Organization History

Artful Living and Learning, formerly The Artful Living Program, was created in 2007 by Wilbur Arnold and Christopher Craft. Both men were affiliated with the Massillon Museum and were inspired to do something to benefit the children in the Massillon community. They successfully launched the Artful Living and Learning program to utilize the arts to teach Ohio Early Learning and Development Standards, as well as Ohio Fine Arts Standards to preschoolers. The first year’s program started in the Massillon City School District preschool with a collaboration of services provided by the Canton Symphony, The Massillon Museum, The Ananda Center for the Arts, and The Massillon Public Library.
 
The program has steadily expanded throughout the Stark County region and is now reaching more than 3,000 students each week in 24 local public school and affiliated preschools.

Artful Living and Learning is sincerely grateful for the support of numerous foundations (ArtsinStark, the PNC Foundation, The Stark Education Partnership, The Stark Community Foundation, the Paul & Carol David Foundation, the George H. Deuble Foundation, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation, Ohio Arts Council, The Aultman Foundation, and more). In-kind support from the Massillon Museum, the SCESC, and the Massillon City School District, have provided facilities and staff to implement and grow the program.