With support from the California Arts Council, ArtsUP! LA will be able to keep our four FTE of administrative staff employed; connect our 1,081 participants and 28 artists to their creativity and communities; and allow us to re-open The Blue Door when it is safe to do so.
ArtsUP! provides the following core programs:
*Theatre by the Blind* is the only entirely blind theatre troupe in the country performing original works.
*ArtsUP! Studios* features onscreen productions created through our various programs, including Film by the Blind and our monthly webseries “What’s Up, LA!”
*Rex & Friends* provides musical training and performance opportunities for individuals who are blind or autistic.
*Veterans Empowerment Theatre* uses theatre as a form of art therapy, encouraging military veterans to use artistic expression to find a path to overcome addiction, effectively deal with PTSD, build job skills, and reintegrate into society.
*Creative Youth Theatre* teaches underserved students valuable life skills inherent to the play-making process including teamwork, conflict resolution, public speaking, and responsibility.
*The Butterfly Effect* is a school assembly program, featuring actors from Theatre by the Blind. Students learn how the performing arts can help people explore the space between disability and possibility while facilitating dialogue and interaction between students and people with disabilities.