Grantee Database

Youth ARTS Alive

Grant Year

2026-27

Grant Program

General Operating Support

Award Amount

$15,000.00

Project Description

With support from the California Arts Council, Youth ARTS Alive will use General Operating Support funding to sustain core operations and expand access to free arts education in Santa Maria. Funds will support Executive Director leadership to maintain programs, partnerships, and organizational stability, including collaboration with the City of Santa Maria. Funding will also support teaching artists who provide year-round ukulele, guitar, and visual arts classes, and allow expansion to include dance or baile folklórico. Classes will be offered at no cost to youth. Additional funds will cover program supplies, costumes, and website maintenance to support outreach and registration. This funding ensures consistent program delivery and removes financial barriers for underserved youth.

Organization Summary

In 2017, Santa Barbara County Action Network (SBCAN) became the fiscal sponsor for Youth ARTS Alive so we could provide Free Summer Arts Education for the Youth in under-served neighborhoods of Santa Maria.
YEAR ONE: Four weeks of free classes in Theater, Visual Art, Dance, and Music for 17 youth.
YEAR TWO: Five weeks of class at two sites for 60 youth. We produced our first student Performing and Visual Arts Fiesta for an audience of 125.
YEAR THREE: We added third class site – Los Adobes de Maria, providing 225 class hours of class to 96 students in five weeks. First community non-profit to use the Performing Arts Center at Pioneer Valley High School for our Arts Fiesta for 200 people.
YEAR FOUR: Only summer arts education program in Santa Maria to offer in-person classes. At the Maldonado Youth Center, we educated 60 students (outdoors, in masks) for 3 weeks in Dance, Theatre, Guitar, Ukulele, Drumming, Pottery and Visual Arts, ending each class with a family performance. 20 Los Adobes de Maria students received on-line art classes.
YEAR FIVE: Outdoor program expanded to six weeks, educating 119 students, ending with student performances.
YEAR SIX: Six weeks of classes for 250 students at four locations, including year-round music and art classes at the Santa Maria Valley Discovery Museum, and two Arts Fiestas for 450 people.
YEAR SEVEN: Six weeks of free arts education for 300 students at five locations, adding six weeks of art and music at Mary Buren Elementary School in Guadalupe, plus two Arts Fiestas for 500 people.
YEAR EIGHT: Six weeks of classes for 350 students at our five locations, plus two Arts Fiestas for 500 people.
YEAR NINE: Five weeks of Classes for 400 students ar our five locations, plus One Grand Arts Fiesta for 300 people.

Organization

Youth ARTS Alive

Address

2242 Fallen Leaf Drive

Santa Maria

93456

County

Santa Barbara

Region

Central Coast

Website

Email

Congressional District

24th District

State Assembly District

District 35

State Senate District

District 19

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