Grantee Database Results

With support from the California Arts Council, LATINO CENTER OF ART AND CULTURE will debut a multi-month programming series that links elders in the community with youth for sessions of storytelling, artistic expression, and community-building. Funds from the CAC will cover the facilitation and artistic direction of the series, the supplies and rental fees for the space, and translation services (a critical component given the primarily Latinx recently immigrated and first-generation service population of LCAC)

LCAC produces El Arte del Pueblo, a multidisciplinary series of events that engage community in art creation, and strengthens identity through the interpretation of significant Latino cultural traditions including El Panteón de Sacramento/Dia de los Muertos, Dia del Niño, and Fiesta de Frida.

Our Visual Arts Program uses our gallery space to support and amplify local and emerging artists. Artists are supported with a stipend and provided with mentorship.

Our Community Service Program offers our space to organizations in need of exhibitions, events, or performance space.

Our Volunteer Engagement Program offers community service and leadership opportunities to youth and adults. Our program supports academic and court-mandated community service.

Our Individual Artist Program provides low cost studio space to artists.

Our Youth Program teaches youth traditional dances from Mexico and leadership skills to strengthen positive and community identity.

ArtReach will lead a youth-driven mural project at Palomar Elementary School in Chula Vista, a community identified as high-priority on the California Healthy Places Index. Through after-school workshops, ArtReach Teaching Artists will guide students in exploring identity, culture, and community through visual storytelling and collaborative design. Youth will work alongside a lead mural artist and teen mural artist apprentices to co-create a large-scale mural that reflects their shared vision. The project will include a community paint day and culminate in a public dedication event.

CAC funds will support artist wages, stipends for teen mural artist apprentices, mural and workshop supplies, and event materials. This project will provide equitable access to high-quality arts learning while fostering transformation of space, collaboration, pride, self-expression, and creative leadership for youth who have historically lacked access to the arts.

ArtReach San Diego is a nonprofit organization committed to increasing access to visual arts education for youth, especially those from under-resourced schools and communities.

ArtReach offers the following programs:

In-School Programs: These programs utilize an inquiry-based, standards-aligned, and sequential curriculum designed to foster creativity, critical thinking, and self-expression. With a strong focus on supporting social-emotional learning goals, the lessons help students build confidence, resilience, and emotional awareness through artistic exploration.

Mural Programs: ArtReach engages youth in collaborative public art projects, where they design and create large-scale murals that promote teamwork, community pride, and artistic achievement. Additionally, ArtReach offers commercial mural projects that provide youth apprentices with real-world work experience, helping to support reduced-cost murals for Title I schools.

Community Programs: ArtReach hosts accessible art workshops and classes for families and individuals in a variety of settings, including our two in-house art studios, libraries, and community centers. These workshops focus on process-based techniques led by local artists, creating opportunities for authentic connection through the arts.

ArtReach employs local artists as teaching artists, ensuring that its programs not only deliver valuable arts education but also support the local creative economy. These programs are offered county-wide, providing free or low-cost services to Title I schools and underserved communities across San Diego County.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Kaleidoscope Chamber Orchestra will use this grant to support our musicians and staff, offering masterclasses and side-by-side performance opportunities for high school and middle students in Santa Monica and surrounding areas as part of the 2026 Santa Monica Music Festival.

Founded in 2014, Kaleidoscope has performed over 300 concerts throughout Southern California from venues ranging from Walt Disney Concert Hall to homeless shelters on Skid Row. Kaleidoscope has been especially known for their commitment to diversity and new music, with premieres of over 100 works, substantial programming of music by women and people of color, performances of large orchestral works like Mahler and Shostakovich Symphonies without a conductor, and frequent performances at schools, hospitals, homeless shelters, and other community organizations. To address income inequality and help build new audiences for classical music, most of Kaleidoscope’s public concerts are free admission with a suggested donation.

With support from the California Arts Council, Unscripted Learning will sustain and expand our Connections Program, an improvisational theatre initiative for youth with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) across San Diego County. Serving individuals up to age 24, the program fosters communication, teamwork, leadership, and creative expression in an inclusive, strengths-based setting. Each year, thousands of teens with ASD age out of school-based services, losing vital support. Connections fills this gap, currently serving 30 participants weekly—and demand is growing. Grant funding will sustain three weekly classes and help launch a fourth, reaching more youth on our waiting list. As arts funding faces cuts at all levels, CAC support is more critical than ever. Without it, Unscripted Learning may be forced to reduce services, limiting access to this proven, transformative program.

Developed in conjunction with the National Comedy Theatre in 2017, Unscripted Learning uses improvisational theatre to teach the concepts of teamwork, leadership, and creative problem solving as well as teaching improv skills and theory. Programs include:

Connections: An improvisational theatre program for teenagers and young adults on the autism spectrum.
Kids and Teens Programs: Unscripted Learning uses improv comedy to teach teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership in addition to performance skills, while providing a forum for students to have fun in a wholesome, supportive environment.
Active Minds: An educational program, designed exclusively for seniors, that teaches improvisational acting techniques and skills to improve cognitive ability, foster brain health, broaden creative expression and help increase social interaction.

With support from the California Arts Council, Stay Arts will expand access to our Stay Young! Youth Art Classes by launching a financial aid and scholarship program during the Spring and Summer 2026 seasons. This initiative will reduce cost-related barriers for families and ensure more students can participate in our high-quality, community-based classes.

Offered weekly for K–8 youth, the program provides consistent, culturally relevant arts education in a region where creative opportunities remain limited. Our curriculum integrates social-emotional learning and supports skill-building, self-expression, and connection. Classes are led by professional teaching artists from Southeast Los Angeles and held in our safe, welcoming studio in Downtown Downey. CAC funding will make it possible for us to offer a combination of full and partial tuition support, reaching approximately 80 students who might otherwise be unable to participate.

We create welcoming spaces and meaningful opportunities for people of all ages to engage with the arts. Each year, our programs reach thousands of students, families, and artists at Stay Studio and across Southeast Los Angeles. Through exhibitions, commissions, and teaching opportunities, we support local artists while connecting the voices of our region with communities across Los Angeles and beyond.

Arts Education – We provide high-quality visual and performing arts education through school partnerships across the region, youth classes at Stay Studio, and mentorship opportunities for young artists. Grounded in social-emotional learning, cultural relevance, and process-based artmaking, our programs build confidence, support mental and emotional wellbeing, and nurture a lifelong relationship with the arts.

Art Projects – We work with organizations on commissioned murals, art installations, and custom creative projects that enrich and transform public spaces. As a bridge between artists and large-scale opportunities, we prioritize representation and fair compensation that ensures artists are valued and reflected in the cultural landscape.

Community Arts – Our community offerings inspire creativity and connection at Stay Studio and throughout the region. Rooted in the grassroots spirit that shaped Stay Arts, they reflect our deep responsiveness to community needs. Through exhibitions, art markets, public events, and interactive experiences, we create accessible ways for people of all ages to engage with the arts and celebrate local creativity.

Stay Studio – Stay Studio is a creative space in Downtown Downey operated by Stay Arts. We host weekly art classes for youth and adults, public programs like Paint & Sip and Family Paint Day, and select exhibitions and workshops throughout the year. The studio is a welcoming place for hands-on learning, artistic exploration, and meaningful community connection. Since 2012, it has been a cultural anchor in Southeast LA and a creative home for artists, students, and families alike.

The PLUS ME Project will help youth affected by 2025 fires process their experiences by writing their stories, compile those stories, and publish a book that champions these students and adds their voices to the record of these historic events.

Guest Speakers PLUS ME – bringing relatable role models into schools to share their stories with students
Storytellers PLUS ME – guiding students through learning how to build, create, and share their personal narratives

The Balboa Art Conservation Center (BACC), California’s only publicly accessible nonprofit art conservation organization, submits this proposal in support of its mission to advance the study and preservation of cultural heritage for all communities. Funding will support BACC’s youth arts education programming. BACC is the only regional conservation center introducing art conservation as a field of study and career path to California youth. At the intersection of science, art, and technology, BACC engages youth through hands-on activities, lab tours, art imaging demos, and interactive learning experiences at schools, community fairs, and onsite visits. This proposal connects California-based indigenous artist collaborative, Meztli Project, with BACC conservators to enhance an existing science-based approach to youth arts education, highlighting indigenous knowledge and artistic practice with BACC’s work to democratize cultural heritage preservation practices.

The Balboa Art Conservation Center works closely with museums, libraries, cultural centers, and historical societies to provide collections surveys, conservation treatment, and educational programs. While there are more than 36,000 museums and historic houses in the nation, only 1% have a conservator on site. The rest of these institutions must rely on outside sources, like BACC, for their conservation. We offer programs for museums and culture centers focused on collections care including Emergency Preparedness Workshops, Art and Cultural Heritage Object Clinics, and lectures on conservation and preservation at community colleges, universities, and museums. We also provide education and outreach programs about conservation to the community.
For more than 45 years, BACC has been fulfilling its mission as a nonprofit art conservation and cultural preservation organization to provide conservation and preservation services for works of art, cultural objects, and historic artifacts. Its highly trained conservators offer a rigorous and scientific approach to the preservation, examination, and treatment of cultural heritage objects. As a nonprofit organization, BACC is committed to benefiting the public good by supporting training and education opportunities and partnering with stewards of community cultural collections. Programs include Collections Care Support; Capacity Building; Education & Creative Workforce Development; Artists Technical Assistance & Professional Development; and community led conservation projects. BACC is expanding access to the field of conservation to historically underrepresented communities by growing the existing knowledge base to include culturally conscious and responsive methods of conservation and preservation.

The Next Generation Program is a professional development program for fifteen disadvantaged young people in Oakland, aged 18-25. Through a constellation of learning experiences, the program is designed to foster practical life skills while increasing participants’ access to the arts, both as audience members and practitioners.

The goal of NextGen is to: amplify young people’s belonging in the arts, stimulate personal creativity, develop an understanding of theater craft, and provide hands-on professional experience to bolster personal and career development.

The Oakland Theater Project was founded in 2012 by Michael Socrates Moran, William Hodgson, and Colin Mandlin in Oakland, CA. Formerly named Ubuntu Theater Project, we were founded on the value of Ubuntu, which means “I am because we are” and therein “my humanity is tied to yours.” We seek to explore the ways in which theater can act as a vehicle to reveal and invigorate the latent interconnectedness in humanity and society. To achieve this, our organization roots itself in radical inclusivity by empowering diverse artists and staff and offering every professional production at pay-what-you-can pricing.

Oakland Theater Project began with 3 annual summer theater festivals featuring 14 plays in site-specific locations across the Bay Area. In 2016, Oakland Theater Project launched its first full mainstage season and has produced over 75 unique productions and is the only year-round professional theater company in Oakland, CA.

On top of our bold theatrical productions, we produce workshops and readings, an independent artist series, and offer educational programs serving both adults and youth. Our workshops and readings provide opportunities to develop new plays and help to give vital advancement to new and emerging playwrights of color who have additional barriers to producing work. Lastly, when we offer training and development to low-income artists of color we also build professional pipeline opportunities by partnering with external organizations like Laney College and Oakland School for the Arts.

With support from the California Arts Council, Riverside Art Museum will expand youth access and exposure to the work of local artists – keepers of our cultural heritage – who tell the stories, traditions and histories of the people and places of our region. In collaboration with local artists, RAM staff will develop hands-on art making lessons that will be piloted with high school students as part of their visit / tour of the museum.

RAM’s two sites complement one another, often hosting exhibitions or events that create synergy between the spaces. Since opening The Cheech, RAM has welcomed over 250,000 guests to our dual sites, received well over 500 media mentions, mounted diverse and significant exhibitions, introduced over 50,000 students to Chicano art and artists via RAM’s school-based Art-to-Go programming, and engaged 15,000 K-12 and college students via Walk & Wonder museum tours.
*In 2024, between both sites, twenty-one exhibitions have featured 871 objects by 232 artists. With these exhibitions our goal is to amplify local, Chicana/o/x, and marginalized voices and uphold artistic expression that increases empathy and understanding.
*Exhibitions originating at The Cheech continue to tour nation-wide. For example, Collidoscope in partnership with the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Latino has been on tour since 2023 and is booked into 2026.
*Accessibility to our sites is critically important to us, and we are grateful to the Art Bridges Foundation for being a part of their Access for All initiatives. This allowed us to provide free access to visitors on Sundays from June 2, 2024 to September 1, 2024 (this program will continue through summer 2025 and 2026).
*We steward over 1600 pieces (primarily works on paper) in a survey collection, plus approximately 500 Chicano art works
* Art education provides youth art in the schools, programs for at-promise teens in detention facilities, museum-based classes from drawing to pro-create to film making, and adult art workshops and programs.
*Creative placemaking projects such as community informed and co-create murals beautify neighborhoos and build social cohesion.
*Interpretation programming includes docent lead tours for school children, college students and adults; Bloomberg connects digital programming, and other exhibition-related programming.

With support from the California Arts Council, PLAZA DE LA RAZA will present the Mariachi Juvenil Ensemble, a music education program serving approximately 50 local youth ages 13–21. Through rigorous training in Mariachi music and cultural education, students will develop academic, physical and cognitive skills while preparing for public performances. Participation requires discipline and dedicated practice, fostering leadership, community engagement and civic pride. As the jewel of Plaza’s School of Performing and Visual Arts, the ensemble provides a pathway for youth to engage their community through performance and artmaking, fostering leadership through the arts.

Plaza de la Raza plays a vital role in the larger arts ecosystem of Los Angeles County and Southern California. The organization serves as a hub for artists, educators, and community members seeking to collaborate and develop innovative arts and cultural programming. With the center’s impressive collection of classes, workshops, performances and exhibitions, Plaza de la Raza is a unique experience that combines education and tradition. Plaza’s School of Performing and Visual Arts (SPVA) offers weekly after-school classes on a quarterly schedule to local children and youth in a variety of traditional and folk disciplines, at low or no cost. The center’s primary constituency is comprised of low-income families residing in the surrounding community of Lincoln Heights, East Los Angeles and welcomes 50,000 guests annually from throughout the region. Plaza’s student ensemble groups include a Student Folklorico and Youth Mariachi led by local cultural bearers, masters in their field. Plaza’s student companies regularly perform at community-based venues and events throughout LA County as ambassadors of the arts and edify the success of SPVA training. Plaza’s presenting programs include past guests such as Los Lobos, Bela Lewitzki, Ozomatli and Culture Clash, art exhibitions including the first major Frida Kahlo show in 1987, and the highly popular Chicano Collection, presented by Cheech Marin. Plaza also hosts an energetic list of year-round programs anchored by four annual public festivals marking Mexica New Year, Día del Niño, Día de los Muertos and a year-end Holiday Toy Drive and Celebration.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Mariachi Women’s Foundation will partner with LAUSD’s Beyond the Bell program to expand access to culturally relevant arts education for youth in seven East Los Angeles middle and high schools. Students will attend out-of-school mariachi workshops at Garfield High School, led by professional mariachi musicians. These workshops will offer youth meaningful opportunities to connect with their cultural heritage, build artistic skills, and develop confidence and creative voice. Participants will form a positive social network of like-minded peers and establish mentoring relationships with professional musicians. This program promotes lifelong engagement in the arts and fosters a deeper understanding of identity, history, and community through mariachi music. Youth will emerge as culturally literate, creative citizens with the tools to participate in and contribute to the arts.

Core Programs and Services include:

1. MARIACHI MUSIC PERFORMANCE
a. The Annual International Mariachi Women’s Festival – held in Los Angeles, mariachi women’s group from California, the U.S. and abroad (Mexico, Canada, and Europe) participate.
b. The Mariachi Women Warriors Tour – Mariachi women’s groups travel and are presented in venues outside of Southern California. The tour provides mariachi women with performance opportunities, highlights their important role as cultural bearers, and exposes new communities to mariachi women’s performances.

2. MARIACHI MUSIC EDUCATION
a. The Mariachi Women’s Music Institute – Provides teaching opportunities for mariachi women. Additionally, mariachi music workshops are provided with a special focus on teaching the two instruments women are most discouraged to learn, trumpet and guitarron (bass).
b. Mariachi Pathways for Youth – Provides youth training opportunities through i) The Mariachi Youth Showcase – a stage for local and visiting youth mariachi groups ii) Mariachi Instruction & Performance Demonstrations in collaboration with school districts and community organizations iii) Mariachi Femenil for Girls – training for youth all female mariachi groups and iv) The Mariachi College and Career Conference – provides guidance on linking mariachi experience and skills to both music and non-music college degrees (i.e. STEM, Medical, Humanities) and professional careers.

3. COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT
Community presentations (i.e. talks, exhibits and films) dialogues, performance demonstrations and cross-cultural exchanges that highlight the performances, history, culture, and lived experiences of mariachi women and girls.

With $25,000 support from the California Arts Council, Local Color will provide our free Color Me Rad program during spring and summer breaks for three cohorts of ten historically underserved 11-17-year-old students (30 total) who are considering professional careers in the arts. Led by professional teaching artists, students learn one medium (i.e. murals, screen printing, lithograph, etc.); create a completed artwork; learn how to market, showcase and price their artwork; receive professional development such as how to build a portfolio, write an artist statement, and create an online presence; practice being in the public eye by doing interviews, talking in front of a camera, and talking about themselves as artists and their artwork; receive a stipend to honor their artistic labor; and have opportunities to sell their artwork to the public.

Public Art & Creative Services engages with artists for innovative projects with creative freedom and equitable pay to produce vibrant works representative of the unique perspectives in San José.

The Creative Spaces program provides gallery and affordable workspaces for creatives, organizers, and groups.

Local Commons (Fiscal Sponsorship) fosters sustainability for local artists & organizers by leveraging our 501.c.3. status to expand access to grant funding and other resources for self-directed creative projects.

Arts Educations provides custom-designed art-making opportunities built to empower next-generation creative advocates on an off the campus.

Creative Experiences connects Artists & Creatives to meaningful opportunities, contracting them to facilitate workshop activities for the local community.

The Community Action League (TCAL) seeks CAC General Operating Support to sustain and expand its Music & Youth Empowerment: Peer Advocacy & Substance Use Prevention program—an arts-based initiative serving low-income, justice-involved, and system-impacted youth in the Antelope Valley. This dynamic program blends music production, digital arts, and performance with peer advocacy, healing-centered engagement, and leadership development. CAC funding will support staffing, program delivery, and operational capacity to ensure consistent, culturally relevant access to creative expression and mentorship. Youth participants engage in DJing, songwriting, recording, and video production while building life skills and forming positive peer networks. This funding will help TCAL deepen its impact, retain experienced teaching artists, and expand outreach to underserved youth populations through the power of arts, culture, and community voice.

The Community Action League (TCAL) empowers underrepresented individuals and families in the Antelope Valley through a comprehensive suite of programs that promote healing, self-sufficiency, and leadership development. Our core programs include the Music & Youth Empowerment initiative, which uses music, digital arts, and peer advocacy to help youth build resilience, leadership skills, and substance use awareness. We also offer Violence Prevention and Survivor Support services for victims of domestic violence, sex trafficking, and community violence, providing hardship assistance, trauma-informed support, and community education. Our Seniors First program reduces isolation among older adults by offering volunteer-based companionship, household assistance, and transportation services.
Additionally, TCAL strengthens economic mobility through Workforce Development and Economic Empowerment initiatives, delivering job readiness training and technology skills support to justice-impacted and unemployed individuals. Our Community Advocacy and Civic Engagement efforts further amplify local voices, equipping residents to advocate for equitable policies that address housing, healthcare, education, and economic opportunity. Through these interconnected programs, TCAL builds stronger, healthier communities rooted in dignity, opportunity, and collective action.

Rainbow Labs seeks funding from the California Arts Council to support its 12-week Storytelling Lab, a visual arts and mentorship program for LGBTQIA+ youth in South Los Angeles. Youth ages 12–18 explore visual arts while developing self-expression and cultural identity through guided workshops led by LGBTQIA+ artist mentors. The program includes foundational visual arts training, individualized project development, two arts-based field trips, and culminates in a public youth-led art show at the DTLA Proud Art Gallery. CAC funds will directly support artist stipends, mentor compensation, art supplies, and field trip costs. All programming is free and accessible, with meals, materials, and transportation provided.

Rainbow Labs empowers LGBTQIA+ youth across Los Angeles County through mentorship, creative programming, and community-based initiatives that center joy, identity, and leadership. Serving youth ages 12–18, the organization offers five core programs that foster personal growth, connection, and future success. The Storytelling Lab provides a safe, creative space for youth to explore identity and self-expression through arts, narrative, and mentorship, often enhanced by cultural field trips. The Innovation Lab connects youth with LGBTQIA+ mentors in STEM, offering hands-on experiences in areas like coding, robotics, and virtual reality, while showing how innovation and identity intersect. Sports Lab promotes wellness, teamwork, and resilience through inclusive, affirming athletic activities, including seasonal programs like Run Club and a Youth Softball League. Leadership Lab empowers youth to advise organizational programming, engage in service learning, and build leadership and advocacy skills, guided by regular mentorship and community engagement. Finally, One Bold Summer is a four-week immersive experience where youth rotate through the Labs, deepening their skills in creativity, leadership, and self-confidence, culminating in a youth-led celebration. Through all of these programs, Rainbow Labs cultivates the next generation of queer and trans leaders in a space where they are seen, supported, and celebrated.

Ayudando Latinos a Sonar proposes to develop a two-week cultural arts summer camp that offers children a comprehensive introduction to Mexican folk traditions through dance, music, and crafts. The camp will provide classes in Mexican folk dance, Mariachi music, and traditional Mexican crafts, giving participants a holistic and engaging cultural experience.

CAC grant funds will be used to support teaching artist compensation, curriculum development, program coordination, and the purchase of necessary materials and instruments. This project will create an inclusive, culturally relevant learning environment that builds self-confidence, cultural pride, and artistic skills in youth.

Through this summer camp, Ayudando Latinos a Sonar will celebrate the vibrant traditions of Mexican culture, foster artistic development, and strengthen community connections, ensuring that every child has the opportunity to engage with their heritage in meaningful and joyful ways.

ALAS is a cultural arts program that is built on foundations of community, social justice, social work, education and the arts. We are the only Latino non profit and cultural arts program on the Coast. Ayudando Latinos A Soñar was born out of the need to create opportunities for our youth to engage in identity development, embrace cultural traditions, dance, sing and have opportunities to learn music and dream forward. ALAS’ work is centered on using the cultural arts as a foundation of entry point for our community. Our program focuses on but is not limited to working with Latino youth and their families living in our rural community.Teaching the rich traditions of Mexican Ballet Folklorico and the music of Mariachi to our youth, ALAS host weekly classes to engage the youth in the arts. With a commitment to growth and leadership of our youth in the arts, we perform regularly around the Bay Area at community events, schools, Universities and yearly performance events

With support from the California Arts Council, Berkeley Symphony’s Music in the Schools program will provide high-quality arts education programming to 4700 Berkeley public school students. The program will serve K-12 students with over 200 in-class sessions, 100 rehearsals and prep sessions, and 21 in-school concerts, as well as opportunities to perform alongside the professional symphony and specialized support programs for BIPOC students.

Symphonic and Chamber Music Concerts: four symphonic concerts and four chamber music concerts each year.

