Rhode Island-based insurance brokerage Starkweather & Shepler has partnered with the Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC), Roger Williams Middle School and Joseph Jenks Middle School to bring 130 students to a performance of Disney's The Lion King on Broadway.
The initiative gave students access to one of Broadway's most prominent productions, with the brokerage covering the cost of attendance for pupils who may not otherwise have had the opportunity to see a live theater performance of this scale.
Roger Williams Middle School is a participant in Turnaround Arts, a national program operating in more than 100 schools across the United States that focuses on integrating the arts into school culture and academic life. The program was founded by former First Lady Michelle Obama.
PPAC has operated arts education programs across Rhode Island for a number of years, with an established focus on introducing students to live theater and expanding access to the performing arts beyond those who can readily afford it. The collaboration with Starkweather & Shepley and the two participating schools extended that reach to students for whom a Broadway production would not typically be within reach.
Starkweather & Shepley's initiative is part of a broader pattern of US insurance companies investing in youth education and community programs, with arts access emerging as a recurring focus alongside mental health and general educational outreach.
In March, Pan-American Life Insurance Group (PALIG) marked its 115th anniversary with a day of service in partnership with KID smART, a New Orleans nonprofit that expands access to arts-rich learning for public school students. The initiative brought together 115 PALIG employees, their families and friends for school beautification projects and outdoor classroom enhancements.
Beyond arts-specific programs, the Cigna Group Foundation has committed $9 million over three years to its Improving Youth Mental Health grant program, distributing more than $7 million to 53 nonprofit organizations across two grant cycles, reaching over 34,000 young people, families and professionals in underserved communities. According to a company press release, the Foundation's 2026 program focuses specifically on social-emotional learning in schools and afterschool settings, trauma-informed services, and family-school partnerships.
The investments reflect a growing recognition across the industry that community engagement, particularly around education and youth development, is a meaningful component of corporate identity for insurance firms operating at the local and regional level.
For specialty brokerages such as Starkweather & Shepley, whose Arts, Culture and Entertainment practice works directly with performing arts organizations, the alignment between client relationships and community investment is particularly direct.
"At Starkweather & Shepley, we believe that access to arts and cultural experiences can have a profound impact on young people," said Stefan Petrella, senior vice preisdent and arts, culture and environment practice director at Starkweather. "We are proud to partner with PPAC and our local schools to help provide students with opportunities that inspire creativity, broaden perspectives, and encourage a lifelong appreciation for the arts."
