Grand reopening event set for Community School of the Arts

Aug. 29—STORRS MANSFIELD — The Mansfield Parks and Recreation Department will host a grand reopening event for the Community School of the Arts on Monday.

The event will be held from 4 p. m. to 7 p. m. at the Community School of the Arts, 450 South Eagleville Road, Storrs Mansfield.

This event provides an opportunity for adults and young students to learn about all the programs at the school, tour the renovated facility, meet instructors, see programs in action and register for lessons as well as programs for the fall.

During Monday's event, visitors will also get to enjoy performances including excerpts from " The Nutcracker" performed by Miss Kelly Productions, a trumpet duet by the Community Band, a guitar lesson demonstration with new instructor Harry Neumann and a visual arts demonstration from instructor Nancy Cooke- Bunnell.

The next program season for the Community School of the Arts begins after Labor Day, with many programs launching throughout the month of September. Registration is currently open to Mansfield residents and non-residents of all ages.

The Community School of the Arts has a long history of providing arts education to people in the Mansfield area.

The Community School of the Arts began as the Community Music School ( later renamed the Community School of the Arts) at the University of Connecticut.

UConn administered the programs for more than 35 years, primarily at its Depot Campus in Storrs. In 2014, the university partnered with the Mansfield Parks and Recreation Department to continue offering an array of high quality instruction in the arts.

In 2016, the Mansfield Parks and Recreation Department began to run the Community School of the Arts programs independently.

A representative from the Community School of the Arts as well as Mansfield Parks and Recreation Department Director Jay O'Keefe could not be reached for comment for this story.

Follow the Chronicle on Twitter — @ thechroniclect.