The Arts Access Initiative is a program of the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation that offers year-round, high-quality, diverse arts experiences at no cost to participants. The initiative includes four programs designed to reach different audiences, including children, their families, and the underserved community at large. Those programs include Arts Education, Community Access, Young Audience Series and free evening programming at Freeman Arts Pavilion. Each year, more than 50% of all programming provided by the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation is free for participants through our Arts Access Initiative.
Arts Education
- The Arts Education program provides enrichment and engagement for students and teachers throughout the school year. Grounded in the National Core Arts Standards, we work with artists as partners who provide both immersive programs and schoolwide assembly performances in music, art, theatre, media arts, poetry, and dance. From engaging students in the pre-k and elementary grade levels by cultivating an interest in the various art forms, to supporting career pathways for students in high school, we partner with all ages throughout the entire school system community.
- Our commitment is to provide live arts experiences for every child at least six times while attending pre-K through 12th grade in the schools we serve.
- We continue to broaden our engagement and guidance with the educational community through our Arts Education Advisory Group. Thanks to these educators and community members, the Joshua M. Freeman Foundation is providing teacher enrichment through professional development opportunities. As our Arts Education program grows, we look forward to partnering with arts educators to provide innovative and immersive programs in their schools and beyond.
Community Partners
- The Community Partners program builds relationships and connections throughout Delmarva by way of partnerships with fellow nonprofit organizations that serve our communities. We work together to offer the community new opportunities to experience diverse arts programming at no cost.
- Our partners include childcare and after-school clubs, at-risk youth programs, transitional living programs, organizations that provide hospital and respite housing, community action and empowerment networks, veterans organizations and diverse faith-based organizations and programs.
- During the summer season, we host partner organizations and the people they serve for live performances at our venue. In the off-season, we work with our partners to broaden access to the arts by presenting programs onsite where children, families and communities of which they are a part, can experience the arts together.
Young Audience Series
The Young Audience Series is a children’s programming series offered from May to September at Freeman Arts Pavilion. This live arts series is geared toward children in pre-k to grade 5, presented weekly at no cost to participants. The performances are diverse, genre-varying, high-quality arts experiences with artists from around the region, including award-winning children’s artists. The Young Audience Series creates an opportunity for our community at large to have a family-friendly experience and allows young children exposure to various types of arts through engagement, education and connection.
Free Programming
From May through September, Freeman Arts Pavilion offers a variety of evening performances that are free to attend. The free programming includes high-quality and family-friendly live arts performances that engage the community at large and create an opportunity for individuals and families to come together at Freeman Arts Pavilion for a cultural connection. Genres include dance, music, theater, comedy, and a variety of ethnically and racially diverse programming to represent the Delmarva region and beyond.
