The Connecticut Office of the Arts is delighted to welcome Kolton Harris to his new position as Program Associate. In his position, Kolton will be responsible for the Poetry Out Loud program, Arts Workforce Initiative and COA’s “READI-branded” programs for young creatives.
Kolton is an artist, musician, director, facilitator, and creative visionary from Groton, CT. He has worked as an arts administrative leader in various capacities for the past several years, developing arts integration curriculum focused on social justice and youth development. As a creative director, he has directed new works of theater, interdisciplinary events and community-based programming. Through his eclectic approach as a musician, he has positioned himself as a vessel through which hope and unity are expressed in the midst of the harsh realities of the modern world. As a fierce advocate for the centrality of art to the human experience, he has continued to build bridges between arts and different sectors to demonstrate the universal necessity for creativity in all fields and experiences.
Graduating with honors from Connecticut College in 2014 with a BA in English, Kolton’s interest in the power of narrative led to his work with the New London-based nonprofit Writer’s Block InK, an organization that empowers youth to create new works of art for social change, where he served as the Executive Director. His work centers on diversifying representation within arts-based industries and demonstrating the power of the arts to heal, transform and flourish humanity.