Public Education Series in Partnership with the Berkeley Unified School District: Music in the Schools offers a total of 200 in-class sessions led by Berkeley Symphony (BSO) musicians and eleven “Meet the Symphony” concerts, one at each BUSD elementary school each year. Six “I’m a Performer!” concerts at BUSD elementary schools each Spring, providing young musicians opportunities to rehearse and perform alongside Berkeley Symphony musicians.

All Music in the Schools programming is provided 100% free of charge for children and their families.

Launched in 2022, the Music in the Schools program expanded to include an initiative titled “Elevate” which bridges the gap for BIPOC students at key transition points in BUSD instrumental music engagement: third grade, where students select their primary instrument, sixth grade, where students shift from music being required to being an elective, and twelfth grade, where students need guidance during the college application process.

Also launched in 2022 was the Students at the Symphony program which provides K-12 students with free admission to all symphonic concerts, with $15 adult companion tickets.

With support from the California Arts Council, GIRLS ROCK SB (now known as Amplify Art Project) will implement the Cuyama Valley Teaching Artist Residency, serving 200 K-12 students in the rural, under-resourced Cuyama Joint Unified School District (CJUSD), where access to arts education is virtually nonexistent. Amplify’s immersive program model reduces economic, geographic, and linguistic barriers to participation by offering three weeks of fully subsidized arts learning, led by teaching artists who live in the community and deliver 100+ hours of music, multimedia, and creative arts instruction. This year’s artist in residence, Al Oard, will guide students through hands-on sound experimentation, music production, and creative design building their own microphones. Students participate during school hours, after-school workshops, open studio time, and community events – culminating in a free public showcase celebrating youth voice and creativity.

Amplify’s current programs and services include:

Amplify Summer Camp: Offering both day camp and sleep-away options, our award-winning immersive summer program provides instruction in music, creative arts, and cultural expression. Through a lens of mentorship, empowerment, and leadership development, this program allows campers to enroll in immersives that include Rock Band Intensive, Bass, Drums, Guitar, Keys, Vocals, Musical Theater, Music Production, Music Video Making, Hip Hop Dance, and Photography. In Summer 2024 we hosted 256 campers.

Syryn Records: Amplify’s hybrid virtual/in-person youth-run record label and internship program offers young women a safe and empowering entryway into the music industry. Collectively, each cohort of interns focuses on female teenagers/young adult artists signed to their label. Interns shepherd signed musicians through managing the release and promotion of artists’ work, overseen by program mentors who are music business professionals and educators. Our 2024 program included 54 interns and 9 signed artists.

Rural Teaching Artists Residencies: Amplify is committed to bringing diverse artist educators into communities most devoid of arts opportunities. In 2024, we provided a three-week artist residency in New Cuyama, a rural community where 80% of students identify as a minority and 58% are economically disadvantaged.

Amplify Weekend: Our annual youth mental health creative arts retreats take place in Ojai, CA for 6th–12th graders. This phone/device-free weekend engages participants in a range of activities themed around mental health through a music and creative arts lens. In 2024, we hosted 84 youth.

Instrument Lending Library: The only instrument lending library of its kind on the Central Coast, this free program in partnership with the Santa Barbara Public Library allows any resident to check out musical instruments, including guitars, ukuleles, drums, amps, and more. Launched in 2019, this initiative has resulted in check-outs of 280+ instruments.

With support from the California Arts Council, 51Oakland (d.b.a. Elevate Oakland) will deliver culturally relevant music and arts education to predominantly low-income, BIPOC youth through our foundational Artists in Residence program, which embeds professional musicians and artists into Oakland public school classrooms. CAC funding will support teaching artist compensation, curriculum development, and classroom residencies across 4–6 Title I elementary, middle and high school sites during the 2025–26 academic year. This project addresses systemic inequities in arts education by providing students with mentorship, hands-on training, and career exposure in creative fields. Each residency will culminate in student-led performances and community activations that celebrate student voices and Oakland’s cultural legacy. Funding will help Elevate Oakland meet rising demand for its AiR program and deepen its impact by expanding access to high-quality, in-school arts instruction in underserved neighborhoods.

Founded in 2011 by a group of acclaimed artists–including legendary percussionist Sheila E. and Yoshi’s Jazz Club founder Yoshie Akiba–and creative professionals with a shared vision of providing inspiration and mentorship to Oakland’s youth, we operate with the goal of bolstering students’ engagement in school while fostering creative self-expression and improving all-around student mental health. We believe in the transformative power that opportunities in music and the arts can have on developing youth, especially those living low-income or high-trauma communities and contexts. Across our programs, our primary focus is not on creating professional musicians, but instead on utilizing music and the arts as a conduit to get students excited about learning and invested in their education. Elevate Oakland supports students by using this excitement to get kids to school, engage them in learning, and support the development of skills that will help them succeed both within and outside of the classroom.

Our foundational Artists in Residence (AiR) program embeds renowned artists from within the Bay Area community into Oakland public school classrooms, providing mentorship and learning opportunities for students and teachers alike throughout the school year. This program is built on a long-term (typically semester or year-long) partnership between school educators and one or more teaching artists who help develop and support the school’s music or arts curriculum throughout the school year. Our AiR programs typically culminate in a variety of performance opportunities for students throughout the year at different public venues, including Yoshi’s Jazz Club, the Oakland Museum of California and a variety of community-led festivals and events.

In addition to our Artists in Residence program, we also host immersive workshops, masterclasses, demos and speaker series that are offered to student groups in partnership with artists, arts professionals and community educators.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Crocker Art Museum will launch a pilot program that equips 60 elementary teachers with the skills to integrate the arts into the core subjects of English Language Arts (ELA), Math, Science, and Social Studies. Offered at no cost, this 15-hour course combines hands-on arts learning, guest lectures, and Museum experiences, equipping educators with practical tools to ignite creativity and expand student learning to incorporate arts education. In partnership with CSU Chico, teachers will earn academic credit to support their professional advancement. Incorporating continuous feedback, the program will foster a supportive network of arts-centered educators and serve as a model for museums statewide. At its core, this initiative reflects the belief that every child deserves a classroom where the arts spark imagination, connection, and a love of learning.

Crocker Art Museum is the only accredited visual arts museum in the greater Sacramento metropolitan area which has 2.4 million residents and welcomes more than 4 million annual visitors. The Museum served 250,000 people annually (pre-pandemic) and in FY2025 is projected to serve 200,000 visitors with an array of temporary permanent collection and travelling special exhibitions (9-12 each year), and educational programs for all age that feature and highlight the Museum’s 30,0000+ objects in its permanent collection. The Crocker houses a premier collection of California art (Gold Rush to today), an important collection of Master drawings, European paintings, a renowned international ceramics collection, and collections of Asian, African, and Oceanic art. Robust exhibition-related programming serves as a crucial source of arts exposure and engagement for the community including for thousands of students. Core education programs include docent-led tours; film; talks by curators, artists and experts; jazz, Classical and contemporary music series; and a monthly art extravaganza, ArtMix. Educational programs provide in and out-of-school arts engagement and instruction for K-12 public, private, and homeschool audiences (students, teachers, parents) and school district staff throughout the state, with a focus on schools and districts within a 60-mile radius of the Museum. School and teacher programs provide ongoing professional development for teachers, district officials, and parents. Core programs also include those at the intersection of art and wellness; programs for youth of all ages; a robust Studio Program that contracts with dozens of regional artists to teach art instruction courses; and the Art Ark, the Museum’s mobile museum that travels to numerous schools throughout the Sacramento region each year.

With support from the California Arts Council, in 2025-2026, Southern Exposure will engage 50-65 youth artists, ages 12-21, from historically marginalized communities in a series of free intensive arts education programs that provide teens with a visual art space to explore issues relevant to them, as well as opportunities to exercise leadership skills and utilize art as a tool for social change. Four after school and summer programs will each culminate in a public exhibition and opening reception in our Mission District gallery in San Francisco.

Since 1974, the needs and voices of artists have been the driving force behind Southern Exposure (SoEx)’s activities. Through our extensive, innovative programming, SoEx strives to experiment, collaborate, and educate while providing an extraordinary resource center and forum for artists of all ages.

Our Artists in Education programs strive to catalyze leadership opportunities for young artists in underserved communities, enabling them to utilize their artistic vision to express their perspectives on the social issues that impact their lives. Our Curatorial Council – a group of BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and immigrant artists who lead SoEx’s creative vision – curates our Projects and Exhibitions program and promotes innovative, risk‐taking visual art practices. And Alternative Exposure is our major re‐granting initiative that provides funding and promotion for the independent, self‐organized work of artist collectives that serve, highlight, or lift up historically marginalized artistic communities within the Bay Area arts community.

Having always been located in San Francisco’s Mission District, SoEx has become an even more critical institution for visual artists, especially those that are historically marginalized, given the neighborhood’s and City’s rapid economic transformation.

The Inner City Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles (ICYOLA) requests your $25,000 partnership to support our comprehensive ICYOLA Academy, providing intensive music education to 60 underserved string students across violin, viola, and cello. Students receive weekly individual lessons plus ensemble instruction, ensuring personalized attention while building collaborative skills. Your contribution represents significant investment in our $115,200 annual budget, supporting five exceptional instructors delivering 1,680 individual lessons and 780 ensemble hours yearly. Beyond musical development, students gain discipline, confidence, and college preparatory experience. Many alumni receive full university scholarships, crediting their transformational orchestral experience. Your support creates pathways to brighter futures, ensuring zip code never determines access to musical excellence.

ICYOLA offers five programs: the ICYOLA Orchestra Program; the ICYOLA Academy; the South Los Angeles Music Project; the Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship; and the ICYOLA Drum Corps. Through the ICYOLA Orchestra Program, we present an annual Concert Season that features both the standard orchestral repertoire and contemporary music that resounds within the community that ICYOLA serves. Through the South Los Angeles Music Project, we offer introductory and diversionary music programs to young people who are at risk of entry into the juvenile justice system. Through the Los Angeles Orchestra Fellowship, we train emerging professionals to take and win auditions with American orchestras. The ICYOLA Drum Corps trains young musicians how to play drums and march in step. All ICYOLA programs instill the ancillary values of music into their members. Those values include self-respect, respect for others and property, chain of command, and the pursuit of excellence in all things.

With support from the California Arts Council, Studio ACE will expand access to two Studio ACE program that are inclusive, culturally responsive arts programming for underserved youth in North County San Diego. One: Art spACE offers scholarship-based arts education to 4th–6th graders, connecting visual art lessons with gallery exhibits, artist statements, curating, and digital engagement—showing youth that art can be a viable career path. Two: Our Neurodivergent Art Classes provide free, sensory-integrated lessons tailored to the needs and interests of neurodivergent kids and teens. These programs foster creative expression, community connection, and equitable access to the arts, breaking down barriers related to disability, socio-economic status, and geographic isolation.

Studio ACE has four main areas of programming, all relating to Arts Education:

ArtsConnect: An Integrated Arts Curriculum Program ~ The signature program of Studio ACE, ArtsConnect is a K-8 elementary school program that integrates the arts with Common Core subjects. It employs Visual and Performing Arts Standards, the Elements and Principles of Art and the project’s connection to Art History. For more information, please click HERE.

Art Classes: ACE’s storefront location provides low-cost art lessons to children. Children’s classes are supplemented in part by a donor, enabling children to receive high-quality art lessons at an affordable price. Adult class fees also assist in supplementing children’s classes.

Community Festivals: ACE participate in art walks, fairs and festivals in and around the community, providing a free art project to complement the theme of the fair or festival.

Community Collaborations: ACE collaborates with community members on specific programming, working with organizations such as the Oceanside Library, Oceanside Cultural Arts Foundation, Oceanside Fire Fighters, City of Oceanside, Buena Vista Nature Center and the Museum of Making Music.

With support from the California Arts Council, Honey Art Studio will offer the Creative Edge Lab project, a 12-week workshop series for Transition Age Youth (TAY) in San Francisco’s Fillmore neighborhood. Participants will receive free instruction in Interior Design, Fashion Design, Culinary Arts coupled with artist-entrepreneurship professional development to create pathways into creative careers for under-represented members of San Francisco’s BIPOC communities.

Each year, thousands of youth and adults take part in programming including:
–Arts Classes and Workshops led by teaching artists and focus on African American culture, encompassing art forms such as fashion design, painting, graffiti and mural art.
–Jazz Night every Thursday at Honey Art Studio features either a jam session open to the general public who can join the house band for a song or two, or a concert night highlighting artist from the community.
–Creative Edge is an arts career training program for transitional age youth (TAY), the program disciplines include; interior design, fashion design, culinary and business entrepreneurship. The program provides participants with hands-on skills building and mentorship.
–Fillmore Eclipse performances, hosted solely at Honey Art Studio, are an immersive theater experience set in the Bebop Jazz scene of the 1950s. The show explores the uncertain fate of a club, a confluence point for San Francisco’s thriving African Americans community during a time when Urban Renewal was sold by city governments as a “cure-all” for America’s slums.
–Open Mic Nights provide an opportunity for poetry, singing, storytelling, art & healing, and everything in between. These serve as a foray into performing arts, help emerging artists establish an audience base, introduce community members to new artforms, and foster connections between peer artists.
–Harlem of the West Gallery & Community Tours bring community members and visitors to the Fillmore to the studio for a tour of the exhibition in the gallery before taking to the streets for a neighborhood tour that showcases the vibrancy of the Fillmore, includes history and culture, and educates participants about the architecture around them.
–Cultural Events: Honey Art Studio hosts events like Juneteenth Celebrations in the Fillmore with exhibitions, themed art workshops, musical performances, paint parties and education about Juneteenth.

With support from the California Arts Council, The Rosin Box Project (TRBP) will expand its immersive dance exposure and engagement program, Out of the Box, across San Diego Title 1 schools, creating meaningful connections between young aspiring artists and world-class professional dancers. The program offers students a multi-layered experience that grants unique access to the full arc of professional dance, from creation to performance. Components include free contemporary ballet performance featuring a new work by a rising TRBP resident choreographer, interactive artist talk-backs, movement workshops led by TRBP teaching artists and company dancers, and behind-the-scenes access to live company rehearsal. Tailored to partner schools’ community and curriculum, the program fosters creative self-expression, confidence, and artistic mentorship. CAC funding will support artist salaries, choreographic commission, teaching artist fees, production costs, and curriculum development, and accessibility expenses.

TRBP’s core pillars are artistic work in the field of contemporary ballet and arts education. In artistic, the company’s nine professional ballet dancers present works by local and international choreographers several times a year to audiences throughout San Diego and the greater US. In arts education, the company’s in-school outreach workshop, The Ballet Machine, reaches upwards of 30 classrooms a year with its arts integrated learning module. TRBP’s afterschool program, Dance Out Loud!, reaches hundreds of students in 10 week choreography workshops. TRBP’s open adult dance class program, The Rosin Box Studio, connects with roughly 500 adults training in dance across San Diego County in its homebase of Liberty Station.

JMM Dance Co. requests $25,000 from the California Arts Council to expand free, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive dance and social-emotional learning (SEL) programs for youth ages 3–18 in Monterey, San Benito, and Santa Clara counties. As a BIPOC- and disability-led nonprofit serving low-HPI and rural communities, we deliver inclusive, bilingual programming grounded in Juan’s Mindset Method™. Grant funds will support instructional staffing, artist stipends, parent engagement, adaptive sensory tools, and free distribution of our My Emotions Dance Journal. This funding will enable us to serve over 500 youth through accessible, healing-centered arts programming across schools, camps, and community sites.

JMM Dance Co. – Core Programs and Services
JMM Dance Co. is a California-based nonprofit advancing equity and emotional wellbeing through dance and arts education. Our programs are rooted in social-emotional learning (SEL), culturally responsive instruction, and inclusive access for historically under-resourced youth.

1. SEL-Based Dance Education
We deliver dance classes that integrate SEL, movement, and positive identity development. Students build confidence, empathy, and creative expression through structured choreography and original reflection tools, including books and journals authored by our founder.

2. Adaptive & Inclusive Dance
Our adaptive program supports children with moderate to severe disabilities using trauma-informed strategies, sensory supports, and paraeducator collaboration to ensure full participation and strength-based learning.

3. Expanded Learning Programs
In partnership with public schools across California, we provide ELOP-aligned after-school and intersession programs for TK–8th grade, combining dance, SEL, and culturally affirming content.

4. Professional Development for Educators
We train educators, paraeducators, and teaching artists in trauma-informed, movement-based SEL. Our PD offerings build confidence in using arts integration to support youth engagement, regulation, and inclusion.

5. Camps & Youth Intensives
Our seasonal camps blend choreography, SEL, and arts projects. All campers receive reflection journals, affirmation t-shirts, and performance opportunities that promote joy, belonging, and creativity.

6. Community Performances
Youth showcase their growth through community performances, parades, and festivals—building pride, visibility, and cultural celebration.

7. Curriculum & Publications
We publish arts-based SEL resources—My Emotions Dance Journal, Elinor’s Princess Ballet Book—used in schools and homes to deepen learning beyond class time.

8. Equity & Access Initiatives
We prioritize partnerships with schools and agencies serving BIPOC, disabled, low-income, and foster youth. Programs are subsidized through scholarships, donated journals, and the employment of diverse, community-rooted instructors.

With support from the California Arts Council, TEATRO VISIÓN will develop and present a Youth Production of the play YAMEL CUCUY in Spring 2026. Our youth productions feature casts and crews of young artists (ages 10-18) performing works of Latinx theater that address their cultural heritage and experiences. It is entirely free for these young artists to participate in the program. Youth rehearse for six weeks under the tutelage of a professional Latinx director, who serves as guide and role model. The project culminates in public performances for family, community, and local school audiences. Our youth productions typically welcome as many as 1900 audience members, including over 400 K-12 students who attend a student matinee through their schools at a discounted or fully subsidized rate.

Teatro Visión was founded in 1984 by members of Women in Teatro, a statewide network of Chicano theaters.

Today, Teatro Visión continues to raise a unique, bilingual voice in Bay Area theater.

Our core programs include:

Our annual Día de Muertos production is a high caliber professional theater performance, a performance opportunity for community actors of all ages, and the anchor for a series of events that bring our community together around the themes of the play.

Our annual youth production offers a cast and crew of young people aged 10 to 18 the opportunity to build skills, confidence, and community connections by participating in a professional theater production.

Our smaller productions and events, including La Hora del Mitote and events produced in collaboration with partner organizations, build community while highlighting Latinx artists and artists from other underrepresented groups.

Our community-based new work development programs draw on the diverse voices in our community to create unique, relevant works of theater that position Teatro Visión as an innovator in community engagement and theater creation.

Our teatro classes teach performance as a tool for social change, strengthening the critical thinking, self-confidence, communication, and problem-solving skills that students need to make positive changes in our community.

With support from the California Arts Council, ARTogether will offer the newcomer youth program Shadow Movements, a community arts workshop series for refugee and immigrant high school-aged youth. The Project will blend traditional puppetry traditions with storytelling and filmmaking, helping participants to tell their stories through new media, diverse traditions, and visualized personal narratives.

ARTogether serves as a resource center for refugees and immigrants throughout the San Francisco Bay Area. Our services center around three primary areas: (1) Bringing refugees, immigrants and the wider community together through art workshops and art-centered social gatherings, to foster wellness and community connection. (2) Supporting refugee artists by employing refugee art educators, and by connecting refugee artists to local art galleries and social venues that help them to find new markets for their art. (3) Bringing the arts to Bay Area schools, launching engaging arts programs that promote positive images of refugees and immigrants, while raising public awareness of refugee issues through educational campaigns.

With support from the California Arts Council, Liberated Kids will empower youth to create, produce, and perform an original, culturally-relevant student musical. Our self-directed learning center in East Oakland serves BIPOC children ages 5–14, many of whom have faced barriers to traditional school settings. Through a 9 month program that integrates literary arts, music, theater, and visual arts, students collaborate with professional teaching artists to develop leadership, confidence, and creative expression. The project culminates in a two-night public performance attended by hundreds of family and community members. CAC funds will support fair compensation for our under-resourced teaching artists, purchase arts materials, support accessibility services, and cover key production expenses to ensure all students can fully participate and share their creative work with the wider community.

Self-Directed Learning Center: This is our core program. Our learning center, open from Monday to Thursday, is a vibrant hub where children are empowered to discover their passions and shape their creative artistic paths. Each day is filled with exploration, play, socialization, and deep dives into areas of interest. Each week is a tapestry of self-chosen activities, collaborative projects, and community-building events. This dynamic flow allows children to engage deeply with their learning, fostering a love for discovery that extends beyond traditional educational boundaries.

Spring Musical: We partner with the best voice, music and theater instructors to work with the children who choose to be part of the Spring Musical! This past year, over 90% of our kids participated in the Musical. They performed a total of 2 shows during the 2023-2024 year in front of over 600 audience members.

Community Development: Through workshops, meetings, community gathering, volunteer days and trainings we bring together all the families and integral community members. We collaboratively develop understandings and skills to heal ourselves and be our best selves for our children. We tap into our own creativity and artistic abilities to co-create.

Whole Fam Fun! – We organize family-friends events in Oakland that can be enjoyed by the whole family – including the semi-annual Musical, quarterly Day at the Theater, semi-annual Pancake Breakfast, and quarterly Fam Jams – a space for the entire family to enjoy the best Oakland DJ’s and dance the afternoon away.

California Karen Youth Connection (CKYC) is a nonprofit empowering Karen and non-Karen youth across California through culturally informed programs in education, leadership, and the arts for more than 12 years. The Karen are an ethnic minority displaced by civil war and persecution in Burma. CKYC seeks support from the California Arts Council to expand its statewide Arts and Cultural Program, which provides free, community-based instruction in Karen language, traditional dance, music, storytelling, and crafts. Programs are bilingual (Karen and English), intergenerational, and led by CKYC instructors. CAC funds will support instructor stipends, program materials, venue rentals, and outreach. This investment expands access to high-quality, culturally relevant arts experiences, strengthens intergenerational community ties, and advances cultural equity and visibility within California’s diverse arts ecosystem. It also promotes healing, empowerment, and cultural preservation through youth-centered creative expression.

The CKYC is dedicated to empowering both Karen and non-Karen youth and communities statewide through culturally informed leadership education, the arts, advocacy, and human services. With a 12-year track record of leadership and community service, CKYC has supported the Karen American refugee and asylum population, as well as other vulnerable and underrepresented communities. We serve over 400 individuals annually across the Bay Area, Sacramento, Manteca, Kern County, and Southern California. Additionally, we collaborate with more than 10 partners to amplify our impact. We deliver four core programs: Arts and Cultural Program, Leadership Development Program, College and Career Mentorship Program, and Civic Engagement Program. These programs and services are critical to the success of our youth and a thriving community. By engaging in cultural practices, youth and the broader community gain not only a sense of pride in their Karen identity but also a deeper connection to their heritage and each other. The preservation of Karen traditions helps break the cycle of trauma and displacement, offering individuals a space to heal, connect, and thrive, furthermore, by passing down knowledge from one generation to the next. The CKYC ensures that these traditions evolve into sources of strength, collaboration, and opportunity for future generations. As youth develop leadership skills, they become ambassadors of their culture, promoting diversity and inclusion both within the Karen community and in society at large.

