The latest from Arts for Learning Massachusetts (AFLMA)

Check here for AFLMA events, artist news, arts education advocacy, and more. Sign up here to receive our bi-weekly e-newsletter.

Tanglewood Marionettes Celebrate 21 years with Young Audiences Arts for Learning!

This month, Young Audiences Arts for Learning is delighted to celebrate 21 wonderful years with the incredible puppeteers, Tanglewood Marionettes on our roster. Founded in 1993, they joined YAMA...

Eth-Noh-Tec Celebrates 22 Years with Young Audiences Arts for Learning!

This month, Young Audiences Arts for Learning of Massachusetts celebrates 22 wonderful years with the dynamic storyteller and visiting artist Robert Kikuchi-Yngojo of Eth-Noh-Tec . Robert's roots...

Odaiko New England Celebrates 23 years with Young Audiences Arts for Learning!

Young Audiences Arts for Learning of Massachusetts is excited to reflect on 23 wonderful years with Odaiko New England and their dynamic program Taiko Thunder on the YAMA roster. ...

Jan Turnquist Celebrates 28 years with Young Audiences!

Young Audiences of Massachusetts is over the moon, as this month we get to celebrate theater artist Jan Turnquist ! When she isn't busy bringing visitors into the past as the Director of Orchard...

Made in the Shade Celebrates 28 years with Young Audiences!

YAMA is excited to celebrate 28 wonderful years with Made in the Shade on our roster! The ensemble was formed in 1990 when a group of music school graduates decided to play on the Boston...

ESSER Funding

Did your school receive Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funds? These funds can be used to bring arts learning programs to the young people in your community. We know...

George Russell Jr., & Co. Celebrates 30 Years with YAMA!

With a background in arts education, and a great love of performing, George Russell Jr. came to YAMA in 1992 at the request of the phenomenal jazz vocalist Semenya McCord. Their program 'Journey...

Promised Land Celebrates 31 years with YAMA!

Happy YAMA-versary to members of the folk ensemble Promised Land past and present! There have been many iterations of this fantastic ensemble over the years, including Jay Rosenberg and John...

North Winds Celebrates 35 Years with YAMA!

YAMA is delighted to acclaim 35 years of engaging and inspiring performances by woodwind quintet North Winds . In 1987, five musicians from the New England Conservatory performed Peter and the...

The Bamidele Dancers and Drummers Celebrate 35 Years with YAMA!

The Bamidele Dancers and Drummers have been bringing joy and empowerment to the young people of Massachusetts since the early 80s, and enjoying every second of it. Before moving to Florida,...

Celebrating 45 Years with David Zucker!

One of our most beloved artists, David Zucker , got his start performing for young people while studying at Brandeis in the 70s. He quickly became connected with YAMA's artistic director at the...

YAMA Is Turning 60!

We will be sharing stories and images from YAMA's past throughout the year, building towards our official anniversary in December of 2022. Do you have a memory, or some photos from a time you...

Young Audiences Awarded NEA Grant To Support Teaching Artist Training in Trauma-Informed Practice

NEW YORK, NY — Young Audiences Arts for Learning (Young Audiences) has been approved for a $65,000 grant award from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) in support of the Strengthening...

Arts Learning Outdoors

Can we have class outside today? How about a performance! If your school is able to host a safe outdoor gathering, here are some AFLMA artists who are ready to come out and perform dance,...

Arts for Early Learners Package

Designed especially for grades PreK-3, our early learning programs are accessible, engaging, and help bulid crucial early learning skills from listening and focus, to pattern recognition to...

Program Package: Cultural Performances From Around the Globe

YAMA's Cultural Performances from Around the Globe bring world cultures vibrantly to life through their traditional art forms. Take your students on international "virtual field trips" from...

Watch: Remote Arts Learning Showcase Recordings

Throughout August, September and January, YAMA invited youth arts coordinators to weekly Showcase events on Zoom to see previews of our latest Remote Arts Learning programs. Each event featured...

Remote Arts Learning

Remote performances and workshops are now available for many of our artists! Here's what you need to know: Artists adapt their existing programs for the online format. YAMA artists...

January Virtual Showcases

As YAMA artists continue to adapt and innovate, we are excited to host another round of free weekly Remote Arts Learning Showcases in January! Each event features three 15-minute performance...

Create The Vote

Election season is a time for leaders and community members to come together to discuss the strengths and challenges of our towns and cities. It is also a time for us to openly debate our visions...

YAMA Showcases Remote Arts Learning Throughout August

Register for any or all showcase events at https://bit.ly/YAMAShowcases2020 Each free Zoom showcase event features three 15-minute performance previews and time for Q & A....

Scheduling and Rescheduling Continues

Nothing can keep us from scheduling great arts programming for students! While the YAMA staff are all working remotely, we remain available via email and will continue to schedule programming...

Arts Learning Continues During Covid -19

As you know, our work is bringing arts learning to students. Usually this means bringing performances and workshops directly to schools and other learning centers. While learning places remain...

