When the Kevin C. Kynock Foundation for the Arts launched its Kynock Trips program bringing underserved youth to live performances for free in 2019, no one knew that theaters and concert halls would soon shut down and not resume normal operations for nearly three years.
The success of the 2019 pilot program, which brought a group of 25 young children from Boston to see The Frogs at the Boston Conservatory, earned us funding for more trips from Eastern Bank. However, it took us until the summer of 2022 to start bringing young people back to see live performances.
In 2022, we were able to fund a small contingent of families from South Boston and Dorchester to see 1776 at the American Repertory Theater. However, COVID vaccination protocols still made it difficult to bring a larger group to see a performance.
Finally, in May 2023, we were able to bring a group of 30 students from the all-girls Esperanza Academy in Lawrence to see Bud, Not Buddy at the Wheelock Family Theater in Boston. Funded in part by a generous gift from Eastern Bank, the trip provided an opportunity to see live theater in Boston free of charge. For many of the students it was their first time seeing live theater.
The teachers from Esperanza Academy said after the trip:
“We would not have had this opportunity without [the Kynock Foundation] and its hard work…The experience made a difference to our students and sparked a love of theater!”
The experience included a chance for the group to have a Q&A with the actors of the play.
The goal of the Kynock Trips is to help introduce more young people to the arts who otherwise wouldn’t have the opportunity to experience live theater and music. The response to the trip from the students was exceptionally positive.
“I loved the sets and the performance. I don’t have a favorite because I love all of them!”
“We appreciate you planning our fun trip! We appreciate that the actors took the time to do the play and for the Q&A!”
“Thank you for planning and organizing our trip. I’m so happy and it was an amazing trip!”
The Kevin C. Kynock Foundation for the Arts thanks Eastern Bank for its generous support of this program.