Blue Line Arts seeks funding to expand Tour Talk Create, a free, standards-aligned arts education program for underserved K–12 students in Placer County. CAC funds will support teaching artist stipends, art supplies, and consultations with an Art Curriculum Specialist to ensure alignment with CA VAPA and National Core Arts Standards. Each session includes a guided gallery tour and culturally responsive hands-on art activities. Teachers receive lesson plans and follow-up materials to extend learning in the classroom. Designed with Creative Youth Development principles, the program nurtures confidence, creativity, and community connection. Over the grant period, Tour Talk Create will serve 500+ students through free field trips and public events, fostering long-term relationships between schools, families, and Blue Line Arts while increasing access to high-quality arts experiences.

Blue Line Arts is a gallery and arts center that offers a range of educational and community programs within the visual arts.

Exhibitions:
The gallery serves as a fine arts hub for the community, bringing contemporary art exhibitions admission-free to the public. We provide a platform for artists of all skill levels within the community, hosting artist lectures, and providing accessible live arts events.

Adult education and workforce development:
-Annually, the gallery hosts the SCG Artist Residency and Teaching program twice a year, and offers a variety of professional development workshops for working artists.
-The Art at Work program expands available exhibition opportunities to local artists through partnerships with local businesses.
-The Internship program provides college students and recent graduates with hands-on experience to prepare them for a successful transition into an arts or nonprofit career field.

Youth Education:
-Tour Talk & Create serves over 1,900 students annually, with free school group tours and hands-on arts learning for under-resourced schools.
-Year-round youth arts classes are offered at the lowest cost possible or free of charge, and include after school enrichment courses, seasonal camps, sessions for educational pods and homeschool groups, and special camps serving at-risk youth.

Public Art:
Through the Roseville Mural project and associated events, as well as smaller projects, the organization facilitates public art projects in the local area. By hosting events and walking tours, Blue Line Arts helps to connect residents and visitors to revitalized spaces in our downtown district, and to the greater conversation of public art.

With support from the California Arts Council, Light Bringer Project will be able to provide Room 13 Creative Art Studios at 4 family transitional housing shelters and 5 public school locations (outside of traditional school hours) in Los Angeles County and one community center in greater Pasadena. These studios provide culturally responsive arts-learning experiences taught by qualified community-based artists designed to help vulnerable youth fulfill their creative potential. Our Artists-in-Residence are highly diverse and reflect the communities in which the program takes place. A portion of our attendees at school sites are also foster-care residents. The unique arts learning program, now in its 5th year, anticipates serving morer than 2,500 youth in need.

The organization began as an oral history project, documenting the contributions of artists and arts supporters to the local environment, including the development of our cultural institutions and community-based organizations. Early on, Light Bringer began producing small visual, media and performing arts events at local venues. Eventually, the organization began producing larger-scale special events and, in 1997, turned its attention to youth development and public education. Current programs offered by Light Bringer Project are LocavoreLitLA, a reading promotion program; Expressing Feelings Through Art, a prevention and visual arts and literacy program; Room 13, which provides arts practice at public school sites; and College & Career Pathways, mentorship, work-based learning program. Each opportunity is designed to impart the 21st century skills of creativity, communication, collaboration and critical thinking, and each supports school-to-career initiatives and preparedness for post-secondary education.

With support from the California Arts Council, Tap Fever Studios will expand our Adaptive Dance Program to provide free, inclusive dance classes for children across San Diego, with a focus on students with physical and developmental disabilities. Grant funds will support teaching artists, program coordination, and outreach to underserved communities. Tap Fever is one of the few organizations in the region offering accessible dance instruction tailored to children with disabilities, and demand for the program continues to grow. CAC support will ensure that classes remain accessible to families of all income levels. Amid widespread funding cuts, support from the CAC to support this innovative program is critical. Without it, Tap Fever may be forced to reduce operations and eliminate free or low-cost classes, limiting access for those who benefit most from inclusive programming.

Tap Fever Studios offers an array of classes that teach San Diego residents from all walks of life how to mobilize the rhythm from their hearts. Tap Fever Studios provides students with the chance to participate in classes that span all of the major disciplines including tap, jazz, ballet, contemporary, hip-hop, acro, and even fitness. Program components include:

Performances: Tap Fever Studios holds multiple recitals and events that showcase the hard work that dancers have put into learning their craft.
Dancers With Disabilities: Tap Fever Studios provides dance opportunities to individuals of all physical abilities and makes all accommodations necessary to make classes accessible.
Community Outreach: Tap Fever Studios offers free performances at public libraries, senior living facilities, community events, and with the USO.
Military Discounts: To honor the sacrifices made by active-duty military and their families, Tap Fever Studios offers a 5% discount on class tuition fees to all military families.
Scholarships: Tap Fever Studios offers “Perfectly Abled” scholarships to dancers with disabilities who wish to share their inspiring stories. Additionally, “Community Outreach Service” scholarships are offered to those who wish to share the art of dance with the community through special projects.
Fee Waivers: When financial assistance is needed, either 50% or 100% of a qualifying student’s class tuition fees may be waived.
Work-Trade: Tap Fever Studios offers a Work-Trade program whereupon youth volunteer their time in exchange for the opportunity to participate in dance classes.
Assistant Teaching Mentoring: Students selected to assist with dance classes work alongside instructors that teach kids ages 2-6. The mentees learn how to set an example for the younger students, how to lead classes, and how to create appropriate choreography.
Internships: High school and college students have the opportunity to participate in internships including development, marketing and videography.

Youth Orchestra Salinas (YOSAL) seeks California Arts Council support to expand performance opportunities for youth enrolled in its year-round orchestral and ensemble programs. CAC funds will support instructor time, music purchases, and logistics that allow over 60 students to perform in at least three formal concerts and five community-based events throughout Salinas. These performances will feature a mix of classical repertoire and culturally relevant works that reflect the students’ backgrounds, building musical excellence, confidence, and a strong sense of belonging. The program serves predominantly first- and second-generation Latino youth from low-income, bilingual households, and provides a safe, supportive environment for artistic growth and community engagement.

YOSAL’s primary goals are to make classical and orchestral music accessible to the city’s low-income youth and to provide a safe space and community through which they can also access mental health resources, such as counseling. YOSAL provides instruments, weekly music classes, ensemble rehearsals, choir, music theory, and music history classes, all free of charge to students in 1st through 12th grade.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Harmony Project will implement sequential and tuition-free music education programming for the benefit of nearly 3,600 underserved K-12 students residing within historically marginalized communities of color located throughout Los Angeles County and North Orange County. Our holistic approach to program design and implementation incorporates college attainment resources (College, Alumni, Success Team) and social support services (Community and Relational Engagement ) that enhance and reinforce 21st Century skills (creativity, collaboration, communication, etc.) and Social Emotional Learning (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, etc.), while also inspiring program participants to complete high school and pursue a postsecondary education. This thoughtfully considered combination of programs and services empowers young musicians to become creative thinkers and confident learners capable of realizing their full potential.

Harmony Project implements music education programming for the benefit of more than 3,600 underserved K-12 students located within Los Angeles County and North Orange County. We believe that combining rigorous music instruction with a robust social support network empowers children and youth (between the ages of five through 18 years old) to become creative thinkers and confident learners capable of realizing their full potential. Our organization also integrates the following program elements at no cost to program participants:

Musical Instruments – Every student receives an instrument to take home and practice on.

Music Lessons – Four to six hours of weekly music instruction from a teaching artist at nearby school sites and recreational centers.

Orchestras & Concerts – Students perform music with their peers at iconic venues such as the Walt Disney Concert Hall and Hollywood Bowl.

Holistic Social Support – Our team of counselors, social workers, and therapists help students and their families navigate challenges at home and school.

Peer Mentoring – Advanced students support their peers through one-on-one mentoring.

Academic Support – Students have access to tutoring services that help ensure they excel in the classroom.

College Attainment – Access to one-on-one college counseling for parents and students to help ensure our students remain on track during the college admissions and financial aid process.

College Scholarships – We provide funding to support the college aspirations of our high school students.

Alumni Network – Alumni remain connected to Harmony Project through regular check-ins, internships, and paid music performance opportunities.

Imagine Art Center’s (IAC) proposal for the Arts and Youth program aligns with the Cal Arts commitment to equitable arts access and culturally responsive engagement for young people across the state. Located in rural-serving-Porterville—community within the lowest quartiles of the Healthy Places Index—IAC serves historically and systemically underserved population due to geographic isolation, economic hardship, and limited access to arts education. With a mission to make art accessible, we propose to us $25,000 to expand free/low-cost arts programming for youth 5-18, including language learners, justice-impacted, or experiencing poverty. Programs foster agency, cultural pride, and connection through hands-on, community learning led by local artists who reflect the identities of the youth. With no prior direct CAC operating support, IAC is uniquely positioned to bridge barriers while cultivating a new generation of culturally literate, creatively empowered youth.

Founded in 2010 by local artist and educator Rebecca Ybarra, Imagine Art Center emerged from a deep commitment to integrate the arts into the heart of community life. From its inception, the organization has upheld a mission both simple and profound: to ensure that art is accessible, inclusive, and empowering for all individuals—regardless of age, income level, or prior experience. This mission guides every aspect of our programming and informs our belief that art has the capacity to transform not only individual lives, but entire communities.

At the center of our work is a dynamic portfolio of core programs and services designed to respond to the creative, educational, and emotional needs of our community. These offerings foster artistic expression, support emerging and established artists, and create meaningful cultural engagement opportunities. Our programs are grounded in equity, cultural responsiveness, and the belief that creativity is a human right. We collaborate with city agencies, nonprofits, schools, and local businesses to use art as a vehicle for civic engagement, education, and economic development. Through these partnerships, we aim to elevate the role of artists as change agents and to embed creativity into the public sphere in ways that are lasting and inclusive.
Together, these core programs and services reflect Imagine Art Center’s enduring commitment to creativity, community, and compassion. We envision a world where the arts are not a luxury, but a shared resource—one that uplifts individuals, connects neighborhoods, and cultivates a more vibrant and just society.

Funds will support the expansion of youth hip-hop arts programs, building on existing community relationships to deepen access and engagement. Programs will be culturally responsive and designed to reduce barriers to participation, fostering creativity, connection, and lifelong artistic engagement for youth.

J.U.i.C.E. provides a safe center for emerging and young artists to develop a sense of community and provide a place for self-expression through the hip-hop arts. We foster the development of leadership and technical skills through a variety of art programs and encourage the creative expression through music, spoken word, visual arts, and dance. J.U.i.C.E. creates unique opportunities for these young artists to showcase their work, network with peers and professionals and engage with their communities in a safe and positive manner through the hip-hop arts. For over 20 years, J.U.i.C.E. has been changing lives in Los Angeles by hosting free weekly art programs.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Joshua Tree Foundation for Arts & Ecology will host Serrano/Cahuilla elder and teacher Kim Marcus and his family for a free week-long Native Voices Camp for youth in our Quartile 1 underserved rural community. This initiative will immerse kids ages 7-12 in indigenous arts and traditions, ensuring cultural knowledge is passed on through interactive workshops on songs, dances, basket weaving, bow and arrow crafting, clothing creation, pictographs, and traditional food preparation used for daily life and ceremony by the First People of our land. This program will culminate in a community gathering, where families can celebrate the youths’ achievements through exhibitions and performances creating meaningful connections across histories and cultures.

Joshua Tree Foundation for Arts & Ecology, dba Lou Harrison House (formerly HHMA&E) is a center for culture based in an historic retreat that California composer Lou Harrison built in Joshua Tree. Lou Harrison House gives gifted artists of many disciplines a residency opportunity to perch at the intersection of art and ecology and create their best work in a fully supported and inspiring setting. We enliven our rural community with high quality public programs including performances, lecture demonstrations, exhibitions and workshops offered by our residents.

In the past three years we have worked with the Morongo Unified School District to bring our gifted global culture bearers into the schools for assemblies and to bring students on field trips to our Arts & Ecology site and Lou Harrison House where we teach each ecology through the lens of art and sound and music appreciation. HHMA&E was established in 2006 and the Arts & Ecology Center in 2016.

Without the earth there is no art! Our Arts & Ecology Center explores and demonstrates the regenerative, practical and aesthetic patterns of nature. We offer public tours and workshops that aim to inspire ecological awareness, stewardship and aesthetics. Located on eight desert acres our facilities include:

Lou Harrison House
Both the residence for artists and public place for acoustic music performances that seats 50 people, it features a vaulted great room proportionately designed as an intimate sound environment for music with a single bedroom, bathroom and kitchen.
There is also an outdoor stage with stunning desert views that seats 300 people.

Arts & Ecology Center
Houses offices and and an education center with grounds:
Includes the Sunken Circle, an earth bag structure surrounded by gardens; a permaculture site on an acre of artistically shaped earthworks that demonstrate water conservation and food production within an art adorned creative environment.

With support from the California Arts Council, Trybe Inc. will offer free-to-participant art and dance programming for 200 low-income, violence-impacted, Oakland community youth ages 5 to 25 in Clinton Square Park. Grant funds will be used to provide 40 sessions of dance in four genres, along with 10 sessions of hands-on art activities led by Trybe’s resident artist Ryoko Tokuho. All art programming focuses on self-expression, developing agency, individual and community empowerment and voice, while reflecting on and appreciating Oakland’s unique and diverse culture.

Programming in youth internships and mentorships, age 0-12 enrichment activities, food and basic need distributions, multicultural family events, sports teams, art and wellness programs, job readiness programs, and safety ambassadors, serving over 20,000 community members annually. Programming is managed and maintained by staff members rooted in the community they serve.

With support from the California Arts Council, Esperanza Community Housing Corporation will advance media arts equity among underrepresented youth artists and filmmakers by producing a) the 4th Annual South Central Film Festival and b) five filmmaking and media arts workshops. This project addresses the critical gap in community-led festivals that serve as a platform and networking opportunity for underrepresented youth and promotes skills building and professional development opportunities for young creators systematically excluded from creative industries.

Esperanza advances the health, dignity, and human rights of South LA through: 1) Affordable Housing – Addressing displacement and housing vulnerability in South L.A., our safe and affordable family housing units offer security and shelter to hundreds of residents. 2) Health and Access to Care – Promoting a broad culture of wellness, Esperanza educates and supports the empowerment of community members to improve health and increase access to care. 3) Economic Development – Facilitating local economic development, Mercado La Paloma provides growth opportunities and financial stability to small, family-owned businesses. 4) Arts and Culture – Stimulating involvement in the arts and increasing civic engagement, our programming celebrates South L.A.’s rich heritage and vibrant traditions. 5) Environmental Justice – Ensuring families are safe from toxins in their homes and neighborhoods, Esperanza advocates for public policy through a human rights and environmental justice framework. 6) Policy Advocacy & Systems Change – Advocating around our core programs, and in partnership with allied organizations, at both the local and state levels, our main focus is on community power-building, equitable development, displacement and gentrification prevention, preservation & production of affordable housing, transit justice, environmental justice, immigrant rights, and public health.

With support from the California Arts Council, First Exposures (FX) will serve 65 Bay Area underserved youth, ages 11-18, by providing high-quality photography education and mentorship during our 2025-2026 Yearlong and Summer Mentoring Programs. For over 30 years, FX has positively impacted thousands of youth through our free programs, building their creativity, confidence, and leadership.

FX’s Yearlong Photography Mentoring program provides 30 youth with 1:1 positive adult mentorship in Digital or Darkroom Photography classes led by professional Teaching Artists. Youth develop their technical skills, artistic voice, and receive social-emotional support.

FX’s Summer Photo Mentoring Program engages 35 youth over 7 weeks in our Darkroom or Digital Photography classes twice a week for 3 hours per class. With the support of Teaching Artists and a group of mentors, classes emphasize collaboration, team-building, and creative exploration.

FX offers two mentoring sessions each year:

Academic Year Mentorship: FX’s 30 academic-year mentees meet weekly on Saturdays for four-hour sessions over a 32-week period. Mentees are matched 1:1 with a mentor/adult role model, providing individualized guidance for the duration of their FX experience. Mentees choose to work with either “traditional” film photography or digital photography. Throughout the year, mentees have opportunities to go on photo walks around the city, field trips to explore new areas like the Marin Headlands and cultural institutions like SFMOMA, and take part in unique photo-based opportunities like constructing a community altar for Dia de los Muertos at the Oakland Museum. In the culmination of the year and their efforts, mentees are exhibited in our annual art auction at SOMArts Cultural Center and have their work showcased in the First Exposures’ gallery space with their family, friends, and the public.

Summer Group Mentoring: Over the summer months, San Francisco’s families, schools, shelters, and centers struggle to find creative ways to keep underserved youth engaged. First Exposures’ summer program, inaugurated in 2014, teaches digital photography and darkroom film photography in small group settings with two mentors and five mentees acting as a team to provide a unique shared experience and more peer-to-peer learning. The program serves 30 mentees over an 8-week period and concludes with a public exhibition of mentee work.

With support from the California Arts Council, SHAKESPEARE – SAN FRANCISCO’S professional teaching artists will partner with four San Francisco Unified School District public middle schools, Francisco, Everett, Aptos and Marina, to implement the Shakespeare’s Heartbeat curriculum, bringing performing arts enrichment and teaching social emotional skills to neuro diverse students in under-served communities. These weekly classes at each school site will run the equivalent of an entire school year through the span of the grant period employing a diverse group of professional teaching artists in providing sustained quality arts instruction for vulnerable youth.

Free Shakespeare in the Park each year presents a professional production of Shakespeare in five public park venues, reaching up to 30,000 Bay Area citizens. The Festival also engages communities through five arts education programs: -Shakespeare on Tour performs an abridged Shakespeare play at 150 schools, libraries and community centers in the Bay Area and all over the state. -Over 300 youth ages 4-18 attend Bay Area Shakespeare Camps to explore Shakespeare’s plays and also learn the skills needed to perform them. -Tailor-Made Residencies connect Festival teaching artists with classroom teachers for in-school theater enrichment tailored to their students. -Midnight Shakespeare provides a challenging theater residency program for over 100 under-served youth in school settings in Oakland, San Francisco and San Jose.

CAC grant funds will be used to support artists and instructors who come from—or serve—communities impacted by systemic marginalization. This includes individuals affected by incarceration and involvement in the justice system, economic and health disparities, disability-related accessibility barriers, housing insecurity, and issues of cultural and social justice, including members of the LGBTQIA+ community.

For over six years, iSound Performing Arts has provided at-risk and underserved youth with access to transformative arts experiences. Our programming includes monthly music camps, healing-centered art and painting sessions, and a wide range of creative workshops that promote emotional well-being, self-expression, and personal development. CAC funding will help us sustain and expand these efforts, ensuring that youth and artists from historically underrepresented backgrounds have equitable opportunities to thrive through the arts.

Sound Performing Arts offers a diverse range of core programs and services designed to inspire, educate, and empower youth through the arts. Our “Arts & Explore” program blends visual art instruction with cultural education, allowing students to engage in hands-on painting while learning about the historical and cultural significance behind various artistic styles. We also offer instruction in art painting, musical instruments, vocal performance, dance, music production, and drama, providing young people with a well-rounded introduction to the performing and creative arts.

Participants gain real-world experience with digital production technology, building valuable technical skills as they create and present their work through concerts, recitals, and multimedia projects. In response to the COVID-19 pandemic five years ago, we launched virtual youth community pop-up camps and online classes, ensuring continued engagement and creative development during a critical time.

Building on the success of both our virtual and in-person programs, we are now expanding our reach through a weekday after-school program and by bringing our services to more communities. With a focus on accessibility, self-expression, and youth development, we believe creativity has the power to redefine possibilities and shape a brighter future for the next generation.

With support from the California Arts Council, LEFT COAST CHAMBER ENSEMBLE INC will offer a second session of our successful Pathways program, providing mentor-guided workshops, and professional ensemble performances and recordings for young composers with limited access to these essential resources. Pathways addresses the dearth of high-quality recording resources that overwhelmingly affects BIPOC composers and composers from underrepresented groups, acting as a barrier to future career opportunities.

The core programs of the Left Coast Chamber Ensemble include:
Annual subscription concert series on both sides of the Bay;
Music From the Inside Out, a composition-based education program for middle and high school students at the SF Community Music Center;
Pathways, a program providing professional, mentor-guided workshops, performances & recordings for young adult composers with limited access;
Left Coast Composition Contest, now in its 21st year, drawing composer applicants from all over the world;
Numerous free community events each year.

With support from the CAC, SFIAF will conduct the Women in Jazz & World Music (WJWM) Vocal Training Course led by Dr. Dee Spencer supported by band leader, singer and composer Michelle Jacques. The course is designed for under-served youth aged 15-24. It features five four-hour sessions and culminates in a public concert presented free to families and the general public. The program will include four guest lecturers – professional women vocalists whose careers and lives are role models for the students. The program will incorporate a focus on community-building by fostering a network for mentorship, collaboration, and support between younger and older artists. The training is offered at no cost to participants and intentionally recruits under-served students of color. WJWM takes place at the Community Music Center in San Francisco’s Mission District during April 2026.

The annual Festival
Our largest program each year features approximately 100 performances and educational activities by 50 to 60 artists. In 2025, it was attended by over 3,500 audience members in 20 venues throughout the Mission District.

The Last Supper Party
In its fourth season, a free, spoken-word and music series presented at Temo’s Cafe in the Mission District. Artists are from a kaleidoscope of cultures, united by a shared commitment to cultural exchange and community engagement. Curated by Kimi Sugioka (see bio), the series has become an anticipated monthly event with a core and growing audience.

Women in Jazz & World Music (WJWM)
A vocal training course for 15 – 24 year-olds, at the Community Music Center. Led by Dr. Dee Spencer (see bio ) with choir director, Michelle Jacques. Free, 10 two-hour classes culminate in a community-wide concert.

Lift Every Voice
A newly established music series (also led by Dr. Spencer), co-presented with SFJAZZ to honor MLK Jr Weekend. This free program for aspiring community singers pairs them with professional vocalists to learn historically important compositions of jazz and blues.

Artist Support Services
Guidance and tailored services for artists at pivotal points in their careers includes fiscal sponsorship, grant writing, and marketing.

Produced Projects
An outcome of our Artist Support Services is to also produce work, which establishes even longer-term relationships with artists and audiences.

Examples include:

2024-2026 “Wong Wei’s Legacy”, written by William Roper, music by Francis Wong, choreography by Lynn Huang.

2020-22 “Daughters of the Delta”, composed by Michelle Jacques and Cava Menzies with arrangements by Bryan Dyer.

2016-18 “IYA: The Esselen Remember” (staged readings), written by Luis Juarez in collaboration with the Ohlone Costanoan Esselen nation, directed by Kinan Valdez.

2009-16 “PLACAS: The Most Dangerous Tattoo”, written by Paul Flores, directed by Michael John Garces, starring Ricardo Salinas.

With support from the California Arts Council, Jazzantiqua Dance & Music Ensemble (Jazzantiqua, Inc.) will continue to develop and grow our free jazz dance training program for teens – LEGACY Jazz Project – which includes Summer dance intensives, weekly workshops, master classes at school sites, and the performance group LEGACY Youth Dance Ensemble.

Jazzantiqua’s core programs and services include: performances, community dance classes, professional dance training and master classes, lecture-demonstrations, panel discussions, jazz music and dance improvisation workshops, community dialogues, apprenticeships and internships, mini-conferences, K-12 school programs and college presentations.

