Opera On Tap Receives Lead Funding From Infosys Foundation USA To Integrate Technology Advancements To Playground Opera Program

Opera on Tap has announced a major grant from Infosys Foundation USA to fund an augmented version of its popular Playground Opera education program. Reimagined as Playground Operatronics, the program will be available to 400 Title 1 classrooms, serving 12,000 students and 400 classroom teachers, at no cost to the participating schools.

The Playground Operatronics curriculum includes all of the existing Playground Opera lessons plus the integration of new technology. Opera on Tap is excited to enter into a partnership with Chibitronics, also a longtime curriculum partner of Infosys Foundation USA for their signature Pathfinders Institute, to facilitate the creation and distribution of this new technology. Chibitronics blends circuit building with arts and crafts using paper circuits so everyone can create and design their own expressive electronics. Using Chibitronics tool kits, students can learn to code and create electronic costume and prop assets such as crowns that light up as well as background scenery that blink and illuminate their opera video performances for their final project. The first of its kind, this exciting new collaboration between Opera on Tap's Playground Opera program and Chibitronics' circuit technologies will be delivered and promoted in partnership with the Infosys Foundation's Pathfinders Online Institute digital learning platform.

OOT Artistic Director Anne Hiatt says "we are so honored to receive this important leadership grant from the Infosys Foundation USA. This critical funding will truly be an arts education game-changer, allowing us to bring STEAM-based learning to more diverse communities, and provide every learner with direct access to key skill sets that will one day be highly-desirable in the tech and creative economies." Kate Maloney, Executive Director of Infosys Foundation USA affirmed "Infosys Foundation USA is committed to advancing innovative ways of bringing computer science and technology to the classroom. We are thrilled to partner with Opera on Tap and Chibitronics to blaze a new trail at the intersection of the arts and tech - and to do so with laser focus on equity in Title 1 classrooms. . We have high hopes for this dynamic program that it will ignite that curious spark in a student's life, and transform it into a life-long passion for the arts and sciences."