NEW CANAAN, CT, Jan. 9, 2024—Silvermine’s Art Partners outreach education program has received a $10,000 grant from United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut and State of Connecticut Social Equity Council to support and expand its reach in Fairfield County’s city schools. The grant will make it possible for Art Partners to increase its impact in Bridgeport—adding additional schools and programming that help close the achievement gap with art projects that are fully integrated across academic disciplines.
“Silvermine is grateful to the United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut and to the State of Connecticut Social Equity Council for their generous funding of a program that instills confidence by strengthening skills in students in their crucial, formative years. We look forward to making the most of this opportunity and bringing transformative art experiences to more children in Bridgeport,” said Silvermine Arts Center CEO Barbara Linarducci.
Art Partners is active in Stamford, Norwalk, and Bridgeport schools. The programs are designed for students in grades K-12 and have three main objectives: to increase the students’ basic language, writing, and vocabulary skills by combining research, poetry writing, science, and other subjects with the creation of a visual arts project; to enhance creativity and critical thinking, which are intrinsic to the visual arts; and to introduce diverse media and techniques.
Silvermine’s Outreach Education Coordinator collaborates with school administrators to develop art projects that require sequential skill building and integrate with academic subjects such as science, history, and geography. On any given project, students work directly with a Teaching Artist to do research, write, collaborate with each other, and learn to critique their work in a positive environment as they work to complete a final art project or installation.
The grant is a State of Connecticut Social Equity Council Grant, which supports projects in Bridgeport and Stamford that uplift communities and strengthen families. The United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut helps families thrive through innovative programming, strategic partnerships, and community investments that focus on health, education, and financial stability.
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United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut (UWCWC) empowers low-to-moderate-income households to thrive by mobilizing the resources of local communities to create lasting change. UWCWC leverages evidence-based strategies and strategic partnerships to improve outcomes in 3 key areas — education and child care, health and food security, financial stability and basic needs — while creating systemic change for the 40% of families living at or below the ALICE® (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold. UWCWC serves 27 communities across Fairfield and Southern Litchfield Counties, including the Cities of Bridgeport, Danbury, Norwalk, and Stamford, and the Towns of Bethel, Bridgewater, Brookfield, Darien, Easton, Fairfield, Kent, Monroe, New Canaan, New Fairfield, New Milford, Newtown, Redding, Ridgefield, Roxbury, Sherman, Stratford, Trumbull, Warren, Washington, Westport, Wilton, and Weston, Connecticut. For more information about United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut, visit www.unitedwaycwc.org. Follow United Way of Coastal and Western Connecticut on social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn.
Silvermine Arts Center, one of the oldest artist communities in the United States, recently celebrated its centennial (1922–2022). Its fiveacre campus in New Canaan, Connecticut, consists of a nationally renowned artist guild, an awardwinning school of art offering classes for all ages, an arts and fine crafts shop, a permanent print collection, and a gallery offering over 20 contemporary and historic exhibitions annually. Silvermine is a nonprofit 501c3 organization that also offers an Outreach Education Program, Art Partners, and hosts lectures, film screenings, and special events. Silvermine Galleries are open 10am – 4pm, Tues. to Sat. and closed Sun. and Mon. For more information, visit www.silvermineart.org.