With support from the California Arts Council, GIVE 4 KIDZ will expand its Art & Me program to serve more youth ages 2 to 21 in underserved communities across the Inland Empire and Downtown Los Angeles. Free workshops—offered in neighborhoods with a Healthy Place Index score of 20 or below—will engage youth in culturally affirming art experiences such as watercolor, acrylics, ceramics, clay sculpting, drawing, and sensory-based slime making. CAC funds will support program growth through teaching artist fees, inclusive art supplies, and ADA-compliant community venues. This initiative promotes safe, healing-centered environments where young people can build confidence, explore identity, and strengthen their connection to culture through the arts.

Give 4 Kidz is dedicated to empowering young creatives through two main programs: ‘Art & Me’ and ‘Story Corner’. The ‘Art & Me’ program aims to nurture and support youth by offering them free art materials, workshops, events, and exhibitions. We are proud to collaborate with local artists and organizations that share our vision.

The second program, ‘Story Corner’, caters to young individuals with a passion for creative writing. We provide a supportive environment where they can explore their creativity, acquire new skills, and connect with like-minded peers. Through this program, we offer access to writing supplies, events, and workshops led by experienced writers. Our aim is to inspire and foster a love for writing among youth. In this endeavor, we are delighted to partner with local bookstores, authors, and libraries.

At Give 4 Kidz, our mission extends beyond traditional boundaries. We strive to reach all children who possess a love for the arts, regardless of their socio-economic backgrounds. To achieve this, we extend our services to family homeless shelters and underserved communities in California. Additionally, we have created remote participation opportunities to ensure inclusivity for all kids. Our goal is to overcome socio-economic challenges and provide equal access to our programs.

By embracing diversity and focusing on the potential within each child, Give 4 Kidz is committed to nurturing the creative spirit and enabling young individuals to thrive in the arts.

With support from the California Arts Council, Relámpago del Cielo, Inc. will bring additional ballet folklórico dance instruction to local public schools, community partners and public events. Funding will bolster our capacity to expand free and low-cost classes and performances to traditionally underserved children, youth and families in vulnerable communities across Santa Ana and central Orange County in this pivotal year as we celebrate our 50th Anniversary.

Relampago del Cielo arts program provides instruction in Mexican folklorico dance. Students receive weekly classes that are representative of the various regions of Mexico. Approximately 325 students’ ages three to young adult, are in the program. Relámpago offers classes to any interested child regardless of ability to pay. Financial aid is available to low-income families to support tuition fees. Families who meet prerequisite minimum annual income, as established by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, qualify for assistance. Annual Student Recital: The students showcase their accomplishments and learning at the annual student recital. Students are given the opportunity to perform on stage, to an audience of over a thousand attendees. Community Involvement and Performances: The students perform in educational, cultural, business and community events throughout Orange County, such as community parades, civic celebrations, school presentations and church events. Relampago del Cielo also operates a professional ballet folklorico dance company which offers free and paid performances at a variety of venues across Southern California and beyond and reaches thousands of audience members every year.

Girls’ Voices Now (GVN), the youth development program of Women’s Voices Now, empowers girls from under-resourced communities through filmmaking. We cultivate the next generation of changemakers and storytellers by building their confidence, teaching media literacy and critical thinking, and developing professional skills for careers in film and media. GVN is entirely free, offers a $500 stipend, and provides meals and transportation support. Participants—diverse and representative of Los Angeles—learn to use their voices for personal and community advocacy.

Over seven years, GVN has proven long-term impact: alumnae have attended top universities and earned prestigious fellowships, internships, and jobs.

We graciously request $25,000 from the California Arts Council to support staff costs. These funds will ensure we continue to train, mentor, and launch young filmmakers committed to telling stories that drive social change.

We empower filmmakers, produce social-change films, and engage audience members to advance girls’ and women’s rights through our three core programs:

1. WVN Online Film Festival
An annual film festival supporting emerging documentary filmmakers by providing cash prizes, visibility, and connections to film industry professionals. Since 2011, we have received 1,382 film submissions from 97 countries, and we have awarded $156,500 in cash prizes.

2. Girls’ Voices Now – Youth Development through Arts Education and Empowerment
Our youth development program empowers the next generation of youth from under-resourced communities to find, develop, and use their voice for social change through filmmaking. Since 2018, we have served 104 girls from under-resourced LA communities and produced 28 youth-made short films seen by 4.3M+ online viewers. Films produced in this program have gone on to win awards, including festivals and two Emmy nominations (1 win!)

3. Voices For Change: A free film collection advocating for women’s and girls’ rights
Collection of films about women raises awareness of the struggles and triumphs of women and girls around the globe, inviting audience members to contribute to social change supportive of their human rights. Features 340+ films in 50 different languages about women’s and girls’ stories and rights globally. We partner with local organizations to co-facilitate 145+ in-person and virtual screening events and conversations in 15+ countries with 50+ field partners, including universities, nonprofit organizations and international organizations. We also promote these films for individuals to stream for free online through thorough online marketing campaigns (reaching 8.2M+ online viewers globally in 2024 alone!)

With support from the California Arts Council, LA Promise Fund will offer 15 total weeks of after-school animation club programming at the Westbrook Academy in South Gate. Club will focus on stop-motion animation and character design, serving a total of 25 at-promise youth participating in the club programming.

Key regional programs:
• Girls Build – Empowers more than 10,000 girls to identify the challenges they face and design and implement community-based solutions
• The Intern Project – Provides public high school students with opportunities to work and be mentored in dynamic career areas
• Career Pathway Connections – Works with 12 South LA high schools to provide career exploration and readiness, dual enrollment, work-based learning and pathway development in high growth sectors
• ArtsMatter – Connects more than 50 Los Angeles teachers to arts education, enrichment, and supplies
• Amgen Biotech Experience – Trains and equips approximately 250 teachers across Southern California to deliver interactive and cutting-edge 8th/9th grade biotechnology labs to more than 25,000 students.
• Black College Success — Partners with select universities to create a college success pathway that empowers more Black students from South LA high schools to complete a Bachelor’s degree.
• Promise Parent – Coordinates support services for families, including a food pantry, and facilitates workshops that provide parents with tools to help their children graduate high school and pursue a postsecondary education.

With support from the California Arts Council, Via International will expand our Somos La Voz (SLV) Cultural Heritage program to launch a four-week teen summer camp in 2026. “Somos La Voz Teen Camp: Community Art as a Tool for Resistance, Healing, and Identity” will offer free, culturally relevant art and music programming for Mexican, Chicano, and Latinx youth ages 12–20, creating a space for both new and returning participants to explore creative expression and cultural pride. Evaluations from our first two years of SLV show that youth feel empowered as community leaders and gain a sense of intergenerational belonging and healing. The 2026 camp will also provide paid opportunities for advanced youth participants to serve as mentors and camp counselors, deepening their leadership and peer facilitation skills.

Via works through the paradigm of asset-based community development (ABCD), which is a development practice that centers the community of focus, building on already-present strengths, leadership, and community assets. ABCD works to bring resources to communities of focus to invest in community-sourced and led solutions.
Through our ABCD paradigm, our community development work in San Diego county focuses on art and cultural heritage, youth leadership development, food security and sovereignty, and entrepreneurship, with a particular emphasis on Chicano and Mexican communities. Through all of our programs and interventions we seek to empower communities toward greater self-determination.

With support from the California Arts Council, Root Division will provide free, high-quality visual arts education to over 1,000 San Francisco youth. We will recruit, train, and place 20 Studio Artists and Fellows to teach at 8 after-school partner sites, reaching low-income, BIPOC, immigrant, and English-Language Learner students in the Mission, SOMA, and Tenderloin neighborhoods. These artist-educators will deliver culturally responsive, hands-on art classes that foster creative expression, build confidence, and strengthen community connection.

Root Division’s ecosystem includes 4 interconnected programs: In our unique incubator Studios Program we offer discounted space to artists who each volunteer 8 hours of service per month. Artists spend this time teaching free art classes in the Youth Education Program, instructing courses in the Adult Education Program, and/or supporting the Exhibitions & Events Program. We link various interests & audiences in a mutually beneficial relationship making art, artists & arts education more accessible while cultivating artists who give back.

Since 2002, Root Division has provided 290+ artists with studios; empowered 480 artists to teach; provided 8,000+ hours of free art classes for neighborhood youth; hosted adult art classes for 4,400 students; exhibited 4,700+ artists; been a gathering place for 75,000 visitors to meet artists & see artwork; sold over $1.27M of emerging artwork; & developed partnerships with two-dozen public schools/ community centers & 180 local businesses.

With support from the California Arts Council, the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA) will provide free guided museum gallery tours, art activities, and curriculum materials supporting the California Department of Education’s Visual Arts Teaching Standards for schools serving priority student populations. Grant funds will also support transportation subsidies for Title 1 schools to remove financial barriers to arts participation, as well as targeted summer programming for kids from historically underserved and under-resourced communities in south San Luis Obispo County.

The San Luis Obispo Museum of Art (SLOMA) is located in downtown San Luis Obispo on the west end of Mission Plaza, at the heart of the city’s cultural corridor. SLOMA is committed to an exhibition program that brings together visual artists from around the world with renowned artists from California and the US. With free admission and monthly events, SLOMA is the heart of the Central Coast’s visual arts community, serving as both a gathering place for the community and an essential stop for visitors. Programs and services include a robust exhibitions program, public art, and youth and adult arts education.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Ryman-Carroll Foundation (Ryman Arts) will provide advanced studio art classes (Foundation Drawing, Intermediate Drawing & Painting, and Advanced Painting) and college and career guidance, to over 575 students through its core program and an additional 500+ students through outreach from January – September 2026. Young artists in grades 9–12 (ages 14–18) from Southern California will receive high-quality, sequential art instruction from professional teaching artists at Ryman Arts. Classes will be held on weekends during the school year at our partner campuses—Otis College of Art and Design and Cal State University, Fullerton—and on weekdays during the summer at the USC Roski School of Art and Design.

Since 1990, Ryman Arts has provided professional fine arts classes along with college and career planning to talented youth in Southern California, at no cost to the students. Recognized for the superior quality of its program, Ryman Arts was named a SoCaL PBS Community Champion (2015), a National Program of Excellence three times by the President’s Committee on the Arts & Humanities and received the Pasadena Art Alliance Impact Award in 2019.

Ryman Arts offers high quality intensive studio classes taught by master teaching artists, art supplies, college and career planning, field trips, and community engagement opportunities—all at no cost to the student. This 1½-year-long program helps participants build transferable life skills, strengthen their self-discipline and self-confidence, and prepare for a positive, productive future. Classes are held on the campuses of Otis College of Art & Design and California State University, Fullerton. Students complete this program ready to meet the challenges of college, work, and life.

With support from the California Arts Council, A Reason To Survive (ARTS), a place-based Community ARTS after-school program will engage over 150+ young people of color from National City and South County San Diego who consistently experience disproportionate economic, environmental, and structural racial disparities.

Community ARTS encompasses the traditional and non-traditional art practices of sound experimentation, textile arts, visual, performing, and media arts. Through our program, we reinforce our community engagement with local artists, creatives, and cultural practitioners through culturally relevant equity-based programs, services, and events that cultivate young people’s artistic voice and vision.

Our programs are free for all young people, offering accessible arts-based projects that cultivate healing, develop leadership skills, and enrich academic experiences– setting up young people on a path toward success in life, school and career.

A Reason To Survive (ARTS) offers arts programming and creative workforce opportunities for youth and young adults (ages 8-24) living the south county region of San Diego. Through our program initiatives – Community ARTS, ARTS 4 Justice, ARTS On Campus, and ARTS @ Work — young people gain exposure to a range of artistic disciplines (visual arts, media arts, music, and industrial arts in our Maker Workshop), while deepening their social-emotional development through meaningful relationships and mentorship provided by teaching artists and ARTS staff. Through our innovative Community of Care model, we integrate social-emotional supports into our program / curricula design and into the overall design of learning spaces, exhibitions, and performances at the ARTS Center.

With support from the California Arts Council, Audium will expand its Spatial Sound in Schools program—currently serving two Bay Area public schools- to four partner schools in the 2025-26 academic year. Grant funds will cover staffing, curriculum development, & loaned classroom audio kits for high school workshops introducing spatial audio fundamentals. Each semester-long partnership includes an on-campus demonstration at Audium, in-class composition sessions guided by our tech staff and alumni residents, two mixing visits in our theater, and a culminating student showcase night. Reducing financial barriers and centering culturally responsive pedagogies, we will engage at least 200 additional students- over 50 percent from historically marginalized backgrounds- in hands-on sound composition. This project advances CAC’s Arts & Youth goals by providing equitable access to creative learning, fostering positive social-emotional growth, and empowering youth voices through immersive arts experiences.

Audium is the first theater of its kind, pioneering the exploration of space in music for over 50 years. The theater is constructed specifically for live sound movement and utilizing the entire environment as a compositional tool. The building consists of a foyer, sound labyrinth and main performance space with over 176 speakers in total. Listeners sitting in concentric circles are enveloped by speakers in sloping walls, a floating floor and a suspended ceiling. Compositions are performed live at each program by a performer who distributes sounds through a custom-designed console. Sounds are “sculpted” through their movement, direction, speed and intensity on multiple planes in space. Live performance of composed works gives a human, interactive element to Audium’s spatial electronic orchestra.

Audium has been exploring the ideas of aural immersion and live sound spatialization for decades. Its idea was born out of experimentation by Stan Shaff and Doug McEachern in the late 1950s with Anna Halprin’s dance troup and the now-historic San Francisco Tape Music Center. Audium went through multiple incarnations in its early years, from performances at the SF Museum of Art and SF State University to a fixed installation in San Francisco’s Richmond District for 3.5 years. It found a home at its current site, thanks to a series of grants from the National Endowment for the Arts, in 1975. The theater has held weekly performances ever since (totaling over 4,300 performances and counting).

Liberando Nuestras Voces is a creative writing program for adolescent Latinx girls that uses writing and art for self-reflection, expression, and well-being. Grounded in cultural and linguistic responsiveness, it encourages participants to share their truths through fierce, authentic writing. Held weekly from September 2025 to May 2026 at the San Leandro Public Library, the program includes mentor texts by women of color authors, pláticas (community-based conversations) with local women artists, and a culminating public reception where girls read a piece, showcase their artwork, and receive certificates. Rooted in joy, play, and social justice, the program affirms Latinx identities and fosters transformation through storytelling. Grant funds will support art and literary materials, program outreach, and artwork showcasing materials for the closing public reception.

Liberando Nuestras Voces establishes innovative, culturally and linguistically sustaining creative writing spaces that grow the next generation of Latinx women writers. Recognizing the connections between identity, language, and culture, we offer creative writing workshops for adolescent Latinx girls that invite them to use writing and art as tools for self-reflection, expression, and well-being through mentor texts written by BIPOC writers and pláticas with local women of color artists.

With support from the California Arts Council, RICHMOND ART CENTER will expand Art Club, a free visual arts program for Richmond teens (ages 13–18). Art Club offers a safe, inclusive “third space” where youth can create, connect, and build community. Richmond is a racially diverse, working-class city where over half of residents speak a language other than English at home. Art Club primarily serves BIPOC, immigrant, undocumented, LGBTQ+, and low-income teens attending local public schools. Weekly sessions, led by Teaching Artists, feature hands-on projects in painting, printmaking, clay, and more. The culturally responsive curriculum, aligned with VAPA standards and district arts goals, supports both artistic and personal development. Lessons incorporate social-emotional learning and identity exploration, helping teens feel seen, heard, and supported in a space where they can thrive.

Arts Education: Our arts education program offers art classes to adults, youth, kids and families; on-site in our six studios, and off-site in local schools and community spaces. This includes providing free in-school and after-school arts tuition to K-12 students at local West Contra Costa Unified School District schools. Other arts education initiatives include a paid professional development series for educators, free family day celebrations, youth art tours of exhibitions, Summer Art Camp for Kids, and youth intensive classes.

Exhibitions and Events: Exhibitions and public programs feature work by established, early career and aspiring artists. The goal of our exhibition program is to introduce new artists, artwork and perspectives on art; engage Richmond audiences; enhance the visibility of underrepresented groups/artists; and serve as a catalyst for community interaction. Long term community exhibition partnerships include The Art of Living Black/Art of the African Diaspora (since 1997), and the WCCUSD Art Show (since 1965).

With support from the California Arts Council, Home of Guiding Hands will expand access to arts and music programming for youth with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Grant funds will be used to increase the frequency of visual arts workshops, led by a California-based teaching artist, and to support participation in weekly music sessions facilitated by Banding Together. Workshops will take place at licensed residential homes and community sites and will include adaptive materials, trained support staff, and ADA-compliant transportation. The project will also fund public culmination events where participants can share and, if they choose, sell their work. Direct Service Providers and Program Managers will support accessibility and coordination.

Core Programs and Services
Home of Guiding Hands (HGH) provides a wide range of services for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) across San Diego and Imperial Counties.

* Residential services: 29 community-based homes offering 24/7 care, daily living support, and community integration.
* Infant Development Program: Early intervention for infants and toddlers at risk of developmental delays, with home visits and parent coaching.
* Independent and Community Living: One-on-one support for adults with IDD to live independently, including help with budgeting, cooking, and accessing services.
* Tailored Day Services: Personalized, community-based day programs focused on social participation and skill-building.
* Respite services: In-home and out-of-home respite care to provide temporary relief for family caregivers.
* Transportation: Specialized transportation to ensure access to medical care, programs, and community activities.
* Clinical and behavioral support: Behavioral consultation and clinical services for individuals with complex needs.
* Arts and music programming: Visual art workshops with local artists and colleges, including gallery exhibitions. Music “Jam Sessions” in partnership with Banding Together San Diego, led by board-certified music therapists to promote communication, connection, and self-expression.

With support from the California Arts Council, Center Theatre Group (CTG) will produce the fourth iteration of the Storytelling Residency program during the 2025/26 Season. The Storytelling Residency program engages nearly 100 high school students each year across three classrooms as they learn about the art of storytelling by collectively creating a play through a devised theatre project. Each iteration of the program is anchored in a dramatic text that serves as inspiration for students as they study the script and attend the play, with the 2025/26 Season anchor text being JAJA’S AFRICAN HAIR BRAIDING by Jocelyn Bioh. Led by experienced Teaching Artists, the Storytelling Residency provides access for students to engage in quality arts experiences, fosters young people’s voices and creativity, and cultivates skills such leadership and collaboration.

Comprising the 2,000-seat Ahmanson Theatre, the 736-seat Mark Taper Forum, and the 317-seat Kirk Douglas Theatre, CTG is one of the nation’s largest regional theatres and one of the few regional theatres to successfully produce a broad variety of programming each season. CTG is committed to furthering its mission through programming that meets the challenge of producing and presenting work of the highest quality, while engaging a broad and diverse audience, and expanding community access and arts learning opportunities. These efforts include a robust Artistic Development Program offering commissions of new work, readings and workshops, and an annual L.A. Writers’ Workshop; and an Education and Community Partnerships Department dedicated to providing comprehensive year-round arts education and access to over 20,000 students, educators, and community members each year.

With support from the California Arts Council, Stronger Together Now will provide a year-long series of monthly street art and graffiti workshops for youth, aimed at promoting creative expression, community pride, and mentorship through public art. The initiative known as “Voices on the Wall” program will engage youth in 2-3 hours sessions, in a safe, structured environment where they can explore their creativity, learn from Arturo Orellana, aka SauceyPasta, as a professional artist, and contribute to beautifying public spaces in downtown San Bernardino. Voices on the Wall offers a positive alternative to vandalism and unstructured afterschool time, reducing risk of negative behavior. Components include art history and cultural roots, sketching and typography, color theory and spray paint techniques, legal art vs. vandalism, design & execution, as well as community showcases.

We are a 501(c)3 California nonprofit public benefit corporation that aims to improve connectedness and ​provide resources for the people of the Inland Empire through free public events, mutual aid, outreach programs, educational services, sports programs, and enrichment offerings. Current programs include academic tutoring, mentorship, sports-lunch programs, coaching, and enrichment afterschool programs like barbering.

Funds would be used to design and implement a culturally specific Youth Arts Education Program for 250 BIPOC youth, ages 6-14, in three San Francisco public schools that serve students in neighborhoods in the lower two percentile of the California HPI. Master artists from the BIPOC communities of which we are of, by and for will teach the performing traditions (and evolving traditions) of the Afro-Latinx diaspora. Students will also have opportunities to perform in schools, at community events and festivals throughout the Bay Area and in historically marginalized neighborhoods. This Program extends the reach and impact of 30 years of our work in BIPOC, Latinx, and African-American communities, which are under increasing economic and political duress, further limiting their access to cultural programs. This is the first culturally specific arts program in these schools.

Our programs reflect the richness of the Afro-Latino diaspora, which celebrates both ancestral traditions and contemporary expressions. Our core programs and services involve approximately 400 community participants and professional performing artists and artistic groups annually. The majority of these participants are rooted in San Francisco’s Latinx and African-American neighborhood communities. Our current programs and productions include:
• Year round Open Community Classes for all ages at Brava Theater
• Intergenerational Performing Ensemble
• Arts Education in SFUSD schools (dance, percussion, stilt dancing)
• Annual Productions ( Celebrate the Power of Women; SF Carnaval; Dia de los Muertos)
• Cultural Exchanges (domestic and international)

With support from the California Arts Council, Dimensions Dance Theater’ Rites of Passage program will provide 500 students in grades 3-12 at The Malonga Casquelourd Center for the Arts with in-depth culturally based dance instruction after school and during the summer for 24 weeks with a culminating public performance by students at the end of each session. This community-based, youth-centered arts education initiative is rooted in African Diaspora traditions, serving diverse Oakland youth ages 8–18, and nurturing cultural identity, leadership, and creative expression through dance, music, storytelling, arts exposure, and mentorship. Over the grant year, more than 650 participants will engage in artistic exploration, culminating in public performances and community cultural events.

Dimensions engages the community year-round through carefully designed programs and stage concerts:

The professional company produces an annual season and performs throughout the community.

Rites of Passage is a comprehensive educational outreach program, serving youth ages 8-18 years. The program offers free classes in Oakland Public schools, and year-round low-cost classes after school and on Saturdays. This program also provides life skills workshops and art exposure field trips.

Dimensions Extensions Performance Ensemble for ages 13-19 provides a more advance level of dance training and is the youth company of DDT.

Apprentice and Internship Program is for ages 15-20 and for participates that are interested in dance as a career.

Throughout the year, Dimensions provides four community dance classes per week; numerous community workshops; five free outside dance experience classes to high school students at the Malonga Center, and participates in Bay Area National Dance Week.

MoAD in the Classroom (MIC) is an arts-based visual literacy and cultural studies program serving third and fourth graders, focused on schools with little or no arts programming across Alameda, Contra Costa, San Mateo, and San Francisco counties. Each class receives 10 hours of instruction: eight 1-hour visits to the classroom led by MoAD Teaching Artists and one 2-hour field trip to the museum that includes gallery tours and hands-on artmaking. Students learn visual arts vocabulary, explore current exhibitions, and engage with art of the African Diaspora. The program culminates in student-led presentations of original artwork for their classroom and Teaching Artists. All materials, transportation, and museum access are provided at no cost. CAC funding will support Teaching Artist compensation, classroom supplies, curriculum refinement, and field trip resources—expanding access to arts education for students.

