Arts Education Information

Founded in 1996, Arts Education For Children Group (AECG ) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing opportunities for artistic and cultural enrichment for the people of Maui. Additionally, AECG is committed to improving the quality of education in our schools by restoring music programs and raising public awareness about the importance of music participation. AECG has grown from a grassroots, parent-driven effort to enrich their own children's lives, to a glowing example of a cooperative, community-wide program. A program that addresses a critical need for arts education and after-school activities among Maui's elementary school aged children. Incorporated as a nonprofit organization in 1998, AECG's mission was dedicated to restoring support for music and arts enrichment programs in Maui's schools and raising public awareness of the positive impact music and arts participation has on students. During the early years, AECG developed and operated successful after school arts and cultural enrichment programs at Sacred Hearts School, Pukalani Elementary, Haleakala Waldorf, Emanuel Lutheran, King Kamehameha III, and The West Maui Boys and Girls Club. The after-school programs were developed to offer quality arts enrichment for students whose parents worked during the after-school hours. The goal was to provide a quality arts and cultural enrichment program at the school so parents did not have to leave work to transport their children to art, music, dance, drama, and vocal classes. The students were given help with homework, snacks, and an opportunity to experience a variety of arts and cultural classes which, in many cases, would have been unaffordable for their parents. The AECG programs initially consisted of three basic components: 1) Daily after-school programs; 2) Day camps on school holidays; and, 3) Summer music and arts enrichment workshops and camps. The main objective of these programs was to expose children to all aspects of the visual and performing arts by creating a positive, nurturing ...