Hamden, CT — June 25, 2026 — Arts for Learning Connecticut (AFLCT) has been awarded a $3,000 grant from the Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation to support “Express Yourself,” an afterschool arts learning initiative at Smalley Elementary School in New Britain.
The grant will help expand AFLCT’s longstanding partnership with Smalley Elementary, providing professional Teaching Artist-led arts experiences that foster creativity, confidence, collaboration, and communication among students in grades 3-5. During the 2026-27 school year, the program will provide approximately 20 weeks of afterschool arts learning, with sessions held twice each week and serving 40-50 students.
“We are grateful to the Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation for its continued investment in Connecticut’s young people,” said John-Michael Parker, Executive Director of Arts for Learning Connecticut. “The arts create opportunities for students to explore new ideas, build confidence, and strengthen the skills they need to succeed in school and in life. This grant ensures that more children in New Britain will have access to those transformative experiences.”
Led by AFLCT’s professional Teaching Artists, students will participate in hands-on, play-based learning experiences in theatre, storytelling, movement, visual arts, and other creative disciplines. Through sustained engagement over multiple weeks, participants will build artistic skills while developing critical thinking, problem-solving, teamwork, and self-expression.
Smalley Elementary serves a community where more than 86 percent of students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, making accessible afterschool enrichment especially important. By offering the program free of charge and directly at the school, AFLCT eliminates barriers related to cost and transportation while providing students with a safe, engaging environment during the critical afterschool hours.
The Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation grant will support Teaching Artist fees and program implementation, complementing additional investments from Smalley Elementary School and other funding partners to expand access to high-quality arts learning opportunities for New Britain students.
The Thomaston Savings Bank Foundation supports nonprofit organizations that strengthen the quality of life throughout the communities it serves by investing in programs that promote education, health, human services, and community vitality. Arts for Learning Connecticut is honored to be among this year’s grant recipients.