Among the many local organizations with whom JSI partners, Creative Arts stands out as a shining example of the high-quality community arts education to be found in New England. Creative Arts was founded as an independent nonprofit community school of the arts in 1978 by a group of parents concerned about arts education in their community of Reading, Massachusetts. Originally focused on teaching the visual arts to schoolage children, Creative Arts gradually expanded its program to include music and adult classes. In 1988, Creative Arts became a member of the National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts. Almost three decades after it was established, Creative Arts continues to thrive and grow under the dedicated leadership of Executive Director Jennifer Hart, serving over 500 families from thirty communities year-round.
Today, the music program at Creative Arts includes Suzuki Talent Education Program for violin, viola, and piano, and traditional music instruction on all band and orchestral instruments, as well as voice and piano. In addition to renting instruments to Creative Arts string students, over the past decade Johnson String Instrument has helped to sponsor various events at Creative Arts, including faculty concerts, silent auctions, and fiddle workshops.
Over the past three decades, Creative Arts has lived up to its stated commitment "to provide quality arts education for all, regardless of their artistic ability or socioeconomic status," and has a well-earned reputation as the "cultural arts center of the North Shore." For more information about all that Creative Arts has to offer, from classes to performances, or if you would like to volunteer or make a donation to Creative Arts, please visit www.creativeartsforkids.org or call 781-942-9600.
