Project
Growing up in the Arts
Creativity has the power to connect communities, build confidence and help young people imagine new possibilities. Through our support of Growing Up in the Arts, an award-winning program of the Springfield Regional Arts Council, the Hatch Foundation helps bring high-quality arts experiences directly to children across Springfield. Delivered through after-school programs, community organizations, and virtual learning, the initiative expands across visual, performing, and media art, empowering young people to explore creativity, build confidence, and develop critical skills that enrich both their lives and the communities they call home.
Project Details
Aligned with the Hatch Foundation’s mission to nurture a sense of community through innovative solutions that enrich quality of life, our support of Growing Up in the Arts helps expand access to arts education for children across the region.
Through partnerships with organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield, Harmony House, and Ujima Language & Literacy Camp, the program delivers immersive arts programming directly to students where they already gather.
Professional teaching artists lead hands-on workshops in visual arts, theatre, dance, and media arts. These experiences include activities such as clay work, painting, storytelling, filmmaking and musical theatre. By integrating arts education with classroom learning and social development, the program strengthens literacy, communication skills, creative problem-solving, and cultural awareness.
Each week, approximately 400 students participate in programming designed to foster self-expression, build academic confidence and help young people see themselves as artists and creators. For many participants, particularly those in underserved neighborhoods, these workshops represent their most consistent access to arts education.
By supporting Growing Up in the Arts, the Hatch Foundation ensures creativity remains a vital part of community life, empowering young people, strengthening neighborhood connections, and cultivating the next generation of creative thinkers and storytellers.
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