MoAD in the Classroom (MIC) is an arts-based, visual literacy and cultural studies program for third grade classrooms located in the San Francisco Bay Area. A MoAD Educator makes two trips to the classroom and the students make two visits to the museum. While in the classroom, MoAD Educators teach students about museum themes, current exhibitions, and visual arts vocabulary. During the museum visits, students view current art exhibitions, learn how to view and talk about art, and participate in hands-on art activities.

Poets in Residence is a 4-month writing residency from September – December for two poets of African descent who will immerse themselves in the current exhibitions and will be provided space to write using the museum as their muse. They will partner with Arise High School in Oakland to teach students creative writing poetry workshops at the high school.

Our Emerging Artists Program ( EAP) highlights local, emerging, and mid-career visual artists and art collectives through solo exhibitions that reflect the cultural and artistic richness of the African diaspora.

With support from the California Arts Council, Murphys Creek Theatre will revive The Mirror Project, its summer theatre conservatory for youth ages 9–17 that mirrors our professional Shakespeare production. Participants will receive daily instruction in acting, design, movement, and more from the very artists performing in the mainstage show. Each young actor is paired with an adult cast member playing the same role, creating a unique mentorship model rooted in artistic growth and community connection. The four-week program culminates in a youth-led Shakespeare performance. CAC funds will support equitable access through scholarships and help cover the costs of artist-educators and administrative staff. This project brings high-quality arts education to rural youth who might not otherwise have access, and cultivates the next generation of creators, storytellers, and leaders through a culturally responsive, performance-based learning experience.

Murphys Creek Theatre (MCT) produces a five-play mainstage season annually, offering professionally staged productions that span reimagined classics, contemporary works, and world premieres. Every performance features Pay-What-You-Can ticketing, ensuring that cost is never a barrier to experiencing live theatre. Each show is chosen to challenge, inspire, and connect audiences through powerful storytelling.

We are dedicated to new work through Quill to Act, our annual new play festival. Finalist scripts receive public readings and community feedback, with the winning play professionally produced the following season as its world premiere. The festival offers meaningful exposure and development opportunities for emerging voices.

Our youth education programs offer a rotating slate of seasonal opportunities in live theatre, film, and performance. Programs are designed to serve a wide age range, introduce diverse skill sets, and keep returning students engaged with fresh experiences. We prioritize financial accessibility through scholarships and subsidized tuition.

MCT also provides free use of our stage and facilities to artists who live or work in Calaveras County, supporting performances, rehearsals, and cultural events that enrich our region.

Together, these core programs reflect our commitment to professional artistry, community connection, and creating accessible opportunities for participation at every level.

With support from the California Arts Council, Restorative Justice for Oakland Youth will offer the 12-Week Youth Arts Intensive in Spring 2026. This free program, held weekly for 12 weeks, will engage Black youth ages 10-16, offering instruction in vocals and performance, guided by a restorative justice curriculum and culminating in a free community performance. The program will be collaboratively developed with community members and address a community-identified need to utilize the arts to repair historic and community harm caused by racialized oppression that relegates Black youth to futures defined by mass incarceration and institutionalization.

RJOY offers speaking, training, workshops and technical assistance to communities, schools, and justice groups in California and throughout the nation.

The Restorative Art & Healing Circle, meeting every Thursday 5-7pm, is an intergenerational space for creativity, connection and care, incorporating poetry, music, theater, storytelling, collage, dance, painting, cooking, beadwork, drumming, sculpture, mixed-media, singing, and culinary arts.

The Safe Space Studios Restorative Sound and Healing Circle, held every Thursday 6-8pm, is a healing circle designed for artists to receive guidance from professionals within the music industry and to create a safe space, time, and opportunities to perform at live showcases.

The Music and Healing Cohort offers an opportunity for artists to dive into an individual and collective healing journey, supporting each other in turning healing stories into the music they love to write and perform. Participants record and mix their original songs and storytelling, guided by a restorative justice curriculum.

The RJOY Ubusha youth program fosters restorative practices through engaging activities like community building, hands-on farm work, and rejuvenating retreats at our Ubuntu Farm and Healing Center. Participants learn the art of healing connections, sustainable agriculture, and self-discovery in a supportive environment that empowers them to contribute positively to their communities.

The Restorative Justice in Schools Learning Community is designed to create a state-wide network for restorative justice practitioners, educators, and administrators. Our role in this initiative is to provide resources for developing restorative programs in schools districts across California. We are responsible for holding monthly webinars for restorative training, creating a network forum for dialogue, and providing a database with real evidence of the work being done to fight institutions that perpetuate punitive systems of oppression to black and brown children.

With support from the California Arts Council, Arts For The Schools will launch Sounding the Wild, an arts and eco-literacy education program that blends music, environmental themes, and place-based learning to spark creativity, connection, and critical thinking. In this initial phase, the program will focus on our youngest learners—kindergarten through 2nd grade students in the Tahoe Truckee Unified School District—prioritizing Title I school sites and campuses ranked lowest on the California Healthy Places Index (HPI).

Sounding the Wild features assemblies by world-class musicians, each centered on a distinct ecological theme, followed by in-class integration through the Musical Field Journal, a curriculum tool combining journaling, lyrics, and science-based observation. Aligned with NGSS, SEL, and VAPA standards, the program allows students to extend their learning beyond the performance and into the natural world.

Fox Cultural Hall (Arts For The Schools) now offers seven programs, operating in a new space for arts programming and community arts.

Community Programs:
onSTAGE Live- A season of highly-acclaimed cultural, performing arts concerts and workshops, promoting cultural learning and increasing access to artist excellence.

arTRAIN- Free professional training in arts integration for classroom teachers and schools to promote equitable learning outcomes among students.

The Mural Project –A collaboration of area organizations, to beautify local businesses with artistic murals, in the heart of North Lake Tahoe communities. The art conveys important local themes of environmental stewardship, history and cultural heritage, with the goal of bringing attention to local small businesses.

Mexican Heritage Festival – The festival honors Mexican cultural traditions through celebration of Mexican music, dance, arts, artisan vendors, crafts, food and local businesses. In addition to supporting and celebrating Mexican culture, arts and artists, the festival promotes and supports, local LatinX-owned businesses.

School- based Programs:
The Visual Arts program teaches standards-based, fine-art courses in K-12 schools, as well as integrates math, science and reading curriculum. Students have opportunities to exhibit work and develop art portfolios. The program serves ~1,000 students a year at six schools.

The Performing Arts program provides performances and workshops with cultural, performing artists in K-12 schools to promote cultural learning. The program serves 10,000 students and reaches 22 schools in our service area, and supports 35-40 artists annually.

The Community School program provides in-depth course work in music, visual arts, and digital arts for juvenile-justice system and vulnerable youth at school. The program serves students with in-depth fine arts and career-training course-work.

Create Now respectfully requests General Operating Support from the California Arts Council to help sustain and strengthen our core operations as we continue delivering free, high-quality arts education to underserved youth across California. Funding will support staff salaries, teaching artist compensation, program coordination, and essential administrative infrastructure that enables us to provide visual arts, music, writing, performance, and multimedia programs in schools, shelters, group homes, and juvenile facilities. This support will allow us to maintain continuity, expand reach, and deepen impact in communities where access to the arts is limited, while ensuring our programs remain culturally relevant, inclusive, and accessible to all youth.

Our unique partnership model helps Create Now provide access to the arts for youth who are most likely to miss out on impactful extracurricular opportunities and creative education. All of our programs are offered at no cost to youth and their families. Our partnerships with schools and community agencies have been built for nearly 30 years. This unique connection helps us reach youth who are underserved, experiencing homelessness, in foster care, or who have experienced the juvenile justice system.

Like many other arts education organizations, Create Now relies on local schools and community agencies in underserved communities as crucial partners. A variety of our programming occurs on campus at various schools.

With support from the California Arts Council, Son of Semele Ensemble will produce “Out Loud,” a summer theatre enrichment program that gives high school students an opportunity to write and perform a play with guidance and support from a team of professional Teaching Artists. The program and presentation will take place within the brand new multi-million dollar Valley Academic and Cultural Center on the campus of Los Angeles Valley College. “Out Loud” celebrates the diverse experiences of young people, amplifying their voices through an enriching theatre arts experience that exposes them to many aspects of theatre arts, and presents their stories, dreams, and aspirations as a world premiere play of their own making.

Son of Semele Ensemble has developed three artistic programs which make up our season of ticketed events, serving thousands of Angelenos annually. These events include stage productions, co-productions, and new work festivals. All together these events feature the unique talents of hundreds of artists. In our history, we estimate that we have been at the center of 200 different events attended by over 23,000 people. Pre-pandemic, a typical season includes multiple productions and co-productions, as well as the series of Creation Festivals (new works festivals) which are curated through a no-cost, open application process.

PRODUCTIONS & CO-PRODUCTIONS

We present multiple productions each year that are selected and realized through our collaborative approach. Proposed by staff members, vetted by the company as a whole, and selected by the Producing Artistic Director, these productions feature the artistic work of Son of Semele Ensemble’s core company. We also produce co-productions in partnership with other venues and creative collaborators. These projects are selected based on the artistic potential of each. Our productions and co-productions each receive 8-15 performances over 2-4 weeks and have served many thousands of Angelenos through ticketed public performances.

CREATION FESTIVALS

We produce new work festivals (which we call Creation Festivals) periodically throughout the year, each focused on a different form of live performance (solo work, devised work, and short-form plays). Our Creation Festival series provides an opportunity for outside theatre artists to have their work presented by Son of Semele and to receive administrative, marketing, and artistic support throughout the full production process. The festival environment gives each artist exposure and a community of like-minded artists from which to grow and learn. Our Creation Festivals run 1-4 weeks and serve approximately 1,200 Angelenos annually through ticketed festival performances.

With support from the California Arts Council, MUSICIANS AT PLAY FOUNDATION INC will provide a music mentorship program for youth at Monroe Community of Schools in North Hills, a community that has long faced chronic underfunding and limited access to the arts. This out-of-school initiative expands access to high-quality music education and meaningful artistic experiences typically unavailable to students in this underserved area. CAC funds are used to support professional mentor compensation.

Founded in 2015 by the family of renowned film composer John Williams, MAP is a vibrant community of world-class musicians and educators who partner with schools to offer tuition-free instrumental and vocal music instruction, coaching, and mentoring programs for youth ages 12-27 and free or low-cost professional community concerts in underserved communities. MAP also offers Career Technical Education training events and opportunities. It began with a single band class at New Roads HS in Santa Monica and has grown to include partnerships with schools and school districts in Burbank, Simi Valley, Los Angeles, Inglewood, and North Hills/Monroe Community. Over the past 10 years, MAP programs have impacted more than 41,000 students, teachers, parents, and community members.

Its core instructional program, Artists in Schools (Instrumental Youth Orchestra and Choir), is facilitated by accredited educators who are award-winning professional local musicians working in the film, concert hall, and recording industries in Los Angeles and globally. They provide mentorship and training through sequential workshops, culminating in public performances. Fourteen disciplines of music are taught, including Choral, Trumpet, Trombone, Tuba, Horn, Sax, Clarinet, Flute, Percussion, Bass, Cello, Viola, Violin, and Piano. All programs align with California Visual & Performing Arts Standards.

In spring 2022, MAP launched the RISE, an annual multi-week, high-level musicianship training and recording experience offering exposure to career opportunities in film/TV. In 2024, MAP launched the Civic Orchestra of Los Angeles (CO-LA) to provide world-class training and performance opportunities for young pre-professional musicians. In April 2024, MAP was approved for a groundbreaking, federally recognized, registered apprenticeship for “Session Musician” and is working on including all instruments within this framework as we build employer partnerships.

With support from the California Arts Council, Richmond Community Foundation will offer our Arts Alive! after school program in Spring 2026. This free program held twice weekly for a 12-week session will engage Black youth ages 10-16, offering instruction in singing and dance from master Black women artists in our community, culminating in a free recital for the community. This project will be collaboratively developed with community members and will address a community-identified need for accessible, culturally responsive arts instruction for under-resourced youth, in alignment with our Equity for Black Women and Girls Initiative.

We facilitate the infrastructure and provide operational support for grassroots programs and partnerships designed to amplify equity in our communities, including offering fiscal sponsorship services to arts organizations and initiatives.

We fund and support grassroots, equity-focused partners looking to pilot and amplify services for the community, by the community, including funding local arts programs and services.

RCF Connects and its partners, Chase Bank and Renaissance Entrepreneurship Center, have developed our Equity for Black Women and Girls Initiative, an incubator model tailored specifically to address the needs, struggles and obstacles Black women face when building a business and accessing capital. Our approach is guided by the belief that Black women deserve to be seen, heard, valued, and served. Sistas SOAR, led by an all-Black team, provides Black women with the support they need to have a successful entrepreneurial journey. The initiative also offers coaching and training in Sister Circles, a process that provides Black women and girls safe spaces to address issues and build communities of support.

The mission of the Healthy Richmond Initiative is to help make Richmond a place where all children are safe, healthy and ready to learn. Healthy Richmond Hub staff engages, convenes and coordinates community based organizations and resident leaders in the initiative to collectively work towards increased health equity and racial justice in the community. Healthy Richmond staff provides resources and opportunities to our partners to build their advocacy capacity and supports them in keeping true to the Healthy Richmond Logic Model.

Mobility Learning and Action Bets – or Mobility LABS – is a pioneering, four-year initiative to spur the development of new solutions to sustainably lift families out of poverty, and to promote dynamic leaders who will aim to change the national conversation around social and economic mobility.

With support from the California Arts Council, El Teatro Campesino will provide its fourth year of “Teatro de Nosotros” (“Theater of Us”) – a free bilingual Youth Theater program for Watsonville youth. Unfolding in two parts over the summer, Part 1 is a unique developmental week to inform an original script and Part Two is a three week rehearsal and production process to bring that new script to life with an all youth cast. CAC funds will support artist fees for teaching, script development, production design, directing, and physical production costs in order to support the creative development of these youth.

Founded by Luis Valdez in 1965 as the cultural arm of the UFW movement, El Teatro Campesino (ETC) functions as a multi-generational theatre company. For fifty-nine years now, ETC has been at the forefront of using theatre as an artistic generator of social change and continues to empower artists and communities from its home in San Juan Bautista. The spheres of ETC’s work can be summarized into three core areas: professional arts, arts education and community arts. Within these areas, ETC runs an annual theatre season, a developmental lab to create new work, regional/statewide tours, cultural festivals for Latino holidays, community based art making and arts education programming within schools.

With support from the California Arts Council, Iranian Women in Networking (IWIN) will offer 33 two-hour, after-school workshops at Ygnacio Valley High School for approximately 35 Afghan girls (grades 9–12) and their siblings, reaching over 50 youth total. These trauma-informed “Creative Art for Well-Being” sessions integrate visual, textile, and clay art with breathwork, gentle movement, and group dialogue. Using a strength-based, culturally responsive approach, youth will build resilience, confidence, and cultural pride while exploring life skills such as boundary-setting, emotional expression, and time management. CAC funds will support artist facilitators, interpreter access, and all materials. As part of the program, students will also co-create a global public art installation—“25 Shoes / 25 Cities”—to raise awareness of gender-based violence, amplifying the voices of Afghan and Iranian women through art in San Francisco and beyond.

At IWIN (Iranian Women in Network), our core programs are rooted in the belief that art is both a tool for healing and a voice for justice. We offer culturally responsive, trauma-informed spaces where women and youth—particularly from Iranian, Afghan, and immigrant communities—can process experience, express identity, and build community. We aim to inspire the next generation to discover the artist within—and to see creative expression not only as healing, but also as a possible career path.

Transformative Art workshops use visual and tactile practices—painting, textile art, clay, collage, and gentle movement or yoga-based practices—to foster emotional healing, identity exploration, and self-worth. Offered in schools, refugee centers, and clinics, these workshops have served over 400 participants, including Afghan girls, refugee mothers, and immigrant youth. Active in Contra Costa and Alameda counties.

Activism Through Art channels community voices into powerful public works: community quilts composed of 18-piece panels, often featuring multilingual messages and personal stories. These works are fully inspired by the AIDS Memorial Quilt project. In 2025, we launched our own collaborative AIDS Memorial Quilt initiative, exhibited at San Francisco City Hall, Yerba Buena Center, Golden Gate Park, and other prominent Bay Area spaces—reaching over 1,000 community members and allies. To date, we have collected over 600 quilt pieces globally and assembled 52 completed panels. While this work is centered in San Francisco, it has been exhibited as far as Long Beach University and Sacramento County.

Our work is as an emerging grassroots and collaborative, led by immigrant women artists,. IWIN’s founder—a polio survivor paralysis in both legs—is an Iranian engineer, single mother, and lifelong advocate. She is currently training as a lay counselor, deepening IWIN’s capacity to integrate emotional support. Through art, we build spaces of healing, expression, and belonging—one story, one workshop, and one quilt at a time.

With support from the California Arts Council, RIVERSIDE ARTS ACADEMY will sustain and expand its free, community-based music education program serving over 500 youth weekly across the Inland Empire. CAC funds will support local teaching artists, instrument maintenance, supplies, and transportation for 13 culturally responsive ensembles and classes—including Mariachi, Orchestra, Choir, Guitar, Strings, and a new Music 101 course. Designed for low-income, majority-Latino youth with limited access to the arts, this program fosters creativity, cultural identity, and personal growth while advancing equity and long-term participation in California’s arts ecosystem.

RAA’s core programs serve over 500 students in the city of Riverside through a flagship after school and Saturday music program at the historic Cesar Chavez Community Center and after school programs at fourteen public schools across the Inland Empire. RAA co-designs its programs with its partners including Riverside Unified, Alvord Unified, Jurupa Unified, the City of Riverside, and faculty from local postsecondary institutions. RAA programs serve students from the ages of 7 to 18 and center on music education through socio-emotional learning and culturally-responsive pedagogy. Course offerings include multiple levels of Mariachi, orchestra, band, choir, musicianship, and more. Students are enrolled an average of 3 hours per week, with some students pursuing as many as 10 hours of music education each week. RAA further supports the music education landscape in the IE through it’s signature workforce development program that helps emerging educators with professional development, classroom experience, and job placements.

With support from the California Arts Council, STUDIO 395 Foundation will fund an At Risk Art (ARA) Program that will focus on providing art instruction to teens and young adults who are in need of prevention and intervention services for drug/alcohol/gang involvement. We will be doing this with Art Not Drugs, a newly granted 501(c)3 developed by a STUDIO 395 board member to redirect youth in our community towards a more constructive life and positive self-image. A teen track program will be supported by school district referrals of students needing active engagement. The second track will be supported by local gang task force recommendations of youth at risk in the community. The program is focused on art as a means to express emotions and initiate healing.

STUDIO 395 is an organization comprised of artists and art enthusiasts engaged in enriching the community and its members through arts education, participation, and expression. STUDIO 395, established in 2011, has developed programs in cooperation with civic leaders, businesses, other non-profits, and through previously awarded grants, to advance artistic creation and appreciation with a focus of “art as a social practice” and community improvement. We have worked with our local government engaging community members, of all ages, who are low-income, seen as “at risk” and ethnically diverse, at venues in their neighborhoods, involving them in projects as we can. Our group maintains a business model approach, seeking donations and grants for programs, events, and venue development. Currently, we are a contracted operator for a Riverside County community center and also have a workshop space in an outdoor retail establishment that we use as a creation space for artists and can be set up for classes, workshops, and interactive events. We also sponsor an ongoing large mural program there and offer window space for local artists to display and sell their creations.

Joshua Tree Living Arts’s eight-month series of Youth Tile Art Workshops brings together a professional ceramic artist, local youth, and the Twentynine Palms community—giving young people a place at the table and the opportunity to help shape a collaborative public mural. Through hands-on tile-making, students gain more than art skills—they gain a sense of authorship, agency, and the possibility of seeing their ideas made permanent in the landscape of their hometown. This isn’t just an art class—it’s a formative invitation to step into the role of artist, community builder, and cultural contributor by entering a broader civic dialogue and creating a personal tile for the City’s Freedom Plaza Tile Mural Project.

Joshua Tree Living Arts (JTLA) offers a diverse range of programs and services designed to enrich the High Desert community through arts education, creative collaboration, and sustainable practices. These initiatives aim to foster creativity, cultural enrichment, and community engagement across people of all ages and backgrounds.

ARTISTS IN SCHOOLS
JTLA brings professional artists into local classrooms to lead special projects that provide arts education in the visual, performing, and healing arts.

COLLABORATIVE ART INSTALLATIONS
JTLA collaborates with local artists and organizations to create public art installations that reflect the community’s cultural diversity and creativity.

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS
JTLA offers free and low-cost professional development workshops for artists and art classes for the general public, all designed to foster creative skill-building and community engagement.

KIDS MUSIC PROGRAMS
JTLA creates specialized programs that engage local musicians and invite children into joyful, skill-building experiences that support early artistic development and creative expression.

ARTIST MENTORSHIP
JTLA supports local artists and small arts organizations by providing access to resources, mentorship, and opportunities to grow their practice and deepen community impact.

FISCAL SPONSORSHIPS
JTLA provides fiscal sponsorship to individual artists and small organizations that share similar arts education missions, enabling them to access funding.

COMMUNITY LIAISON
JTLA leads the implementation of the Morongo Basin Strategic Plan for Culture and Arts, partnering with local organizations to expand cultural equity, grow arts education, and strengthen the region’s creative ecosystem.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Junior Center of Art and Science (JCAS) will expand equitable access to arts education for East Bay youth through its high quality, hands-on after-school classes. Founded in 1954, JCAS serves over 6,000 youth and 325 families annually, with a focus on reaching low-income communities, Title I schools, and neurodivergent students who benefit from hands-on, sensory-rich learning environments.
In addition to expanding reach, the grant will enable JCAS to build consistency for youth and families by retaining experienced teaching artists and investing in long-term relationships with local educators. Many of the students JCAS serves face systemic challenges—limited access to enrichment programs, housing instability, or language barriers—and the reliability of a familiar, welcoming creative space has a measurable impact on their sense of belonging and engagement.

The Center provides high quality programs in the arts and sciences. Our center hosts visitors in our five interactive learning spaces including our art studio, maker space, and animal room. Programs are provided both on-site and throughout the Oakland and East Bay Area through school and community partners. Offerings occur during the day, after school and on Saturdays. Classes are taught by professionals in their fields. We are happy to partner with over 40 school and community sites throughout the East Bay Area.
In summer, we provide hands-on arts and science camps for students ages 6 – 17 years old.
Our on-site programs are offered on sliding scale with a policy of no one turned away for lack of funds. All of our programs are low or no-cost with additional scholarships available to those in need.

With support from the California Arts Council, Kid City will provide free music education to low-income, first-generation teens and young adults living in South and Central Los Angeles. For teens in high school, Kid City provides music instruction, performance group guidance, performances, workshops, and field trips with a modern band approach – which is highly engaging to young people who are fans of Spanish rock, punk, pop, and jazz.

Kid City’s robust year-round youth development programs in arts, college access, and career readiness for high school and college students includes: individual and band music lessons, band rehearsals, community performances, mentoring, tutoring, personal statement and FAFSA workshops, college admissions guidance, college and career workshops and support, advocacy training, and leadership retreats. 100% of graduating seniors involved with the music program are attending college. In its 16-year history, Kid City has helped 750+ high school students apply and attend a 2- or 4- year college.

