Cultural Center for the Arts 1001 Market StreetNorth CantonOH44702330-452-4096330-452-4477

Program: Children's Art Connection Year Started: 1981 Focus: Multidisciplinary Arts Youth Served: 1,000 Ages: 8-12 Budget: $60,000 In an effort to provide at-risk youth with the chance to develop skills in the arts and to work with artists, the Cultural Center for the Arts initiated after-school and summer arts programs that bring low-income youth (95 percent of whom qualify for the subsidized lunch program) in contact with CantonĖs arts organizations. Professional artists lead a changing array of 1-hour, after-school classes at both the Center and at schools. For example, youth in grade 3 are taking 12 weeks of movement classes at the Canton Ballet, and there is a 10-week program in steel drums for youth in grades 4 and 5 offered by the Canton Symphony Orchestra. In addition, each school has a 1-month residency in creative drama, with after-school classes for students and teachers provided by The Players Guild. Ongoing visual arts instruction is held twice weekly and includes trips to the Canton Museum of Art. The students also attend performances by the Canton Ballet, Canton Symphony Orchestra, The Players Guild and the Canton Civic Opera. Activities also are held in school (during the school day), but are not part of the schoolĖs curriculum. Enrollment in the program has grown steadily, and there is a long waiting list for additional after-school programs.