FELLOWSHIP PROGRAM SETS SIGHTS ON GROWTH & INTEGRATION

Young people in New Haven faced unprecedented challenges and disruption in 2020. The Festival was grateful to be there for the students in the 11th cohort of the Arts & Ideas High School Fellowship Program.

Originally designed to take place at Gateway Community College with a focus on arts administration, the program instead gathered 10 students on Zoom each week to connect and explore the ever-shifting realities brought by COVID—with oneanother, with community leaders and artists who stepped in to help, and with students across the world, thanks to a partnership with Yale China.

Using their newfound filmmaking and song making skills and the confinements of distance learning, the Fellows learned to shape their voices to stand up as budding artist-activists. Using their collective voice, our Fellows produced their final virtual town hall on topics ranging from youth empowerment and dual identity to cultural representation, body positivity, feminism, racism, and immigration.

Photo: Judy Sirota Rosenthal

Throughout the summer, students participated in field trips including to Escape New Haven and the Brooklyn Museum and received instruction in film, storytelling, visual art, and web design. The program culminated with capstone projects: the students wrote, edited, and shot an original short film, created an original painting, and launched a website.

Through these programs, the Festival Fellowship coteachers Hanan Hameen and Julius Stone, and our partners encourages New Haven’s youth to be social agents of change in the world.

Based on our successes and witnessing a continued need to engage high school aged youth in New Haven, the Festival hosted 10 Fellows virtually during the 2021 Spring semester and furthered its commitment to youth by creating the Arts & Ideas Summer Intensive, a 7-week summer program at District Arts & Education in New Haven.

View the 2020/2021 Fellows’ work at ARTIDEA.ORG/fellowship

“I was blessed to be on such an adventure with amazing people who are inspired to do great things. The experience has left a significant impact on my future goals and skills.”

Christopher Cazarin 2021 Fellow & AISI Student

“I am leaving our time together with a greater understanding of who I am and the world around me, as well as the possibilities it holds. I now have more confidence in myself, my ideas, and my work. Thank you for the opportunities, wisdom, and sense of community you have given me. I’m so grateful to have such awesome people in my life and for the lifelong connections I have made through this program.”

Skylar Takacs 2021 Fellow & AISI Student