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Dear Friends,
Ever since we received word that our partner schools in Japan were closing due to the COVID-19 outbreak, we have been monitoring its effect on all of the schools we connect with here in the USA and internationally. As we face this challenging time, know that we care deeply about all of our partner teachers, students and their families. And all our friends here and abroad.
Over our 27-year history, we have brought young people from 60 countries and all 50 states together through arts-based cultural exchanges.
Here are some of the connections we are forging ahead with right now:
 Deepening Links with Latin America
This Spring we are facilitating RainForest ArtLinks between 1500 students in the USA, Guatemala, and the Brazilian Amazon. Miguel Barreto, RainForest ArtLink Program Director set up these exchanges and returned recently from Latin America where he ran professional development workshops with local partner teachers. He is also working with our filmmaker to produce a documentary celebrating our 10+ years of working in the region.
Tackling Climate Change
We are taking aim at this crisis by encouraging authentic arts-based connections and dialogue between students (and their teachers) living in environmentally sensitive regions around the world. This exciting 2-year project, entitled Culture, Environment, Responsibility: Art & Voices of Students Around the World, will help us strengthen and grow our present programming and enable us to launch new ones.
 Bridging the Middle East Divide
With the support of a generous donor, we are hard at work facilitating ArtLink cultural exchanges between Israeli Jewish and Arab teens attending special art classes at the Mishkan Museum in Ein Harod, Israel, and at Greenwich High School in Connecticut. Joint programs which embrace Jewish and Arab students are rare in Israel and we are pleased to bring a global perspective to the visionary work of Mishkan.
Bringing the World to Preschoolers
In a collaboration with Stepping Stones Museum, we are bringing the spirit of global learning to preschool children. As part of a grant from the Cornelia Bailey Foundation, we are connecting three-five year old children in the museum’s ELLI program with the work of young artists from ten countries. The students will view the art (all of which are on the theme of “food”), watch “meet the artist” videos, create their own pieces in specially designed sketchbooks, and take part in a live video conference.
Later in this issue of Canvas, you will learn about our upcoming Spring Gala, an entertaining, delicious, and fun way to support our new initiatives, and to honor Global Partner Honoree Rob Fried, an amazing musician, social entrepreneur and friend of Creative Connections.
I truly hope you can join us.
Warmly,
Alan Steckler,
Founder & President
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