With support from the California Arts Council, Film2Future will deliver its Intensive Animation Program, a free, 300+ hour filmmaking and career-readiness program for underserved and underrepresented high school students across Los Angeles. Students will learn the animation pipeline from pitch through post-production, working in teams to create original short films that reflect their lived experiences and cultural perspectives from hundreds of volunteer industry professionals. CAC funds will support staffing, mentor coordination, and instructional resources that ensure students receive individualized guidance, access to all needed filmmaking tools, and a professional-caliber training experience. All participants will receive a laptop with industry-standard software, free transportation, meals, and individualized support to remove barriers to their participation and success. Through the program, students gain creative confidence and direct connections to professionals in the entertainment industry.

The core of F2F’s program is our filmmaking intensives. Students work in teams to create short films with instruction and mentorship from 200+ industry professionals.

We have provided four summer intensive courses: Narrative Filmmaking, Animation, Emerging Technologies (VR, AR podcasting) and Advertising. Year-round, we provide writing workshops, editing masterclasses, pitch practice and networking sessions.

Each fall, F2F also supports college-track students in developing their college applications and completing their FAFSA.

We partner with leading companies in the industry to deliver our programs, such as Lord Miller, Universal Pictures, Sony Pictures, and many more. Volunteer industry professionals give students a 360-degree view of the filmmaking industry.. They also teach life skills associated with being an artist, such as accepting feedback, overcoming disappointment and financial literacy. Speakers in our programs include leaders in their respective fields such as Kemp Powers (Writer/Director, Soul), Junkie XL (Composer, Mad Max: Fury Road), Kristen Schaal (Voice Actor, Bob’s Burgers), Will Forte (Actor, The Last Man on Earth), Thomas Kail (Director, Hamilton) and Joseph Raymond Lucero (Actor, Mayans MC).

F2F’s strong industry partnerships allow us to secure paid internships and jobs in the film industry for alumni at companies such as Netflix, NBC and CBS, and shows like Glow, Grey’s Anatomy and Brooklyn Nine-Nine. To date we have secured 126 paid opportunities for alumni, also aiding them in developing their resumes and practicing their interview skills. These well-paying positions enable F2F youth to keep their artistic talents at the center of their career.

California Arts Council support will strengthen Youth in Arts’ Intensive Arts Mentorship (I AM) paid arts mentorship program for teens, advancing our commitment to creative youth development and equity. CAC funds will directly support mentorship activities, public art creation and installation, teaching artist fees, and stipends for teen participants—underscoring our belief that young people deserve to be paid for their creative contributions to community. The Arts and Youth grant will help empower marginalized youth in Marin County by providing access to high-quality arts education, valuable creative job skills, and leadership opportunities, while promoting economic and community development, and offering a platform to amplify youth voice, through public art.

For 50 years, Youth in Arts has developed visual and performing arts skills in young people through innovative and meaningful programs that foster confidence, compassion and resilience in students of all abilities. Through direct education, intentional teacher/educator support, and meaningful advocacy, Youth in Arts changes the lives of thousands in and around San Francisco’s north bay as well as insisting that access to a creative life is a right for all students.Through residencies, performances, community events, and intensive mentorship programs , we help young people develop specific art skills and provide opportunities for them to share their work. We maintain a roster of Mentor Artists that is both artistically and culturally diverse, and are dedicated to the principle of “reaching all learners,” differentiating and tailor designing programs for students of diverse backgrounds and students of all abilities. Through our Arts Unite Us residencies, we are the only consistent provider of arts for special education classrooms in Marin County. Other core programs include an extensive in-school residency program, assembly and workshops programs from a culturally relevant pedagogical lens, `Til Dawn A Cappella our teen mentorship, the YIArts.COR is our creative online resource for virtual and digital learning, and the YIA Gallery, one of only a handful of galleries in the country dedicated to showcasing youth art.

With support from the California Arts Council, KERN DANCE ALLIANCE (KDA) will produce the 10th annual Books in Motion: DANCE + LITERACY program, a free summer reading program fostering literacy through the arts for 4,000 children in Kern County’s underserved communities. Targeting unhoused, low-income, and marginalized youth, Books in Motion delivers 50+ performances across 23 Kern County Library branches and homeless shelters. Children engage with literature through performances, learn choreography, create crafts, and receive free books. With American Sign Language (ASL) services and Spanish-language offerings, Books in Motion ensures inclusivity. By integrating dance with Common Core literacy standards, Books in Motion cultivates critical thinking, cultural responsiveness, and positive self-expression, empowering youth in a region with limited arts access. Funds will support artist honorariums, books, craft supplies, and accessibility accommodations, transforming lives through equitable arts education.

KDA serves a diverse population through our programs:

– ADAPTIdance®: DANCE + DISABILITY offers adaptive dance classes for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.

– BOOKS IN MOTION®: DANCE + LITERACY links dance and literacy to inspire children to read.

– CHILDREN’S DANCE EDUCATION + OUTREACH PROGRAM provides at-risk youth with an afternoon of dance at the Bakersfield Fox Theater.

– DANCING with the ANGELS connects foster care families through the arts.

– HealingMOTION: DANCE + THERAPY are dance therapy sessions for cancer patients and survivors.

– NATIONAL DANCE DAY provides a celebratory day of dance classes for the community to enjoy.

– NATIONAL HONORS SOCIETY FOR DANCE ARTS recognizes artistic merit, leadership, and academic achievement in students studying dance.

– MemoryMOVES®: DANCE + THERAPY are dance therapy sessions for Alzheimer’s and dementia patients.

– MightyMOVERS: DANCE + THERAPY are dance therapy sessions for pediatrics patients.

– OPEN STAGE affords creatives access to the Bakersfield Fox Theater’s technical staff and theater amenities for free.

– Paso a Paso utilizes dance to support empowerment through life-skills workshops for Kern County high school girls, specifically Latinas.

– SHINE for GIRLS: DANCE + MATH = SUCCESS combines dance with math to improve girls’ math scores and spark interest in STEAM.

– Taste of Dance celebrates cultural diversity in Kern County by showcasing cultures through culinary and performing arts.

– KDA Creative Corps is a $4.2 million dollar re-granting program awarded by the California Arts Council to KDA in support of arts programs that positively impact the lives of people living in the Central Valley’s lowest quartile of the California Healthy Places Index. The $4.2 million California Arts Council grant has been used exclusively for the regranting and administering of the KDACC. It has NOT be used to fund KDA’s existing programs, which will continue to operate alongside the KDACC. KDA continues to need funding and support to meet its daily and annual operating needs. www.kdacreativecorps.org

With support from the California Arts Council, La Luz Center will offer free, high-quality summer arts camps through its Casa de la Cultura initiative, serving low-income Latino youth in Sonoma Valley. Programs include Aventura Artistica, a hands-on visual and culinary arts camp; Film Camp, where students create original short films; and Mariachi & Folklórico Camp, focused on traditional Mexican music and dance. Led by bilingual teaching artists who reflect the community, each camp engages students in culturally meaningful instruction. CAC funds will support artist stipends, supplies, and coordination. Over 100 youth, ages 7–17, will participate in these creative learning experiences during the summer. Casa de la Cultura promotes artistic development, cultural pride, and a strong sense of belonging while uplifting youth voice and fostering cross-cultural understanding in Sonoma Valley.

Founded in 1985, La Luz Center has supported Latino individuals and families in Sonoma Valley as they work to meet their basic needs. To break the generational poverty cycle, our programs and service also aim to increase the earning potential of Latino families through our English as a second language (ESL) program, employment services, and small business support program; We aim to mitigate the education gap by providing early childhood education to Latino parents and their children (ages 0-3); We support eligible immigrants through the complex immigration system, and; We create interactive cultural spaces to explore, celebrate, and share traditional and modern Latino cultures, and to raise the voice of Latino families and individuals.

With support from the California Arts Council, City Hearts’ H.E.A.R.T. in Arts Program will provide no-cost arts education and experiences, including weekly classes, field trips, masterclasses, and public performance opportunities for low-income youth across Los Angeles County. Taught by practicing professional artists during in-school and afterschool classes on Title I school campuses, neighborhood resource centers, and at the City Hearts’ Harbor City office, the H.E.A.R.T. program aims to close academic and career exposure opportunity gaps created by a lack of access to the Arts. Healing-centered and VAPA Standards-aligned, this program provides avenues for young people to see affirming representations of their cultures and develop a stronger sense of self and appreciation for Los Angeles County’s rich artistic and cultural legacy.

City Hearts offers year-round, weekly in-school and afterschool arts programs in Dance, Guitar & Songwriting, Acting, Drawing & Mixed Media Arts, Photography, and 2D Design & Printmaking. These classes are held on the campuses of Title I schools and at local community resource centers, all at no cost to students and their families.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Colburn School will deliver high-quality, tuition-free performing arts education to approximately 200 low-income youth in Los Angeles, ages 7 months to 18 years, through the 2025–26 Jumpstart Program. Jumpstart provides instruction in instrumental music (band, strings, piano), dance, and early childhood arts education. Students receive weekly private lessons taught by distinguished Colburn faculty and Teaching Fellows from the Colburn Conservatory of Music. The program fosters creativity, discipline, and confidence through consistent engagement in the arts. Once enrolled, students receive 100% tuition relief throughout their time in Jumpstart or until they graduate from high school, removing financial barriers to access and facilitating success in the arts.

The Colburn School is the region’s recognized leader in performing arts education. Colburn’s four academic units and community programs are:

– Community School of Performing Arts enrolls 1,700 students who are between the ages of 7 months and 18 years of age, come from areas across the County and reflect the cultural diversity of Los Angeles.
– Conservatory enrolls 130 collegiate U.S. and international students.
– Music Academy enrolls up to 50 pre-collegiate U.S. and international students.
– The Trudl Zipper Dance Institute enrolls 250 ballet, modern, and tap dancers, and includes
– The Center for Innovation and Community Impact serves all units of the institution and promotes creative thinking among musicians and dancers in a supportive environment that embraces the development of new ideas. The Center offers innovative coursework and programming in the areas of entrepreneurship, community engagement, interactive performance, and pedagogy.

Colburn annually presents 350 free or affordably priced public performances both at it’s downtown campus on Grand Avenue, the art epicenter of Los Angeles, as well as across the County, engaging 36,000+ attendees.

We empower our expansive network of musical and dance leaders of tomorrow by equipping them with the tools needed to build creative careers that are sustainable and relevant in our rapidly shifting cultural landscape. We contribute to the creative workforce by supporting professional artists who provide instruction, mentorship, panel discussions, musical direction, and master classes. Colburn’s community impact initiatives serve both internal and external stakeholders simultaneously. Internally, we offer robust learning and performance opportunities for Colburn students in the areas of interactive performance, community engagement, and pedagogy. Externally, we offer a suite of pipeline programs designed to equitably engage students from Title I Schools, present programing for underserved populations, and partner with culturally specific organizations on multiple projects.

With support from the California Arts Council, FILM INDEPENDENT INC will partner with LA Promise Fund to match two public, middle-school classrooms with Film Independent’s network of professional filmmakers from underrepresented communities who will serve as classroom Mentors. Up to 60 middle-schoolers in South Los Angeles will gain hands-on filmmaking training and learn to think critically about the role of visual media in representing diverse viewpoints. Additionally, Film Independent Mentors will lead a half-day teacher training for up to 10 middle-school media arts teachers, who will gain artistic and technical skills to enhance their work with students.

Our Artist Development (AD) programs offer free labs for selected screenwriters, directors, producers, episodic content creators and documentary filmmakers to experience valuable career building and networking opportunities. We also offer over $6M per year in grants and awards and run an annual film finance market. Project Involve, our signature AD program, fosters the careers of filmmakers from communities historically excluded from the industry (including women, people from BIPOC communities, LGBTQ+ filmmakers and filmmakers with disabilities). Each year, up to 35 filmmakers are given the opportunity to hone skills, form creative partnerships, create short films and gain industry access needed to succeed as working artists.

Our Education programs offer virtual and in-person opportunities to learn from renowned artists, stay up-to-date on the distribution landscape and acquire the acumen needed to secure financing. Our Future Filmmakers program serves youth creators in middle and high school, who receive mentorship from emerging and professional filmmakers and become empowered to find their voice and tell their own unique stories through film.

We produce the annual Film Independent Spirit Awards, the premier awards event recognizing excellence in independent film and television, and Film Independent Presents, a year-round program offering unique virtual and in-person cinematic experiences.

Through our International programs, we connect international filmmakers with leading U.S. entertainment professionals through comprehensive filmmaker education, business training, professional networking opportunities and tailored mentorships. International Fellows from all over the globe are selected for a year-long mentorship program that includes a Residency in Los Angeles, which provides master classes, industry sessions, field trips, cultural engagement and access to individual Mentors for project support and networking. We also travel abroad to better understand the global media landscape and organize in-depth workshops for filmmakers all over the world.

The International Museum of Dance (IMOD) requests California Arts Council funding to expand its dance education programs serving public school students across California. Grant funds will support culturally relevant in-school residencies, community-based youth development, educator professional development, and field trips to IMOD’s interactive museum space. Centering BIPOC dance forms, the project fosters cultural identity, creativity, and belonging while addressing reduced access to arts education due to budget cuts. Building on successful partnerships with San Francisco and Berkeley Unified School Districts, IMOD will expand programming to Los Angeles and Oakland Unified. Funds will increase the frequency and duration of residencies, provide training for educators in arts integration, and create opportunities for students to engage with professional dance and cultural programming. This project advances equity and healing by empowering youth and educators through inclusive, trauma-informed dance education.

Our core programs and services include:

Education Partnerships: Collaborating with local and national schools, we provide comprehensive dance education programs for students of all ages, including movement, technique, choreography, performance, and dance history. We also offer civic engagement projects and paid internships, fostering a deep connection between dance and community.

Artist Partnerships: Working closely with local and national dance artists, we offer support, resources, and space for their presentations, performances, lectures, and teaching work. By nurturing these partnerships, we contribute to the growth and visibility of dance artists.

Archive Partnerships: We collaborate with local and international dance archives, shining a spotlight on hidden dance archives and assisting in the interpretation and understanding of their significance. By showcasing these archives, we contribute to the broader appreciation and preservation of dance history.

Exhibition Planning and Preparation: Engaging with students, local artists, national and international historians, and archivists, we design and create dynamic “Pop-Up” exhibitions that explore the connections between dance and communities. These exhibitions foster a sense of community engagement and connection.

At the Museum of Dance, we are dedicated to creating an inclusive and enriching environment that celebrates the art of dance and its profound impact on our lives.

With support from the California Arts Council, Los Robles Children’s Choir (LRCC) will expand its CORO Outreach Program, a series of free, bilingual family singalong events offered in underserved communities throughout Ventura County. These events are designed to eliminate financial and cultural barriers to music education by providing joyful, inclusive, and participatory singing experiences. CAC funds will help cover personnel costs, teaching artist stipends, marketing expenses, and event supplies, enabling LRCC to sustain and scale these successful outreach efforts. This initiative aligns with LRCC’s mission to inspire, educate, and empower children through choral music and furthers CAC’s goal of promoting arts access and equity across California.

LRCC offers four levels of vocal instruction to children ages 5-18 years old on a weekly basis. We also offer choral workshops and several community concert events each season including collaborations with New West Symphony and other professional arts organizations. The choir tours both domestically and internationally every other year. We hold weekly musicianship classes where students build their theory and sight singing skills to improve their overall musicianship.
LRCC has a robust outreach program providing free choir classes and singalong events to LMI families throughout the region.

The Boys & Girls Club of Greater Shasta seeks CAC funding to expand our arts-based social-emotional wellness program at Sisson Middle School in rural Siskiyou County—where access to arts education and mental health resources is extremely limited. As the only low cost youth program of its kind in the area, we serve low-income families through weekly, trauma-informed arts workshops in visual art, music, and storytelling. Led by teaching artists and trained staff, youth build confidence, process emotions, and explore identity through creative expression. The program culminates in a public year-end showcase, giving members a platform to share their voices and strengthen community connection. CAC support will allow us to reach more youth, support local artists, and sustain a model of creative wellness that addresses urgent needs in an under-resourced, high-poverty, youth-isolated region.

Our core programs are designed around five priority outcome areas: Academic Success, Healthy Lifestyles, Good Character & Citizenship, Creative Expression, and Career Exploration.

Key programs include:

Afterschool and Summer Enrichment: Operating at our Mount Shasta Elementary and Sisson Middle School sites, we serve nearly 300 youth annually through structured programming in academics, recreation, and the arts.

Power Hour Homework Help: Provides tailored academic support, including coordination with school teachers and individualized attention.

Creative Arts Program: A core pillar of our services, this includes weekly visual arts, performing arts, and music sessions. Members engage in painting, sculpture, collage, drama, and song—often culminating in public showcases like our annual Youth Art Show. Many of our teaching artists are local professionals or partners, bringing high-quality arts education to a rural region where access is otherwise limited.

Outdoor Adventure & Leadership: Builds confidence, resilience, and teamwork through mountain biking, hiking, and nature-based exploration.

Community and Cultural Events: From art showcases to family engagement nights, these events highlight youth creativity and build stronger community bonds.

Our programs are equity-driven and designed to ensure every child—regardless of background—has the opportunity to thrive and express themselves.

With support from the California Arts Council, No Limits Theater Group Inc. will serve low-income deaf youth through our Los Angeles Theater Workshop program, which teaches theater and life-building skills with culminating public performances of our originally scripted plays. This program focuses on sharing the talents and voices of deaf youth as the country’s only theater program for deaf youth who are learning to speak.

Since its founding, No Limits has provided deaf children the vital skills to speak, read, and write. No Limits, to date, is the only organization serving oral deaf children between the ages of three and eighteen, at no cost to low-income families through our two keystone programs.

The No Limits Theater Program engages deaf children and alumni in professional theatrical productions as actors, workshop teams, lighting and sound technicians, or directors. Through original, educationally based scripts, deaf children increase self-esteem, expand vocabulary, and develop public speaking skills to help them confidently move into the hearing world.

The No Limits Educational Centers provide year-round comprehensive educational services at no cost to low-income families. The program offers individual speech and language therapy, literacy classes, academic tutoring, STEM, arts enrichment, weekly parent education, and a teen Leadership and Mentoring Academy.

With support from the California Arts Council, LA County Library will conduct two six-week sessions of free group music classes for middle schoolers in acoustic guitar, keyboard, and electric drums, hosted at six libraries throughout Los Angeles County which currently have a Tool Lending Library (Rosemead, Compton, San Fernando, Malibu, Norwalk, and Lancaster). Classes will focus on music theory, sight reading, and basic playing techniques, and will utilize the library as a safe community gathering place. Participants may also borrow the instruments, free of charge, for the duration of the class, to allow for practice. The program aims to overcome financial barriers to music education, particularly in underserved neighborhoods, and promote cognitive, emotional, and social benefits through music training.

Founded in 1912, LA County Library is one of the largest and most innovative library systems in the US. It provides culturally responsive and dynamic collections, programs, and services to meet the literacy, information, personal enrichment, and entertainment needs of all residents across Los Angeles County. Dedicated to reducing barriers and increasing equitable access for all, LA County Library serves 3.4 million residents across 3,000 square miles through its 86 libraries, and mobile fleet of 15 vehicles, including 4 Bookmobiles, 6 MākMō (maker mobiles), 3 early literacy vehicles, and 2 mobile outreach vehicles.

With support from the California Arts Council, La Raíz Magazine will organize San José Youth Poetry Ambassadors to provide bilingual youth workshops and events designed specifically for Raza & Chicano youth in San José, Santa Clara County, and the South Bay Area, in neighborhoods with large numbers of bilingual and monolingual Spanish-speaking youth, mixed migration status households, and working-class families. The programming will prioritize ages 5-18, and serve a limited amount of participants ages 19-25, during and after school at various sites within the community, with interactive, culturally-relevant, empowering workshops, performance opportunities, and arts events.

Publication – in print and online; poetry and visual art by community members, artists, and poets.
Creative Showcases – for the public presentation of creative work (poetry and visual art), all ages
Poetry Workshops – interactive, culturally-relevant, generative workshops facilitated by contributors

With support from the California Arts Council, Mental State Foundation will establish our Creative Community Program to increase arts access and engagement for youth, especially those impacted by mental health challenges. This initiative includes Creative Accountability Groups that foster self-efficacy and self-expression in community with others. Our Free Art Supply program collects new and gently used art supplies to be distributed to youth at no cost, removing barriers to creativity and expression. Participants will also contribute to the Mental State Zine – a youth-focused publication showcasing creativity, sharing resources, and fighting stigma. Grant funds will support staffing, stipends, accessibility measures, and use of an accessible and consistent space for programming. The Creative Community Program, by design, includes and celebrates individuals with disabilities – especially mental/chronic illnesses through online, in-person, and asynchronous engagement options.

Creative Wellness Initiatives
We offer grants to creatives focusing on their mental wellness, funding classes and materials in the arts—such as music, art, dance, etc.—to encourage exploration, confidence, and joy. We are close to launching our Free Art Supply to distribute art materials to the community and prioritizes individuals receiving mental health services. We are also currently developing a Creative Accountability Group – a community-based peer-led space for setting and achieving creative goals to foster creativity, community, and self-efficacy.

Support for Mental Health Professionals
To nurture the next generation of mental health professionals, we provide scholarships to students committed to making a difference in communities, with a focus on underserved populations. We’re also developing a Therapist Resource Library, offering shared therapeutic tools, games, and resources to enhance clinical practice and lower the financial burden on early-career practitioners. Mental Health Professionals will also be able to access the Free Art Supply to provide supplies to their clients or utilize therapeutically.

Community Engagement and Education
Our organization conducts mental health workshops (past topics include grief, communication, and self-care) aiming to educate and reduce stigma. We hold art workshops and participate in artistic local events—such as art festivals and resource fairs—offering free art activities (including in Spanish) and fostering open discussions on mental health and creativity.

Through these programs, the Mental State Foundation strives to create a supportive environment where creativity and mental wellness intersect, benefiting individuals living with mental illness and the broader community.

With support from the California Arts Council, Ignite Arts & STEM will enhance our comprehensive Art Mentoring Program, integrating The Business of Art Program and the Igniting Ideas: Emerging Artists Exhibition. This culturally responsive initiative will serve up to thirty BIPOC students in grades 6-12 across the Greater Los Angeles area, expanding access to high-quality arts learning through direct mentorship, portfolio development, and professional exhibition opportunities. CAC funds will specifically support essential program materials, exhibition costs, art framing and display, and student awards, ensuring equitable participation for all. By equipping students with vital business skills and amplifying their artistic voices, this program fosters creative expression, cultivates positive self-identity, and promotes long-term engagement in the arts, ultimately bridging the gap between artistic talent and professional readiness for a new generation of empowered young artists.

Ignite Arts & STEM is dedicated to empowering Black, Indigenous, & People of Color (BIPOC) students, focusing on comprehensive arts programming to bridge educational gaps & foster professional development.

Scholarships: Ignite Arts & STEM provides crucial financial aid specifically through the Palette & Purpose Scholarship. This scholarship supports BIPOC high school seniors who are passionate about pursuing higher education & careers in the Arts, helping to alleviate financial barriers.

Art Mentoring Program: Ignite Arts & STEM offers a comprehensive, year-long art mentoring program designed to cultivate young BIPOC artists in the Greater Los Angeles area. This program integrates two key components: the Igniting Ideas: Emerging Artists exhibition & The Business of Art Program. This combined approach provides a platform for showcasing artwork & equips students with crucial business skills often overlooked in traditional art education.

