HAMDEN, CT, July 3, 2025 — Arts for Learning CT is proud to announce it has received a $15,000 grant from the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving through its Summer Camp Grant Program. This award will support “Express Yourself,” a four-week, arts-based summer enrichment program at R.J. Kinsella Magnet School of Performing Arts, serving students from across the Hartford Public Schools district.
Running July 7 through August 1, Express Yourself will offer 40 K–5 students an immersive extended-day experience aligned with Hartford Public Schools’ “Early Start” summer initiative. While the standard Early Start program concludes at noon, AFLCT’s extended programming will continue until 4 PM, providing students with four additional hours of meaningful arts engagement each weekday.
This program, developed in close partnership with Kinsella, one of AFLCT’s Higher Order Thinking Schools partners, as well as Hartford Public Schools, prioritizes creative enrichment for students performing below grade level. Students from Kinsella, Betances Learning Lab Magnet School, and Michael D. Fox Elementary School will rotate through sessions with AFLCT’s professional Teaching Artists, exploring multiple disciplines including dance, spoken word, music, visual arts, and improvisational theater.
“We’re incredibly grateful to the Hartford Foundation for investing in youth creativity and expression,” said John-Michael Parker, Executive Director of Arts for Learning CT. “This grant allows us to bring the power of the arts to students who need it most—right when they need it most.”
Each afternoon, Teaching Artists will guide students in hands-on workshops, rotating groups midway through the day to ensure every participant experiences multiple art forms. At the end of each week, students will showcase their original work for peers and family, celebrating their voices, stories, and creative growth. While AFLCT anticipates 40 students will participate daily, the program’s flexible enrollment structure could engage even more Hartford youth over the 20-day span, ultimately delivering 3,200 student-hours of arts learning.
About the Hartford Foundation for Public Giving
The Hartford Foundation for Public Giving works to put philanthropy into action to create lasting solutions that result in vibrant communities within the Greater Hartford region. Learn more at www.hfpg.org.