P.L.A.C.E. Receives Good to Great Grant to Support Children's Museum in Hamden

First Photo from left to right: Marie Varrone, P.L.A.C.E. Advisory Board Member, Eric Nyquist, Director of Fine Arts for Hamden Public Schools & P.L.A.C.E. Board Chair, Vera Morrison, Town Clerk for Town of Hamden, Mimsie Coleman, Director of Arts, Recreation and Culture for the Town of Hamden, Todd Levine, Department of Economic and Community Development State Historic Preservation Office, Debbie Chavoya, P.L.A.C.E. Executive Director, Curt Leng, Mayor for the Town of Hamden, Joseph J. Crisco, Jr., Connecticut State Senator, Maria Brandriff, First 100 VIP for P.L.A.C.E., Barbara Mansilla, P.L.A.C.E. Art Teacher, Tracy Stone, Grant Writer and P.L.A.C.E. Board Member, Al Gorman, President of Hamden Historical Society.

P.L.A.C.E., a nonprofit multicultural arts organization, has received a $60,000 Good to Great grant to help build a multicultural children's museum and creative arts center in Hamden, CT. The grant was awarded to P.L.A.C.E. with the support of the Connecticut Department of Economic and Community Development, Office of the Arts, which also receives support from the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. The funds will be used to construct a new entrance addition to the museum's future home in the historic Rectory School Barn, located in Hamden's Town Center Park. P.L.A.C.E. has been working in partnership with the Town of Hamden to renovate the barn so that it can be converted into a vibrant children's museum with the mission to engage the community in the exploration of world cultures, celebrate diversity, and foster lifelong learning through art and play. When complete, the museum will feature an interactive global village, an indoor playscape, state of the art media room, and an art studio. Families will be able to drop in to play or register for ongoing art and film classes.
P.L.A.C.E. has also received support for the project from The New Alliance Foundation, The Connecticut Trust for Historic Preservation, The Hamden Historical Society, and several donors to its First 100 VIP campaign.

An ongoing funding campaign is underway to raise additional funds needed to complete the project and open the new children's museum to the public. If you are interested in contributing to building the children's museum
please click here.

P.L.A.C.E. (Partnerships in Learning and Creative Exploration Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization that provides culturally enriching art and film programs to the Greater New Haven communities and beyond.

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