Silvermine Art Partners Receives $5K Grant from Pitney Bowes Foundation

From Silvermine Art: The Pitney Bowes Foundation supported the development of Silvermine’s Art Partners studio art classes with a $5000 grant. The support benefitted the program at Trailblazers Academy Charter Middle School in Stamford this year. The project evolved from students’ requests to have studio art as part of their curriculum. With additional funds from a

n individual donor, the program provided an art teacher for two days a week for 10 weeks in the school’s art room. Students signed up for the classes, and the program included all three grades at the Academy.

"We are so grateful to the Pitney Bowes Foundation for this grant, which provided the initial funding to make this important program happen. Our objectives are to increase students' vocabulary and literacy skills within our studio arts program by incorporating research and peer critiques,” said Sophia Gevas, Director of Outreach Education at Silvermine Arts Center. "The process of making art focuses on finding solutions to visual problems, which involve life skills essential to life-long learning, such as discipline, persistence, evaluation and correction. The students will expand their horizons as they delve into increasingly complex projects.”

“The Pitney Bowes Foundation is proud to support students at Domus’ Trailblazer’s Academy. We know the positive impact that arts education programs have on helping students succeed academically. Arts education helps engage students in their studies, helps them grow motor and language skills, enhance their ability to communicate and express themselves, and develop innovation and decision-making skills. We wish Silvermine, Domus, and all of the students every success with this exciting initiative,” said Kathleen Ryan Mufson, President of the Pitney Bowes Foundation.

Photos courtesy of Silvermine Arts Center