Mission Statement:

Studio Playground fosters individual growth for children in our community by using the performing arts to create social change.

Grant Awards:

Rhode Island Council for the Arts (RISCA), Project in Education Grant, 2024 and 2023

Rhode Island Foundation, Arts in Education Project Grant, 2023

Studio Playground is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible.

Studio Playground fosters individual growth for children in our community by using the performing arts to create social change. Your donation to our 2025 Annual Fund will provide critical support for our programs throughout the year.

To make a donation to our 2025 Annual Fund please use the following link: Donate

“When you’re working on clown as a professional actor, it’s good for flexibility, for range, for emotional intelligence, physical intelligence, and when we offer it to children, one of the concepts we start with is the gift of laughter. Essentially, we’re trying to teach students to be generous with their work. We talk about the health benefits of laughter - the release of endorphins and serotonin, relief from stress. We’re trying to teach them that if they make someone laugh, they’re going to make that person feel better, which in turn may help them live a little longer, and therefore make the world a more compassionate place to live in. If a child is nervous about going onstage, one of the concepts we reiterate to them is that if they make someone laugh, they they’re doing something good for someone else. That’s why we risk it.” Founding Co-Artistic Director, Matthew Bretschneider

We are grateful for your support for our mission as we strive to make accessible arts programming a reality for children in our state. To support our programs in 2025, please use the following link: 2025 Annual Fund.

If you prefer to make your donation via check, please email info@studioplayground.org.

Studio Playground is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. All donations are tax-deductible.

Studio Playground supports students in their individual growth and inspires audiences to engage in meaningful discourse by enacting our core values: inclusivity, empowerment, and social change. We believe all children deserve opportunities for creative enrichments and social-emotional learning benefits derived from arts education programs. Lacking access to programs that build confidence and social awareness divides community members from their resources and deprives children of essential elements for healthy development. Laughter and performing arts entail benefits which transcend socioeconomic status and cultural differences.

Inclusivity: We define inclusion as the ability for all members of society to fully participate in programs from which they derive personal and collective value. By establishing a classroom environment in which students feel seen and respected by teachers and peers, we seek to create spaces that encourage feelings of safety, bravery, and compassion. Please read our EIDA policy for a comprehensive description of our commitment to equity, inclusion, diversity, and accessibility.

Empowerment: Our teaching philosophy is based on meeting students where they are and modeling compassion, respect, and inclusion. By allowing classes to develop to support the needs of individuals, we intend to enhance group dynamics and encourage individual growth for each student. Our programs foster empowerment by teaching the health benefits of laughter, facilitating the physical and emotional benefits of play, and inspiring empathy for younger generations.

Social change: We are guided by the principles of social justice and the importance of human connection. We believe all members of society deserve opportunities to participate in live performance and artistic enrichment. There is a great potential for live performance to inspire social connection, facilitate meaningful discourse, articulate collective values, and heal the wounds of adverse experiences.

Matthew Bretschneider, MSW, LCSW, Chairperson

Elizabeth Henderson, Secretary

Kevin Kelly, Treasurer

Christopher Bayes

Karin Capobianco, MSW, LICSW, PhD

Kimberly Hickey, JD

Stefanie Resnick

Sagree Sharma

Gardner Stratton

If you are interested in volunteering for our organization, please email us at info@studioplayground.org for more information.

Our Commitment to Our Donors

We will not sell, share or trade our donors’ names or personal information with any other entity, nor send mailings to our donors on behalf of other organizations.

This policy applies to all information received by Studio Playground, both online and offline, on any Platform (includes the Givergy website and mobile applications), as well as any electronic, written, or oral communications.

To the extent any donations are processed through a third-party service provider, our donors’ information will only be used for purposes necessary to process the donation.

Your donation makes all the difference. With your support, we can serve the families in our community and make sustainable arts programming a reality in Rhode Island. Donations can be made using our fundraising platform, Givergy, using the following link: Donate.

Thank you for considering making a donation to our scholarship fund. Studio Playground teaches classes for all ages based in clown and physical acting. Our programs create a positive social impact and lead to artistic enrichment in the lives of our students. The beneifts of laughter and movement education include elevating endorphins and serotonin, promoting healthy immune systems and encouraging social-emotional learning. Your donation will create access to arts education and meaningful programs for children in northern Rhode Island.

Many families rely on financial assistance to attend our programs. Your gift will help provide tuition for our weekly classes in Providence and our summer camps in Lincoln Woods State Park. Thank you for sponsoring a child in our community as they experience joy and connection through laughter, clown, and physical acting.

If you prefer to make your donation via check, please email info@studioplayground.org.

Studio Playground is a 501(c)(3) organization. All donations are tax-deductible.