Oct. 7-13 is YMCA’s Arts Week. The Hockomock Area YMCA will host a week filled with activities at its Bernon Family Branch (45 Forge Hill Road, Franklin), Invensys Foxboro Branch (67 Mechanic Street, Foxboro), and North Attleboro Branch (300 Elmwood Street, North Attleboro) to educate, inspire and connect youth. Arts Week is an annual celebration at Ys nationwide that spotlights the nonprofit’s commitment to arts programming, ensuring youth have an outlet to express themselves creatively and discover and enhance talents.
Held in conjunction with National Arts and Humanities Month in October, Arts Week at the Hockomock Area YMCA is free to the public and will feature activities for youth to explore art and “turn up” their creative expression. Each branch will offer free art activities in their lobbies and in program areas for youth in the community to help children explore the arts throughout the week of October 6th.
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| Hockomock YMCA |
The Hockomock Area YMCA offers many varied art programs which include cooking, mixed media art, video production, voice lessons, and many preschool art and music classes. In addition, the Hockomock Area YMCA offers two fantastic theatre programs based out of our Mansfield Arts & Education that is open to all area communities, the Broad-Y Academy for ages 7-14, and The Theatre Institute for high school aged students. These programs provide performance opportunities ranging from musical theatre, plays, original play righting, Shakespeare, camps and many workshops. “The mission for our theatre program is to create magic for students of all ability levels and to instill a deep love for the arts that will last the rest of their lives” explains Heather Utsler-Smith, Hockomock Area YMCA Mansfield Arts Director.
“At the Y, we are invested in helping young people recognize their potential, and providing them with an environment where they feel comfortable expressing themselves creatively,” said Michael Mahoney, Senior Program Director at the North Attleboro Branch of the Hockomock Area YMCA. “Art comes in many forms, from dance to drama and music to visual and digital arts. Whatever a child's passion, our Y offers a way for them to get involved in the arts. Join us for Y Arts Week or register for our Fall 2 classes starting October 7”.
To learn more about the Hockomock Area YMCA’s Arts Week or the arts programs, contact Michael Mahoney at 508-643-5265 or email michaelm@hockymca.org. To learn more about our Theatre programs, contact Heather Utsler-Smith 614-581-1783 or heatheru@hockymca.org.
About the Hockomock Area YMCA
We believe that lasting personal and social change can only come about when we work together to invest in our kids, our health, and our neighbors. That’s why, at the Y, strengthening community is our cause. Every day, we work side by side with our neighbors in our community to make sure that everyone, regardless of age, income or background, has the opportunity to learn, grow, and thrive. Reach Out for Youth & Families is our annual support campaign to provide a YMCA experience to more than 15,000 local children and families in need.