Fall/Winter: The Business of Art Program: This 8-week program, plus an exhibition week, teaches 6th to 12th-grade students the essential business skills for marketing, selling, & professionally presenting their artwork. Weekly topics cover branding, pricing, contracts, marketing, gallery etiquette, & exhibition planning. The program culminates in a gallery-style exhibition at their school, with participating students’ art also featured in a special winter exhibition at the Rod Briggs Gallery in Long Beach.

Spring: Igniting Ideas: Emerging Artists Exhibition: This annual art exhibition provides an additional professional gallery platform for thirty BIPOC students in grades 6-12 to showcase their artwork & develop vital presentation skills. Students can sell their art, with proceeds returned to them on a custom reloadable Visa gift card. Eligibility is open to students who successfully completed The Business of Art Program or those who submit an application for consideration by a panel of art professionals.

Through these programs, Ignite Arts & STEM aims to transition talented young artists from hobbyists to professionals, ensuring they have the skills & opportunities to succeed in the art world.

Grant funds from the California Arts Council will support the Majdal Center’s “Homeland and Homemaking” Arts Program. Through this program, Arab refugee and immigrant youth in San Diego will engage various cultural and multimedia art forms as a way to cultivate both individual and community-wide narratives. Utilizing various media—including film, embroidery, theatre, and intergenerational oral histories—youth participants will have the opportunity to reflect on and develop their own stories relating to themes of displacement, migration, resettlement, and diaspora through the media of their choice. This program will serve an estimated 50 to 60 youth between the ages of 14 and 22. The workshop series will culminate in a community showcase.

The Majdal Center’s services, programs, and campaigns intersect across four programmatic areas: Youth Education and Leadership; Community Health and Wellbeing; Economic Empowerment; and Advocacy and Policy.

Calidanza Dance Company will implement culturally responsive after-school arts programs at eight K–12 sites within the Sacramento City Unified School District, engaging underserved youth ages 5–18 in traditional Mexican folk dance. Led by culturally reflective teaching artists, students will explore movement, music, and storytelling that foster self-confidence, cultural pride, and life skills. A special educational production, Navidades!, will take place on December 4, 2025, at the Crest Theater, providing students with a live, culturally enriching performance. CAC funds will support artist pay, curriculum development, and program coordination. This project removes barriers to arts access and creates inclusive, empowering learning experiences rooted in heritage.

Calidanza Mexican Dance Company is a multi-faucet community based organization that serves the artistic and cultural needs of the Latino community of Sacramento, CA. Our organization offers classes, workshops, public performances, in school arts programming and educational shows in and around the Sacramento community. The purpose of this project will be to offer the underserved Latino population of Sacramento a viable outlet to learn, observe, participate or appreciate Latino/Mexican arts programming in their own communities as well as in public venues open to the public.

With support from the California Arts Council, GEFFEN PLAYHOUSE INC will engage approximately 2,000 youth in under-resourced LAUSD high schools through our High School Partnerships Program. Through attending plays at the Geffen Playhouse and participating in in-school workshops, students are encouraged to open their minds to diverse points of views, reflect on their own personal experiences, and build their creative voices.

Geffen Playhouse is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to enriching the cultural life of Los Angeles through plays and educational programs that inform, entertain, and inspire. Noted for its intimacy and celebrated for its renowned mix of classic and contemporary plays as well as provocative world premiere productions, Geffen Playhouse presents a body of work that garners national recognition. Our artistic programming reflects our bold commitment to transforming the landscape of contemporary American theater by prioritizing creative storytelling, new artistic perspectives, and advanced technical requirements and production design, making the Geffen Playhouse a haven for playwrights and a world-class laboratory for new plays. Geffen Playhouse is led by Artistic Director Tarell Alvin McCraney and Executive Director/CEO Gil Cates, Jr.

Supporting artists is central to the Geffen Playhouse’s mission, and new play development is a cornerstone of that support. To date, Geffen Playhouse has produced more than 45 world premieres and has active commissions with 20 playwrights/writing teams.

Each season we produce plays in our 500-seat proscenium Gil Cates Theater and in our flexible black box space, the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater. More than 80,000 traditional theater goers attend productions annually, and over 5,000 non-traditional theater goers attend through our education and community engagement programs, which inspire students and community members to develop a lifelong relationship with theater.

We provide year-long access for over 1,000 Los Angeles high school students and community members, immersing them in rigorous learning experiences, artistic exercises, and powerful dialogues that give them a voice through theater.

Freedom Through the Arts is The Village Method’s culturally rooted arts enrichment program that centers Black youth and families while welcoming all. This program provides weekly after-school and community-based workshops led by teaching artists in drumming, dance, visual arts, spoken word, and ancestral storytelling. CAC funds will support artist stipends, youth supplies, and coordination of up to seven (7) sites across Southern Alameda County. Freedom Through the Arts affirms identity, builds resilience, and improves school engagement by offering trauma-informed healing centered spaces that explore themes of oppression without causing depression. We uplift untold histories, promote creative expression, and cultivate pride, connection, and joy. Students will publicly showcase their growth through culminating community events. This project builds long-term pathways for healing and academic success through the power of culture, creativity, and collective memory.

The Village Method (TVM) offers culturally responsive, year-round programs that use arts and cultural education to support youth and families across Southern Alameda County—from San Leandro to Fremont and Newark. Our core services center African diasporic traditions, creative expression, and academic support.

ASHÉ (Academic Support & Holistic Enrichment):
A school-based after-school program for elementary and middle school students. Youth engage in daily cultural rituals like “Harambee,” receive homework support, healthy snacks, and participate in Afrocentric arts activities including visual arts, music, and storytelling.

Camp G.R.A.C.E.:
Our summer camp—Gardening, Robotics, Arts, and Cultural Enrichment—combines academic reinforcement with creative expression. Students explore visual and performing arts while staying connected to their cultural roots.

Youth Cultural Ambassadors:
In partnership with the Choose College Educational Foundation, this program introduces students to global Black culture. Youth engage in cross-cultural learning through music, language, food, and art, connecting local experience to the global African Diaspora.

Family Engagement & First Teachers Collaborative:
TVM provides art-based workshops and storytelling spaces for parents to engage in their children’s education and advocate for equity in schools. Families participate in cultural events and community-building activities that strengthen their role as their child’s first teacher.

Cascading Mentorship Program (with Chabot College):
College students receive training in arts-based youth work, community building, and classroom management. They mentor high school students, who in turn mentor middle and elementary students—creating a mentorship pipeline rooted in cultural expression and leadership.

All programs are free and designed to reduce anxiety, build identity, and improve outcomes through culturally grounded arts education.

Outside The Lens (OTL) requests $25,000 to provide quality arts experiences and learning opportunities through NextGen Voices, an 10-week intensive media arts program serving at least 50 neurotypical and neurodivergent youth ages 13-25. CAC funds directly support Media Educator salaries, youth artist stipends, outreach, exhibitions, and assistance technology. Meeting 2 hours weekly, youth build confidence while artistically expressing their own stories through media arts. Using Hello Insight’s evidence-based tools, we track social-emotional development including self-management, positive identity, and creative confidence. The program centers youth voices through workshops driven by and adapted to participant needs and interests. Our trauma-informed approach creates safe spaces for priority population youth from juvenile justice facilities, alternative schools, and underserved communities. This culturally responsive program develops critical thinking, communication, and technical skills while transforming participants into skilled creators and arts advocates.

Outside the Lens engages the next generation of artists, storytellers, and innovators through media arts education. Through our programs, youth learn media arts skills, media literacy, socio-emotional development, vocational exploration, and civic engagement. Our Media Educators create a learning environment centered on trauma-informed practices, culturally responsive teaching, socio-emotional learning, and restorative practices.

K-8 Programs: Partnering with schools and districts, we enhance students’ learning by integrating media arts and technology into core curricula (Math, Science, Social Sciences, English Language Arts) for grades K-8. These projects deepen students’ understanding of core content, cultivate media arts skills, and foster a well-rounded educational experience. Our after-school programs and summer camps offer youth opportunities to explore their passions, develop new skills, and discover the transformative power of media arts.

Teens and Transitional Age Youth Programs: We provide specialized programming for teens and Transitional Age Youth (TAY) (18-25 years old) through community partnerships. Our projects enhance media literacy, promote social-emotional wellbeing, and foster intergenerational community connections. This programming develops creative pathways for career and college readiness, encourages self-discovery, and civic engagement, empowering teens to amplify their voices and effect positive change.
Media Makers inspires young adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD)—facilitating independence and creative expression.

Educator Trainings: We offer arts-integration teacher training to help educators integrate art-based lessons into their curriculum. Available for individual educators, grade level teams, schools, or districts, these trainings provide innovative ideas, practical skills, and ready-to-use projects aligned with Media Arts and Common Core standards.

Summer Camps: Our Media Arts Summer Camps offer youth in grades K-8 to explore various artistic mediums, such as photography, filmmaking, graphic design, and animation.

Community Workshops: Our weekend and evening media arts workshops, open to families, teens, and adults, cater to both budding artists and experienced creators seeking further skill development.

With support from the California Arts Council, Support Black Theatre will introduce young scholars to Black history, pride, power, and art through Black theatre and storytelling, creating pathways to personal agency, social connection, and resilient futures through unforeseen opportunities, transferable skill-building, and exposure to Black movement-building. Year-round arts exposure, arts education, and workforce development programming offered through our GroundED initiative provides 300+ youth ages 15-25 with early exposure to a wide variety of artistic disciplines and experiences, helps participants explore career options in the arts, and sets them on the path to tangible futures in the creative industries they weren’t aware were open to them.

Support Black Theatre’s four core initiatives – New Works Pipeline, Talk Forward™, Equip, and GroundED – follow the principle of “See, Create, and Invest.”

Our New Works Pipeline retains the power of decision making for Black artists and theatre by developing new Black plays and securing funding for Black theatres to mount full productions of new work by Black artists.

Talk Forward cultivates and nurtures Black audiences, flipping the model of the traditional post-show talkback by inviting audiences into the process of theatre making through reflective feedback long before a full production is mounted.

The Equip initiative builds theatres’ executive leadership capacity through leadership courses and nonprofit management training and direct services including introductions to funders, grant writing seminars, writing letters of support. The initiative raised over $1.3 million in grant awards for Black theatres between 2021 and 2025. Equip also offers technical training and paid internships in dramaturgy, playwriting, directing, stage management, producing, and technical design.

The GroundED initiative provides year-round arts workforce development and artistic opportunities, building career pathways in the arts and related fields for 300+ youth ages 15-25 each year. GroundED introduces young people to careers in Black theatre through the work of August Wilson, among other playwrights. Our annual August Wilson monologue competition for high school students includes complementary in-school education throughout the school year, culminating with late-spring performances and judging at partner Ebony Repertory Theatre.

WIth support from the California Arts Council, INK PEOPLE INC will provide programming for youth ages 12-22 throughout the 2025/2026 school year. This programming will include 1) weekly drop-in activities in the Media Arts Resource Zone where youth learn digital media skills to empower their voices, 2) Queer-affirming programming centering artists with lived experience who will support youth in designing and creating chapbooks and stickers, 3) A film camp, creating a culminating experience to celebrate the completion of the school year, and 4) the development of youth leadership through the Youth Advisory Panel and Ink People Board Position

The Ink People is a community-based, grassroots, artist-run, arts and culture organization. For 44 years, we have organized our work around community access principles and the belief that art, in all its forms, is essential to the human spirit and well-being. We base our activities in a philosophy of sharing and community-building, and we work to connect community members with resources for cultural development. With over 700 subscribers, we nurture cultural enrichment through education and engagement of artists and communities.
The DreamMaker Program provides critical administrative and structural support to 113+ artist-led projects created by the dream of making the community a better place through arts and culture. Our core programs respond to the following needs: promoting artists and culture bearers; creating arts programming for youth; engaging communities in creative wellbeing; facilitating public art; providing opportunities for arts education; responding to issues of human and ecological concern, and partnering with municipal, state, and tribal governments.
The Ink People’s on-going programs include exhibitions, performances, educational opportunities for all ages, a newsletter, the Funds for Artists’ Resilience (a WPA-type program), and the MARZ Project, providing arts, leadership, and jobs-training for at-risk youth. We know that young people need support and enrichment if they are going to become leaders of change in this incredibly challenged world, so we work to give them tools to build successful and fulfilling lives. We honor diverse experiences, cultures, and expressions, and recognize that we must also learn and change as the needs of the community change. We feel that arts and culture should be an integral and conscious part of everyone’s life, so we set about weaving the arts into the fabric of our community.

With support from the California Arts Council, Chico Art Center will provide an after school art and entrepreneurship program. Creative Futures is a five-month series of workshops designed for high school continuation students who face systemic barriers to educational and creative opportunities. We have partnered with Fair View High School to teach weekly, hands-on visual storytelling, 2D and 3D functional art and sustainable fashion that explore students’ individual and diverse inspirations. The culminating event will exhibit and sell artwork and handmade goods at a local pop up art market.

Grant funds will compensate six teaching artists, pay for art supplies and art market vendor booth fees. By removing barriers like cost and transportation, and creating pathways for artistic and personal development, Creative Futures honors students’ lived experiences and positions them as artists, storytellers, and changemakers.

CHICO ART CENTER:

Services to accomplish our mission include: community engagement, education, and artist support. Providing opportunities to see art, talk to artists, to make and show art are paramount to successful community engagement. An annual open studios event gives people behind the scenes perspectives on artists by visiting their studios. We sponsor free art-making activities at a weekly community concert during the summer and other special events. We collaborate with organizations like our county Office of Education or the downtown business association to put on displays to engage new audiences and display art in unexpected places. The Center applied for, and received, multi-year funding to host public mural projects, which now grace our downtown district.

We seize every opportunity to help people know who is making art, and why, and how that adds value to our community. The sheer variety of artistic expression and different mediums showcased annually in our gallery is a vital way to expand understanding and appreciation of art. Exhibitions include artist and juror statements to aid understanding what motivates artists. We field exhibitions that give artists an opportunity to respond to current social issues (fire devastation, COVID isolation, social justice) and to help viewers process their own reactions to these issues. Technology affords the opportunity to educate and expand our audience, beyond those who visit the Center, through a robust website, Zoom presentations, and social media updates.

We support artists through opportunities to show and sell art, earn money by teaching classes, classroom space for group studio sessions. We seek out artists not widely represented and share their art and ideas in our gallery, website, and on social media. Through donations we are able to offer free art supplies and free access to use our facilities.

With support from the California Arts Council, homeLA will provide–through its education program, inSITE–one season of free site-specific dance mentorship to students studying dance at the Los Angeles Unified School District’s Title 1 Ramón C. Cortines School of Visual and Performing Arts. inSITE is taught by California artists to uplift historically underrepresented youth voices through site-specific dance. All facets of learning and support will happen on campus and at partnering art and cultural site, the Los Angeles State Historic Park–where students will develop, rehearse, and present their final performance to the public.

homeLA is a nomadic, site-specific performance platform that supports experimental artists in dance, performance, and media through three core programs: public performance, education, and community outreach. All cater to diverse audiences that represent the multicultural and ethnic diversity of Southern California.

Public Performance: We produce two major performance events annually that enable the development and presentation of experimental work while creating space for community connection and the amplification of underrepresented histories. These projects engage dance, performance, film, video, intermedia, and sound artists through a three-month residency and rehearsal structure embedded within domestic, historic, or public architecture. Artists create original work in dialogue with site-specific histories and community narratives. Since our founding, we have made a significant investment in professional artists of Southern California, employing 220 artists and 511 collaborators, and reaching over 5,100 attendees through intimate, immersive programs. Our accompanying discursive programming fosters deeper connections between artists’ work and audiences, creating space for reflection, shared learning, and cultural exchange.

Education: Launched in 2020, inSITE provides free after-school master classes in site-specific dance and film for students enrolled in Title I public high school dance programs. Led by professional California artists, students engage in critical thinking about public space, land, and belonging through collaborative choreography and site activation. inSITE has served 75 youth across multiple campuses and remains a cornerstone of our commitment to educational equity.

Public Engagement: Launched in 2021, The We in Me is homeLA’s public education platform exploring homelessness, housing insecurity, and belonging through the lens of empathy, art, and civic engagement. It offers arts programming that fosters awareness, learning, and action, while amplifying voices and livelihoods of those with lived experiences of housing insecurity and system-impacted youth. It has reached over 1,800 community members through in-person and online programming.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Sonoma Community Center will offer 3 afternoons of arts after-school enrichment during the school year for all students ages 5-17 in the Sonoma Valley region. The goal is to provide responsive art experiences that increase community connection, build self-esteem and self-expression, build artistic skills and literacy, and connect students and their families to rich artistic and cultural experiences. The program is accessible to participants of all backgrounds and fills a need for safe after-school childcare that promotes social-emotional learning and high level artistic instruction. We focus on projects and themes that promote cultural diversity that instill pride and unleash curiosity and exploration. The program utilizes multidisciplines, such as painting, drawing, hand and machine sewing, print making, culinary arts, ceramics, fiber arts, multimedia, collage, and more.

Driven by values of community, innovation, creativity, inclusion, and leadership, the Sonoma Community Center offers a broad range of programs, events, and performances that encourage people from all walks of life to create, connect, thrive, and build community together. We offer over 250 classes annually in ceramics, fine art, fiber art, printmaking, music, movement, culinary arts, and writing. We also host an Artist-in-Residence program that attracts expert artists to work and teach at the Center. Our Andrews Hall Theater offers a year-round schedule of films, live music, theater performances, and more for audiences of all ages. We also host a variety of creative community events throughout the year, including our annual Lunar New Year Celebration, Día de los Muertos celebration in early November, and our free Thanksgiving Dinner, a valued community tradition for decades now.

Sierra Repertory Theatre seeks to strengthen and expand its “SRT in Schools” program for the coming year. This popular program brings live productions directly to dozens of elementary schools, reaching more than 3,000 students per year in our rural, underserved region of the Sierra foothills and Central Valley. A troupe of 3-5 professional actors and a stage manager travel to school sites throughout the region each Fall and Spring semester to present 50-minute live theater productions adapted from titles selected from the California School Reading List. The program is delivered at no cost to schools, enabling small, remote communities to bring students a high-quality introduction to the magic of live theater. CAC grant funds will offset direct costs and allow us to reach a wider range of schools, fulfilling core goals of the CAC.

Sierra Repertory Theatre (SRT) is a professional non-profit theatre in Tuolumne County, California. Nestled in the foothills of the Sierra Nevada, Tuolumne County is home to just over 54,000 residents. SRT offers the local community nine top-quality mainstage productions from its East Sonora Theatre and Fallon House Theatre in Columbia State Historic Park. The Theatre sees over 45,000 visitors every season consisting of residents primarily from Tuolumne, Calaveras, San Joaquin, and Stanislaus Counties. Sierra Rep is the only regional theatre in the area that maintains a contract with the Actor’s Equity Association, ensuring the local community can enjoy talent from across the country. With the same enthusiasm and vision, SRT is equally committed to supporting local school-age children and fostering a rich arts culture within the Tuolumne County area through its Youth Education and Outreach Program which includes SRT Jr. and SRT in Schools.

Our project will engage youth from preschool through age 25 in Bayview Hunters Point to create art and gather stories for the 2026 Semiquincentennial Crane Illumination Project at the Hunters Point Shipyard. Led by artist Shipyard William Rhodes and supported by Shipyard teaching artists, we will conduct art classes in community spaces and at the Shipyard itself, focusing on drawing, painting, quilt-making, and storytelling. Youth will connect with seniors who have personal ties to the Shipyard, sharing stories that deepen the meaning of the artwork and strengthen intergenerational bonds. Field trips to the Shipyard will encourage participants to see themselves as part of its ongoing story. This project highlights Black and historically marginalized voices, strengthens community identity and pride, and ensures youth voices shape a major community celebration.

STAR supports artists through curated exhibitions, a dedicated website and social media presence, and periodic Open Studios events that create opportunities for sales and exposure. The organization also offers professional development in presentation, pricing, sales, and marketing to strengthen artists’ careers.

STAR’s Artist-in-Residence program provides 18 months of free studio space to three artists from Bayview Hunters Point. Launched in 1996, the program has significantly increased local artist participation, with more than half of residents securing permanent studios afterward.

Teaching artists lead classes at nearby schools and senior centers, enriching lives through creative engagement. On-site classes, tours, and events at the Shipyard connect children, adults, and seniors with the artistic process and the site itself. Uncovering and sharing the Shipyard’s layered history—also the history of this traditionally African American neighborhood—remains a central focus.

STAR maintains a free website, www.shipyardartists.com, where all Shipyard artists have individual, editable pages. Online and in-person art sales through exhibitions and auctions further support artists’ visibility and income.

In 2018, construction began on a new artist building secured by STAR as a community benefit. It was halted due to falsified soil testing, delaying development. STAR continues to advocate for its completion and for upgrades to existing facilities.

Our newest project, CRANE, expands this work by using public art, storytelling, and community events to highlight the Shipyard’s historical significance and deepen awareness of its relationship to Bayview Hunters Point. CRANE also invites the local community to participate in shaping the Shipyard’s future through dialogue, memory, and shared vision. CRANE will culminate in the fall of 2026 with a major light and sound installation around the landmark gantry crane.

STAR also collaborates with the U.S. Navy to provide informational meetings on environmental cleanup, while hosting independent events that raise public understanding and promote long-term safety.

With support from the California Arts Council, Arts Council of Kern will complete Roots & Resilience, a culturally grounded youth arts initiative that combines Indigenous traditions, behavioral health support, and Blue Zones longevity principles to empower underserved youth in Kern County. This project uses Indigenous storytelling, art, movement, and community rituals to promote identity, resilience, and wellness among young people aged 12–21.

Community Grants and Partnerships: Offer funding and technical assistance to nonprofit arts groups, schools, and collaborations to boost arts access, advocacy, and education.

Arts in Corrections (AIC): Provides art classes (visual, literary, media, performing) for incarcerated individuals to foster self-awareness. A partnership between the CA Dept. of Corrections and Rehabilitation and California Arts Council.

COMMON GROUND: Grant-supported “first people’s” arts workshops, celebrations, and exhibitions. Builds community engagement primarily for underserved populations by underrepresented artists, sharing indigenous art forms through storytelling, visual, and performing arts.

Arts Education: This countywide program expanded significantly in 2025 and is a 2026 focus. Offers arts integration classes for teachers (classroom and after-school) at the ACK Learning Center. Artists’ Catalog available for schools to choose classes.

ACK Gallery: Reopened in 2024-25, hosting four shows with five planned for 2025-26. Features Celebrate Kern Arts with cash prizes for artists in each of the five supervisorial districts.

ART WALK – First Friday: Monthly, dynamic, public event in downtown Bakersfield for original visual and performing artists to showcase their work. A feature of First Friday and open five days per week, Makers Markets showcases local arts and crafts for sale, rotating artists every quarter.

Art4Rehabilitation (A4R): Arts programming for Kern’s juvenile justice system. Reduces violence, distress, and recidivism while promoting creative economy jobs and education. Offers internships with ACK and other arts organizations.

Community Mural and Public Art Programs: Collaborates with entities like Caltrans and City Parks to enhance graffiti-prone areas. Includes community surveys and commissions vetted artists for large public art projects (32 muralists on the roster).