Developing Online Arts Learning

Even with school bulidings closed, the arts can (and should!) still be a part of students' learning! Many of our artists are excited to develop remote, online versions of their YAMA...

Supporting YAMA Artists

There is no arts learning without artists, and sadly, artists number among the workers who are being hit hardest by the current urgent need to shut down public gathering places. If our artists...

Notes On Coronavirus (Covid-19)

As the Coronavirus (Covid-19) response in MA is evolving, we want to let you know that we have kept in communication with our artists, who are exercising extreme caution. If...

Video: Teaching Artist Shonool Malik on why YAMA matters

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Visiting Artists: Catch them while you can!

In addition to bringing your students the region's best teaching and performing artists, YAMA brings you touring artists from outside of New England through the national Young Audiences, Arts For...

AwardWinningStorytellingatThompson

Good storytelling is truly at root of all learning. Knowing this, the Thompson School in Arlington wanted a special program that would expose their students to masters of the art form, give them...

Introducing YAMA Intern, Sarra Briki

Tell me about your education/work experience prior to interning at YAMA. What field have you been preparing to enter, and why? Prior to interning at YAMA, I received my Masters degree in...

Photos: 2019 Showcase

Thank you to Vinson-Owen Elementary for hosting, to our Program Committee and volunteers, to all of our participating artists, and to all of the youth arts coordinators who attended our...

YAMA celebrates #ArtsMatterDay

Each year at the end of October, we join our partners at MassCreative in taking to social media to share all the ways that the arts make a difference in our lives. This online day of action gives...

10 Lessons The Arts Teach

Whether you're making your case to a principal, a representative, or to parents at a fundraiser, it helps to have some great talking points at the ready. We love this infographic from the...

Local Cultural Council Grants Due October 15

Applications for this year's Local Cultural Council (LCC) grants are now open online and are due October 15, 2019. If you have chosen YAMA programming for the upcoming school year but are...

#ArtsMatterDay

Each year at the end of October, we join our partners at MassCreative in taking to social media to share all the ways that the arts make a difference in our lives. This online day of action...

Free Family Show at Faneuil Hall

Grooversity , YAMA's Afro-Brazilan percussion ensemble, will be performing an adaptation of their Brazilan Beats program at historic Fanueil Hall Marketplace in Boston! The free outdoor...

Artists Announced for YAMA Fall Showcase

Registration is now open for the: YAMA PERFORMING ARTIST SHOWCASE Tuesday, September 24, 2019 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM Vinson-Owen Elementary, Winchester, MA REGISTER NOW...

National Arts in Education Week

September 8-14, 2019 is National Arts In Education Week. Established by Congress in 2010 through House Resolution 275, this week celebrates the impact of arts on learning and is used as an...

MA Arts Curriculum Frameworks Revised

On June 25, with the public comment period concluded, a revision to the Massachusetts frameworks for arts education were officially submitted for approval by the Massachusetts Board of Elementary...

Now Hiring: Theater Teaching Artist for Yearlong Weekly Residency

Position: Part-Time Teacher Teaching Artist for 3rd grades 5–6 Young Audiences of Massachusetts invites you to join our vibrant roster of 13 teaching artists who are part of the...

Fall Showcase Registration Open

Registration is now open for YAMA's Fall 2019 Performing Artist Showcase, to be held Tuesday, September 24, 2019, 9:30 AM – 1:00 PM at Vinson-Owen Elementary School in...

Harvard Ed Portal's Summer Concert Series Features YAMA Programs

Join the Harvard Ed Portal for their 2019 Summer Concert Series featuring a diverse lineup of YAMA performers whose family-friendly programs will have you dancing and singing along! All...

Public Comments Sought for State Arts Standards Revision

Public comments are now being solicited by the The Massachusetts Board of Elementary and Secondary Education (BESE) on their 2019 Curriculum Framework for Arts - their first major revision since...

Where should we send your program guide?

As the 2018-2019 school year winds down, YAMA is hard at work putting together our roster of programs for next year and designing our next exciting Program Guide to let you know about them....

Connecting Through Story

What do high school students and senior citizens have in common? As YAMA storyteller Norah Dooley likes to say, " everyone has a story ." Norah proved this adage true last week in Barnstable,...

Summit Canceled, Conversation Continues

Due to scheduling complications, YAMA's Youth Arts Coordinator Summit in Weston will NOT be held next Tuesday, May 14 as planned. However - the conversation continues! Are you new to being a...

National YA Week

New York, NY (April 12, 2019) -- Congresswoman Chellie Pingree (D-ME) has introduced a Resolution to the House of Representatives designating the weeks of April 14 through...

YAMA Hosts ArtWeek Event

YAMA is proud to participate in our 5th ArtWeek ! This year's fesitval of interactive art programs takes place April 26 - May 6 at locations throughout Massachusetts. YAMA's Free Event:...

Could Fed Funding Help Pay for Arts Education?

The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) of 2015 makes considerable funding available to state and local education agencies for a variety of activities, including arts education. To make use of this...