The Quick Center for the Arts at Fairfield University and the Bridgeport Public Schools (BPS) Department of Performing and Visual Arts (DPVA) are kicking off the second year of our expansive “Arts for All” partnership, designed to benefit BPS students and the greater community at large.
The partnership was guided by the shared belief that arts educational experiences have significant impact on students’ academic, social, and emotional outcomes.
With a joint commitment of providing BPS students with arts access, high quality arts instruction, and exposure to diverse arts experiences, the partnership will impact over 3,000 students in grades K-12. The partnership goes far deeper than typical collaborations, providing direct access to well-known and emerging artists, opportunities for internship, and financial scholarships.
BPS students will experience hands-on learning through artist-led educational programs including workshops, master classes, and panel discussions with Quick Center performers. Additionally, the partnership includes access to the Quick’s School Matinee Series to expose students to live theater performances, including pre- and post-performance workshops with Fairfield University faculty.
The Quick Center has donated over 2,000 tickets in the last two years to BPS students and their families to encourage a greater understanding of the art form, create cultural dialogue, and foster a connection to both real world artists and contemporary issues.
Additionally, high school juniors and seniors can pursue internships at the Quick Center to learn about potential career choices in arts administration in the areas of Programming, Marketing, Finance & Administration, Technical Theatre, and Development/Fundraising.
Lastly there will also be an educator professional development component, led by Fairfield University faculty.
The benefits of the partnership are not limited to Bridgeport students, nor the Bridgeport community. Rather, the benefits of fostering a lifetime engagement in arts and culture are far-reaching.
Alicia Robinson, Director of Performing & Visual Arts for BPS, shared, “We have already received extremely positive feedback from the students and teachers that have attended Quick events and participated in dialogue with the artists, including comments like, ‘This is eye opening’ and ‘I never thought I could make a career out of this.’”
“This partnership is giving our students personal experiences, to help them experiment artistically, and perhaps to inspire someone to move forward with their dreams. At the end of the day, we are all a community and we need to support each other,“ said Robinson.
For more information on the partnership, please contact Lori Jones, Director of Programming and Audience Development for the Fairfield University Quick Center for the Arts at 203-254-4000 x2975 or by email at info@quickcenter.com.