Opera Naples has received a $55,000 grant from the Collier Community Foundation.

The grant will support the company’s “Harmony Hub: Theatrical Summer Camp” and “After-school Programs.”

“Harmony Hub” offers training in music, drama and performance at the Wang Opera Center for eligible elementary and middle school students from nearby Title I schools, including Shadowlawn Elementary, Avalon Elementary and East Naples Middle School.  The program also builds on Opera Naples’ Summer Youth Program and after-school programs, which have run for more than 15 years.

The grant will fund assistant teachers, music lab expansion and renovation, and need-based scholarships.

“Every child deserves the chance to discover their voice, both on stage and in life,” said Melanie Kalnins, Executive Director of Opera Naples, per an official press release. “We are tremendously proud of Robin Shuford Frank, our Director of Education and Community Outreach, whose vision and dedication built this program into what it is today. This generous grant from the Collier Community Foundation makes these programs accessible to more children, opening the doors of the Wang Opera Center, at no cost, to students from our neighboring schools. Harmony Hub gives them the training, mentorship and confidence that come from creating something extraordinary together, and their families get to share in that achievement. We are deeply grateful to the Collier Community Foundation for investing in the young people of East Naples.”