Ink-watercolor by Hanami Kawaoka, 9, of Hiroshima, Japan depicts workers boiling seawater to produce seasalt
The United States-Japan Foundation has awarded a $16,750 grant to Creative Connections, a Norwalk-based international cultural exchange that links students in the U.S. with their counterparts around the world in art-based relationships that promote an appreciation of one another's cultures.
The award expands an ArtLink exchange to reach 600 students and 24 classes in both countries, supports teacher training and covers translating materials into Japanese.
Alan Steckler, executive director of Creative Connections, said the grant “allows us to create programming and replicable support material that will greatly enhance our U.S.-Japan exchanges as well as those among our other partner countries.”
Steckler also said in the current climate of educational budget restrictions the foundation’s grant will allow Creative Connections to provide its “consciousness-broadening interchanges” to students at schools where financial support is lacking.
ArtLink extends to young people in 38 countries, partnering them with their counterparts in the U.S. in meaningful exchanges that promote global understanding.
Additional information about the activities of Creative Connections is available online at www.creativeconnections.org.
