Your Story continues to demonstrate the power of the arts to support student growth and create inclusive, inspiring learning environments. AFLCT is deeply grateful to the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation for its continued partnership in this vital work.
About the Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation
The Cornelia T. Bailey Foundation was founded in 2007 to promote the arts, education, and initiatives that seek to better our world by utilizing nature and the sciences. For more information, go to https://www.ctbfoundation.org/.