Summer Heats Up with SAA’s Arts Enrichment Programs

The Simsbury Arts Academy (SAA) has been sparking the joy of learning in the visual and performing arts in youngsters from all around the Farmington Valley since 2006—and this summer is shaping up to be the most exciting yet!

For public, private, or home-school students entering grades 1-12, SAA offers three-week programs (July 8-26) organized into “academies”—Visual Arts Academy, Musical Theater Academy, Jazz Academy, and Strings Academy. These concentrated clusters of artistic study are geared toward students who further desire to strengthen their skills and talents in the visual or performing arts. However, what makes SAA truly special is that the programs are also geared for the novice who wants to try something completely new. An accomplished cartoonist might want to take a class on photography basics. An aspiring film-maker might want to take a break from editing and take a class in fashion. Or a dedicated cellist might want to discover a different kind of creative expression through improvisational theater.

A new season at SAA brings an array of brand new visual arts classes, including mural painting, 3D modeling and printing, sketchbooking, and a portfolio enhancement class perfect for the serious art student getting ready for the college admissions process. For children who have been bitten by the acting bug, a new improv class and an acting workshop are available. Seems like the ukulele is so on trend lately—if students want to learn how to play the ukulele or the guitar and just have a great time making music with friends, SAA has the ensemble for them.

Classes are taught by certified educators from the Simsbury Public Schools as well as master teaching artists or visiting college professors. The faculty and student ratio is approximately 4 to 1, and classes are never overenrolled. Shannon Gagne, Director of SAA, is excited for the recent revitalization of the program, especially the upper level classes, and she is equally enthusiastic about the educators who will be teaching the classes.

Said Gagne, “The caliber of instructors like art teacher Thea Cichiotte is amazing. And Dave Holzman’s innovation brings a lot to the table with the SAA Apprenticeship Program. Through this apprenticeship model, students will experience real-world application of artistic procedures. Artists will share their practice rather than teach a ‘lesson.’ We are very excited about this aspect of this new offering.”

Registration begins March 21. Information is available on the SAA website at www.simsbury.k12.ct.us/saa. Tuition is $675 for residents, and $695 for nonresidents. A deposit of $350 is required. Parents and friends are invited to enjoy a culminating couple of days during the final week, with an exhibit of student work, several musical performances, and a musical production of The Little Mermaid Jr.