Kaleidoscope in the Schools

Students enjoying Fana Soro’s drumming workshop

Kaleidoscope in the Schools (KITS) is a unique school-based program created by the Aurora Cultural Centre. The program elements include fully subsidized in-school performances and workshops by professional performing artists, as well as professional development resources to enable pre- and post-show activities.

The KITS program offers a curated season of four live performing arts productions throughout the year for schools to choose from that are uniquely tied to the Ontario Ministry of Education’s Elementary Curriculum. The Aurora Cultural Centre’s long-term goal is to afford every child in Aurora from JK to grade 4 the opportunity to participate in a live performing arts production. We believe the KITS program opens doors to creativity and tolerance and creates lasting positive memories through a shared experience of the arts.

The Aurora Cultural Centre feels a strong responsibility that arts experiences should be available to all children regardless of their background, as these experiences have the ability to shape a child’s values, open them up to new ideas and cultures, and make them more compassionate as they grow to be the next generation of leaders. The artistic work we bring into the schools mirrors our community’s diversity so students see themselves on stage or learn about new cultures and traditions. We believe the arts have the power to engage, inspire, and transform each and every individual. The arts spark creative  thought, transform perception, and provide a catalyst for conversation. It engages the mind and body, awakens the senses, and calms the spirit.

The KITS program is designed to follow a carefully-crafted trajectory to maximize the child’s engagement with the arts activity. The intended outcomes of the KITS program are depicted in the Journey of the Child.

Journey of the Child

Bringing these productions into the schools serves a number of outcomes:

1. By removing the cost to the parent/guardian, the program allows children of all economic backgrounds to have equitable access to the arts regardless of their home environment/situation
2. Children with exceptionalities including accessibility needs, behavior challenges, and learning disabilities can attend the performances from the comfort of their school environment;
3. We mitigate the challenges of offsite activities for many schools where bus costs and logistics become major barriers by bringing the production into the school;
4. We will reach a larger audience of children than can currently fit in our performance space; and
5. The KITS program allows the Aurora Cultural Centre to break out of our four walls and have a deeper impact in the community.

Want to Donate?

Visit our KITS4KIDS campaign page below

2022-2023 Season

Principals and administrative staff, discover what’s upcoming this season!