We’re in a time of many changes, changes that are the direct result of the Trump Administration’s vision for the United States. Within his First 100 Days in office, the Trump administration pulled grant funding for many arts organizations, including one right here in Stratford.
Grants are the lifeline for organizations, artists, journalists, and other creatives to simply do their work in order to sustain themselves. In some cases, grants from the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) help to fund entire departments and positions, which now have been cut back or eliminated completely. In 2012 Kristin Huffman founded the New Paradigm Theatre, a local nonprofit whose mission is to promote social responsibility and foster creative problem solvers, leaders, and global citizens through theatre arts education and productions. The NEA provided the New Paradigm Theatre with a $10,000 grant in 2024. “We used it for our ‘Sustainable Harmony’ program that feeds into our summer productions,” Kristin said. “The money allowed us to give scholarships to local students who need assistance, and provide some help with transportation, too. It also helped us to pay for teachers. Our admin staff is completely volunteer, including me as artistic director, so all our funding goes to programming.”
For organizations like the New Paradigm Theatre, losing their $10,000 grant from the NEA means they need to figure out how to achieve their mission with volunteers, instead of a paid staff. According to the founder, this is not a sustainable approach. The NEA grant is a valuable asset when seeking the support of other grant sources, as well.
This summer, the New Paradigm Theatre will put on Hairspray, a show set in 1962 Baltimore, Maryland, when a young girl, Tracy, becomes an overnight sensation after winning a dance competition on a TV show. The New Paradigm Theatre’s actors will take the stage with performances August 8th through August 10th at Stratford High School. Tickets range from $10-$50 and are on sale now. The cast will lead a post-show Talk Back after the show on August 9th, and a pre-show talk on August 10th.
One of NPT’s goals is to foster creative problem solving, leadership, and becoming global citizens, and what better way to help youth make sense of the world we’re living in, than by helping them express themselves creatively. NPT connects youth with both civic engagement and new experiences.
Kristin shared this with the Crier: “Our theatre has always promoted social justice initiatives attached to every show we produce (for this one it’s the Ruby and Calvin Fletcher African American History museum in Stratford), so that our youth learn about the arts, but also about how the arts can connect and highlight a community need. We are most interested in developing young leaders, in addition to young artists. Right now the arts have an important role to play in terms of standing up for what is right and just. This show just happens to come at the right time for NPT, and we are using our momentum to lean in and educate our youth.” To learn more about the work of the organization, please visit their website.
You can learn more about The New Paradigm Theatre here and purchase tickets for Hairspray.
