Wilton Public Schools | Fine & Performing Arts

Creative leadership, communications and community building. All in support of the arts.

Volunteer Leadership · Arts & Education · Website Design · Branding · Fundraising · Community Engagement · Events · Campaigns

A supporting role

Over several years, I worked extensively with Wilton Public Schools in Connecticut, supporting its fine and performing arts programmes through a range of entirely voluntary roles.

As President of the Theatre Arts Association and Vice President of the Music Boosters, I worked alongside teachers, administrators, fellow volunteers and community organisations to raise the profile of the arts, strengthen fundraising, and create opportunities for students and families to connect with the programmes.

Although these were unpaid positions, the work drew on the full breadth of my professional skills - from communications strategy and creative direction to branding, website development, event planning and campaign management.

The common thread was a commitment to helping the arts thrive.

Connecting the arts across a school district

One of the most significant projects was the development of a new website for the district's Fine and Performing Arts programme (FAPA). The challenge was to communicate something bigger than the activities taking place in individual classrooms or schools.

Wilton's arts education begins with children in kindergarten and continues through elementary, middle, and high school. We wanted families to understand that progression, discover the opportunities available at each stage and see how the different programmes formed part of a connected arts education.

I developed a district-wide website that brought those programmes together, showcased student work and performances, and gave staff a platform to celebrate the creativity happening across the schools.

The result was a more cohesive digital presence for the arts — one that reflected both the breadth of the programme and the people behind it. And it included a comprehensive calendar for arts across the entire district, something parents love to this day!

Theatre online

I also worked with staff to redevelop the Wilton High School theatre website, transforming a basic information site into a much more useful resource for the theatre community.

Alongside showcasing productions, performers and the programme itself, the new site incorporated ticket sales, box-office functionality, and sponsorship opportunities, making it easier for audiences to discover performances and book their seats, and for community members to engage with the program.

Fundraising with imagination

Supporting the arts also meant finding creative ways to raise money, attract attention, and bring people together. So I worked with teams of amazing volunteers to develop and support fundraising campaigns and events that went well beyond traditional appeals.

From Project Prom, an evening wear recycling program, to murder mysteries, curry and quiz nights, cabaret nights with prize draws and one-off show related fundraisers such as the Golden Encore (daffodils that return each year at Wilton High School to remember the high school production of Big Fish), we worked with others in the community to grow our presence and grow a sense of community.

Alongside these larger initiatives, I created theatre lobby displays, promotional materials and other visual elements that helped make performances feel like events — extending the creative experience beyond the stage.

Creating identities for music

My voluntary work also extended into the district's music programmes.

I developed a visual identity for Wilton Choirs, creating a logo that could be used across performance materials and merchandise. I designed programmes for concerts and other performances, and created the branding for Resonance, a Connecticut a cappella festival.

These projects helped give individual ensembles and events a recognisable identity, with designs carried through into printed materials, promotional communications and merchandise.

Each project had its own character, but all were part of a wider effort to celebrate student achievement and build enthusiasm for the arts in Wilton.

Working together to make things happen

Much of this work depended on collaboration. I worked closely with arts educators to understand their priorities, with fellow volunteers to organise events and fundraising, and with community partners to bring new ideas to life.

The creative work was only one part of the process. Just as important was the planning, the problem-solving, the communication (I also worked on the social media marketing for the programs) and the ability to turn an idea into something that people could support and participate in.

Whether developing a district-wide website or organising a fundraising evening, the goal was always to make life easier for the people delivering arts education and to help their work reach a wider audience.

Recognition

My voluntary contributions to Wilton Public Schools' fine and performing arts programmes were recognised through a statewide Connecticut arts advocacy award

It was a particularly meaningful acknowledgement as I “aged out” of the school district of work undertaken on a voluntary basis, alongside a wonderful community of educators, families and supporters who cared deeply about the arts.

The lasting impact

The most rewarding outcomes weren't confined to a single design or event. They were the connections between programmes, the fundraising traditions that continued, the identities that students and families could rally around, and the daffodils that still return each spring (I hope anyone in Wilton reading this remembers to send me a picture next year!)

This work brought together many of the things I value most about communications: understanding the bigger picture, finding creative solutions, making complex programmes more accessible and bringing people together around something really worthwhile.

Although every aspect of this work was voluntary, it remains one of the clearest examples of how thoughtful communications, practical creativity and a collaborative approach can help an organisation and a community flourish.