Literary Arts: Features the Poet Laureate, Stories on the Sidewalk (historical plays in downtown Bakersfield), and First Friday open mic sessions. Increased spring recruitment for POETRY OUTLOUD is improving high school teacher interest to work with motivated students..

With support from the California Arts Council, the Oakland Public Education Fund (OPEF) will implement Oakland Grown, a student arts program that furthers performing arts education for Oakland youth and increases arts engagement between public schools and community.

Oakland Grown was piloted in 2024 as a youth arts festival, featuring performances from Oakland TK-12 students in disciplines including dance, orchestral music, and gospel. In 2025-26, we will expand Oakland Grown into a year-round program by partnering with Town Nights, a Community-Based Organization that hosts free weekly activation events across Oakland to strengthen the social fabric of our city. Together, OPEF and Town Nights will organize Oakland Grown performances at Town Nights events throughout the year, creating valuable performance opportunities for students and providing unique avenues for students to share their artistic accomplishments with their community.

OPEF leads several key initiatives to advance educational equity. Oakland School Volunteers trains and places thousands of volunteers in public schools to support teachers with classroom management, improve students’ academic outcomes, build bonds with students as trusted mentors, and increase engagement between public schools and the surrounding community. The A to Z Fund awards educator-led grants for enrichment activities, field trips, and professional development – all of which have incredible value for students, yet are consistently underfunded. Since its launch in 2016, the A to Z Fund has awarded and managed over $1.2 million in grant funding to classroom projects in subject areas including STEM, Arts Education, Health & Wellness, and Literacy, as well as educator Professional Development grants that equip teachers with new skills to better serve their students. Other programs such as TechLink and ConstructionLink provide hands-on career learning pathways for high school students interested in technology, engineering, architecture, and construction fields. The Oakland School Emergency Fund provides rapid-response resources to schools and families in crisis, working with school site leadership and educators to identify and address urgent needs, and The New Teacher Supply Fund ensures first-time OUSD educators receive essential classroom materials that help create a welcoming, well-stocked learning environment for students.

Lastly, in October 2024 we launched our latest initiative, Oakland Grown – a community-focused student performing and visual arts program in partnership with OUSD’s Visual and Performing Arts department (VAPA). Oakland Grown serves as a culminating event for VAPA’s TK-12 arts curriculum, as OUSD arts educators district-wide work with their students throughout the school year to rehearse, cultivate, and refine performances that will be showcased at Oakland Grown.

With support from California Arts Council, Creative Netwerk will expand equitable access to culturally-relevant weekly Hip-Hop and Street Dance, DJ, and Wellness education programming for 2,500+ underserved youth, ages 5-18, majority Latinx and African American, across Northern Santa Barbara County. Benefiting from Creative Netwerk’s professional development seminars and mentorship by nationally-recognized master teaching artists, 10 local teaching artists will expand programs at Lompoc Unified schools, launch new artist residencies at elementary and middle schools, and provide weekly arts learning and healing for system-affected youth at Santa Maria Juvenile Hall and local community centers. Programming integrates social-emotional learning, cultural identity, and career readiness, and culminates in youth-led performances, battles, and family engagement activities, serving 3,000 audiences. With trained, culturally-competent teaching artists, this project creates long-term infrastructure for healing-centered, high-impact arts learning.

In Santa Barbara County, Creative Netwerk partners with Goleta USD, Carpinteria USD, Lompoc USD, and Santa Barbara USD, offering hip-hop, street/club dance, and DJ programs, and curricula connecting regional dance styles to wellness and family engagement, in after school weekly classes and events.

CN provides access to Winter, Spring Break, and Summer Dance Camps, in partnership with A-OK and United Way, leading to performances and family dance celebrations with live music by DJs. CN currently reaches 3,500 K-12 students/year across Santa Barbara County in Lompoc, Santa Barbara, Carpinteria, Goleta, Santa Maria, Santa Ynez, Buellton, Guadalupe, Isla Vista.

CN partners with Title I public schools, affordable housing, juvenile justice facilities and CBOs, finding solutions to learning loss, isolation, and trauma through dance culture, music, and community. CN’s diverse arts leaders deepen collaboration and unification of the many regional street dance forms across California. DJs, teaching artists, and community partners expand access to free, life-changing learning, dance cultural development, and family engagement events.

Community partners include: United Way Fun in the Sun, One Community Bridge Project, the Theater Program at La Cumbre MS, the Dance Program at Santa Barbara HS, Santa Barbara City Parks and Recreation, Santa Maria Juvenile Hall, Notes For Notes, and more.

At the Boys & Girls Club of Downtown Santa Barbara, CN teaches four days/week youth and teen Hip-Hop, Breaking, DJ, and Folklorico classes, weekly open sessions, and a monthly family class.

With Lompoc HS, CN provides weekly after school programs and 20 week-long artist residency programs, sharing foundation, history, culture, and training in dance, DJing, event production, photography, videography, MCing, Music Production.

In LA, CN partners with After-School All-Stars, the ICEF Drama Club, ISANA, Boys & Girls Clubs, Glendale Unified, and the Arc to serve 1,000 students/year, including education in regional dances such as Clowning and Krump.

With support from the California Arts Council, Contempo Ballet offers a comprehensive, all-inclusive, dance educational arts program in partnership with community and cultural practitioners who are focused on helping underserved and under resourced youth (0-25), and/or system impacted youth residing in remote areas of southern California. The project will take place in various institutions and/or community-based settings; providing free access opportunities for participants (regardless of background or ability) to fully engage and participate in the arts. Programs, services, and activities are facilitated within safe, courageous and the least restrictive environments (LRE) while promoting healthy, positive, relatable perspectives on Latin heritage. This project is fueled by instruction, mentorship, and facilitated guidance for all youth to discover, self-express, and learn skillsets/disciplines that support, empower, restore, and transform them into successful leaders for tomorrow.

Educational Dance Programs in Schools, Community Dance Workshops, Dance and Education Performance Series, Pre and Post Performance Workshops, Master Classes, and Summer Programs.

With support from the California Arts Council, Leap Arts in Education will deliver free, high-quality arts education to 500 students through 20 residencies across five Title I (federally designated low-income) San Francisco public schools: Redding, Ulloa, Bessie Carmichael, Jean Parker, and Sheridan. These schools serve students facing systemic barriers, including economic hardship, language access, and limited arts programming.

Leap’s professional, culturally fluent Teaching Artists will lead weekly instruction in visual arts, performing arts, and architecture. Programs are co-developed with classroom teachers to reflect student identities, integrate social-emotional learning, and align with California Visual and Performing Arts (VAPA) Standards.
CAC grant funds will support artist compensation, materials, and accessibility. Each residency ends with a student-led showcase and centers culturally responsive teaching, youth development, and student voice, fostering confidence, pride, and creative skills for lifelong success.

ARTIST-IN-RESIDENCE PROGRAM
Leap’s flagship program for grades K-8 increases equitable access to high-quality, equity-focused, multidisciplinary arts education. In-school artist residencies use culturally attuned content and practices to engage diverse students and optimize success. Depending on grade and discipline, residencies lasts 6-20 weeks, usually one hour per week.

Evolving since 1979, Leap’s program is unique in that:
– Our teaching framework emphasizes equity-focused Culturally Responsive Teaching and Creative Youth Development approaches, using the arts to foster inclusion, positive relationships, confidence, resiliency, community engagement, and self-efficacy in young people.
– Residencies are taught by Teaching Artists (TAs) with artistic expertise and with an average of 8 years of classroom experience.
– Programs progress grade to grade, often taught by the same TA, supporting deep, lasting student-adult relationships.
– TA Professional Development focuses on Creative Youth Development, Culturally Responsive Teaching, Implicit Bias, Self Awareness, Trauma-Informed Teaching, Educational Equity, and Intersectional Identities (since 2016).
– Seven disciplines – ceramics, two-dimensional art, music, dance, theater, architecture, and creative writing – provide choices for schools.
– Long-term partnerships with schools and TAs achieve a 90% average school retention rate.

Leap participants develop technical discipline-specific skills, integrate arts learning with other academic subjects. make positive connections, practice and strengthen skills in critical thinking, collaboration, and problem solving. TAs create an environment in which students feel safe and supported to create art with their inherent talents, unique perspectives, and life experiences.

More important than gaining specific art skills, students’ perspectives dramatically shift. They develop tools to think critically, collaborate, create, communicate, and connect with others—21st century skills that strengthen communities.

EQUITY TRAINING INITIATIVE
Leap launched its Racial Justice Training Institute (RJTI) to transform Bay Area art education, leading to equity-driven, student-centered, culturally responsive arts education, greater student outcomes, and a community of knowledgeable, equity-driven practitioners and influencers.

Future Leaders California will implement Just-Us Film Lab: Voices Through the Lens, a yearlong arts initiative that expands on our existing Justice Sunday Arts Initiative. CAC grant funds will support youth engagement in theater and digital media arts through performance, filmmaking, and storytelling. From December 2025 to January 2026, youth will participate in the Justice Sunday performances, using story circles and cultural exploration to explore identity and justice. From February to September 2026, youth will develop original short films in a new Just-Us Film Lab, gaining hands-on experience in directing, cinematography, editing, and storyboarding. Funds will support artist stipends, youth compensation, production materials, community showcases, and more. The project promotes youth voice, justice-centered storytelling, and access to quality arts education for underserved youth in the Antelope Valley.

The Justice Sunday Arts Initiative (Est. 2016)
The Community Attendance Assistance Program (Est. 2014)
The Teen Talk Initiative (Est. 2022)

While performance opportunities in the Santa Clarita Valley are plentiful, elementary students rarely get to explore the behind-the-scenes roles that bring theater to life. To fill this gap, we propose expanding A Celebration of the Performing Arts — a free, half-day event introducing students to technical and creative theater careers.

Students rotate through five hands-on workshops led by industry professionals, covering lighting, sound, costumes/hair/makeup, blocking/directing, and set design. The day begins with a short story enactment, which becomes the foundation for each station. Instructors demonstrate how their specialty helps transform the story into a dynamic performance.

Our goals include supplying interactive materials, creating a festive and immersive environment, increasing turnout through better promotion, and reaching students from all four local elementary school districts, private and charter schools, and homeschooling communities.

A core program is our Saturday’s Kids programming, providing quality theater for young children for a very low cost. We provide this program 3-4 times a year. Another core program has been our backstage workshop for kids. Formally known as “A Celebration of the Performing Arts”, we are looking to rebrand this event and grow it to serve more of the communities needs.
Our core services are bringing multi age and multicultural programming to the Newhall Family Theatre for low and no cost to our patrons. This programming has included several multicultural showcases featuring local talent, bringing Bob Baker’s Puppets to our community, presenting a bilingual children’s singer to our local youth, and partnering with other local nonprofits to bring theater and music to the stage for the community.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Center for World Music will promote awareness and understanding of the rich performing arts traditions of the world through school-wide, student-interactive assemblies in underserved UTK-12 San Diego area schools. Part of the CWM’s World Music in the Schools core program, our assemblies create opportunities for schools to maximize student exposure to traditional performing arts by bringing large numbers of students together at one time to engage with teaching artists who are also culture bearers. Students experience world music and dance in an exciting format, gaining beneficial knowledge about world geography, history, cultures, languages, and traditions.

Core organizational programs and services of the Center for World Music (CWM) consist of four initiatives serving San Diego County: a world music and dance concert series of 5 to 10 annual public events focused on the performing arts of Asia, Africa, Latin America, Europe, and North America; workshops and performances in partnership with cultural communities and institutions; a unique World Music in the Schools program; and an Access to the Arts for Seniors program.

WORLD MUSIC CONCERTS
The CWM presents an annual series of concerts carefully curated to introduce audiences to underrepresented musical traditions. Reaching approximately 1,000 attendees per year, the concerts present distinguished California, national, and international artists of traditional world music and dance in small and medium-sized venues.

COMMUNITY WORKSHOPS AND PERFORMANCES
In partnership with San Diego institutions and cultural communities, the CWM presents community workshops and performances reaching over 2,000 children and adults annually.

SCHOOLS PROGRAM
The World Music in the Schools program features more than 25 highly skilled, culturally sophisticated teaching artists and 16 ensembles-in-residence, representing 20 music and dance traditions from around the world. Established in 1999, World Music in the Schools has grown to become the largest CWM program. It offers both 8- to 35-week artist residencies and one-time encounters such as workshops and school-wide assemblies, reaching over 10,000 students each year.

ACCESS TO THE ARTS FOR SENIORS
Access to the Arts for Seniors offers enriching experiences for seniors living in affordable housing communities. Due to socio-economic and physical barriers, residents have limited access to cultural enrichment. This program aims to meet residents’ needs by presenting the world’s music and dance in the comfort of their communities. The program presents 52 quarterly events in 13 communities, reaching over 2,000 seniors per year.

Music Mission San Francisco (MMSF) requests California Arts Council (CAC) grant funds to provide 100% compensation for three teaching artists and 94% compensation for a fourth teaching artist. These artists are essential for delivering 60 weekly classes of free, intensive instrumental music instruction to underserved children (ages 7-12) in San Francisco’s Mission District. Operating from September 2025 to May 2026 at the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts and the Community Music Center, our program will provide a vital creative outlet, foster significant personal and social development, and address critical gaps in arts access.
CAC funding will enable MMSF to continue its 10-year legacy of empowering children with the fewest resources and greatest need, ensuring they receive high-quality music education that heals, stabilizes, uplifts, and transforms their lives and community.

Since its inception in 2015, Music Mission San Francisco (MMSF) has provided free, high-quality after-school music education to underserved children (ages 7-14) in San Francisco’s Mission District. Operating primarily from the Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts (MCCLA), MMSF established itself as a vital community resource, consistently offering around 60 classes annually and enriching the community with two to three public student concerts each year. Our commitment to accessibility was formalized in 2020 when Music Mission San Francisco officially became a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization.

Our program has demonstrated consistent growth and adaptability. During the 2019-20 school year, prior to the pandemic, MMSF provided intensive instruction (four hours per week) in violin, cello, and choir to 45 students, organized into five distinct skill levels.

When the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift in approach, MMSF demonstrated resilience by transitioning to online instruction, ensuring continuity of learning for our students during a challenging period. We proudly returned to in-person learning for the 2022-2023 school year.

The 2023-24 school year marked a significant expansion. In addition to our established programs at MCCLA, MMSF opened a second site at the Community Music Center (CMC), introducing instruction in flute, clarinet, trumpet, and trombone.

This growth trajectory continued into the 2024-25 school year, where MMSF achieved a record-high enrollment of 53 students.

Beyond regular instruction and concerts, MMSF enriches the student experience by occasionally hosting professional musicians who perform for and with our students. Furthermore, students and their parents have been offered unique opportunities to attend rehearsals by the San Francisco Youth Symphony, broadening their exposure to the wider musical world.

Throughout our history, Music Mission San Francisco has remained steadfast in its commitment to removing financial barriers: the entire program, including the provision of musical instruments, is offered free of charge to all participating families.

Los Cenzontles Cultural Arts Academy offers hands-on training in Mexican traditional and popular art forms to 150 underserved children and youth ages 4-17. Los Cenzontles trains community youth in traditional art forms and ancestral cultures, with a focus on cultivating excellence and mastery of art forms through long-term acquisition of skills. The program functions within a social context, mirroring the ways in which traditional arts have been practiced for centuries within Mexican communities, and fostering an environment in which youth can tap into the resilience of their community and culture. Classes are taught by artists from the community, many of whom were trained themselves at the academy. A teen mentorship program provides hands-on training in teaching, production and performance.

In our San Pablo/Richmond neighborhood:
• Arts academy providing accessible, high-quality cultural arts education to more than 150 students annually, ages 4 to adult, taking more than 125 classes annually in traditional music, dance, arts and crafts. Classes take place after-school on-site at Los Cenzontles, as well as virtually during the pandemic.
• Calendar of family-friendly community events, including concerts, workshops, and festivals.
• Teen apprenticeship program, providing hands-on training in teaching, production and performance.

Nationally:
• Live music and dance performances and arts workshops in communities throughout the U.S. (on hold during the pandemic).
• Cultural consultations – providing expertise to organizations seeking increased effectiveness in reaching Latino communities.

And beyond – media and online production:
• Thirty-three cultural albums, to date, of traditional and cross-cultural music with many traditional and vernacular artists.
• Critically acclaimed documentaries broadcast locally and nationally on PBS and more than 700 web-based videos with more than 43,000,000 views and 56,800 channel subscribers.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Filipino American Symphony Orchestra will address segregation and its inequities by directly providing music education to youth from BIPOC communities, fostering a healthy environment and an empowering identity context.

FASO utilizes music as a unifying force to celebrate and build bridges among diverse cultures, while providing a platform for marginalized voices.

Programs include:
1) The annual FASO Season of performances engages 75 musicians, 10-50 performers, plus 30-40 youth in the Youth String Ensemble and Junior Orchestra. Presenting a synthesis of musical genres, FASO annually engages 5,000+ attendees in person and reaches over 1.9 million online.
FASO Education & Outreach Program: Year-round, FASO empowers 100-300 students, ages 8-18, from underserved communities by providing comprehensive music instruction in instrumental, vocals, songwriting, and musicianship through its Education & Outreach Program. To enrich students’ experiences, FASO offers performance opportunities in mainstream venues and competitions. Currently, 30-50 youth participate in FASO’s ensembles: the Youth String Orchestra and Junior Orchestra. In 2024, both ensembles won first place at the Festival of Music at Knotts Berry Farm.

Key Accomplishments:
To date, FASO has presented over 20 symphony concerts featuring over 100 original compositions, released 5 albums, engaged 2,000+ artists, served 1,000+ students, and reached over 5 million local and global audiences.

With support from the California Arts Council, Cinnamongirl Inc will enhance our proven Write Your Story program to serve 75 girls of color (ages 13-18) annually through our “Voices of Belonging” initiative. The $25,000 grant will strengthen our masterclass model with accomplished published authors of color while adding Community Culture Bearer sessions connecting girls with local storytellers and elders.
Each participant will conduct interviews with family or community members as regular writing assignments, creating both source material for original work and a community archive preserving local narratives. The program culminates in an annual Community Storytelling Showcase where girls present their writing alongside collected community stories.
This approach addresses barriers to arts access compounded by racial and cultural identity by creating culturally-responsive programming that honors participants’ heritage while developing artistic voices.

Cinnamongirl exists because brilliant girls of color in high-performing environments face an invisible crisis of belonging. While they excel academically, they often navigate daily exhaustion from code-switching, carry the burden of representing their entire race, and question whether they truly belong in the spaces they’ve earned access to.
We serve the “forgotten high-achievers” – girls who look successful on paper but are performing a daily high-wire act without a safety net. Through our sisterhood model, we create sanctuary spaces where these girls can exhale completely, develop tools to maintain their authentic selves while navigating challenging environments, and build the unshakeable sense of belonging that transforms not just their own lives, but the institutions they’ll eventually lead.
We exist to ensure that no girl of color has to choose between success and authenticity.

Funds requested will allow us to hire part-time instructors and youth interns to lead our 9-month Hidden GEM Career Pathways Program, and pay rent for our creative studio so we can continue operating our employment program which connects up to 100 alumni from our talent pool to job opportunities. This program recruits and professionally trains a cohort of up to 45 young BIPOC filmmakers (ages 18-28) in an intensive film training and mentorship program where they create content that leads to their employment or enrollment in post-secondary education. Funds support filmmakers develop portfolios/resumes and pipelines them into internships, apprenticeships and entry-level jobs, while improving outcomes as it relates to employment, housing, education and mental health. All content students produce is stipended and made in collaboration with local community leaders, non-profits, and local social justice initiatives.

CAREER PATHWAYS PROGRAM
BIPOC filmmakers ages 18-28 are eligible for 1 year of free career training in film production, screenwriting/directing and animation/production . They are trained over the course of 9 months and are pipelined into externships, apprenticeships, post-secondary education programs and entry-level jobs. Apprentices receive structured support in growing business, special access to production space, equipment, events, and a large network of clients/colleagues to grow their own business.

SCREENWRITERS WORKSHOP
Free screenwriting workshop to learn everything about feature length film pre-production workflow. Free coffee & private time with screenwriting professionals to receive feedback.

SOCIAL ENTERPRISE WORK PROGRAM
Graduates of our career pathways program are eligible for paid work as a freelance filmmaker. They are referred to work with our client base and work with our instructors and professional filmmakers on paid contracts.

This program serves rural, severely geographically isolated youth—including a significant number of Indigenous and undocumented students, most of whom live in the lowest quartiles of the Healthy Places Index. The Mariposa County Arts Council’s SITE + VISION program builds visual literacy skills among high school students through structured engagement with curated museum exhibitions in the Bay Area. California Arts Council grant funds will support direct program costs, including curriculum development and in class artist/educator facilitation, and transportation costs. The 5-week standards-aligned unit includes in-class preparation, a museum field trip, and a creative reflection process. By teaching students to analyze visual imagery, the program fosters critical thinking, empathy, and cultural awareness. SITE + VISION offers equitable access to high-quality arts experiences that would otherwise be out of reach for this isolated and underserved student population.

The Mariposa County Arts Council (MCACI) opened its doors in 1981 and is dedicated to enriching Mariposa through the arts. Serving the county at large and working closely with our local government leaders as well as individuals, regional organizations and businesses, we develop and implement cultural policies, creative placemaking projects, arts educations initiatives and produce artistic programming designed to positively increase the visibility of Mariposa and amplify the many diverse voices in our community. Our work welcomes all local residents and visitors to engage with art experiences and is designed to facilitate personal interpretations, expression, and growth; strengthen social connections and community dialogue; connect rural Mariposa to issues, movements, and opportunities beyond its borders; and support the healthy development of individuals of all ages by engaging them in the creation and appreciation of art.

MCACI’s work includes: develop cultural policy and creative placemaking initiatives; providing technical assistance to regional artists and arts organizations; developing and delivering a variety of TK-12 grade creative youth development and arts education programming to youth across Mariposa County; targeted mentoring programming for at-promise youth; special arts programming for adults with limited or no access to the arts (particularly incarcerated and geographically isolated older adults); public programming (community theatre and summer concert series); and local, regional, state, and national advocacy work.

With support from the California Arts Council, Elemental Music will support staff salaries and music teacher fees related to Encore, our free private music lesson program that serves primarily underresourced students, 100% of whom are Title I music students in the Santa Monica-Malibu Unified School District

Since 2004, we have served over 3,000 students across 10 programs. We changed our organization name from Elemental Strings to Elemental Music in 2016 to reflect the broad variety of programs offered. Our ensemble and lesson programs comprehensively address the needs of hundreds of motivated young musicians each season.

Most of our programs are ensemble-based:

Prelude (3rd–4th grade beginning strings)
Elemental Strings (3rd–5th grade intermediate and advanced string orchestra)
Academy Philharmonic (middle school full orchestra for advanced strings, winds and brass)
Academy Strings (middle school intermediate string orchestra)
Academy Winds (middle school intermediate wind ensemble)
Elemental Band (3rd–5th grade concert band for winds, brass and percussion)
Elemental Guitar (3rd–8th grade classical guitar ensembles for beginning to advanced students)
Elemental Choir (3rd–5th grade choir)
Chamber Music Institute (small instrumental ensembles for intermediate and advanced students in grades 6–12)

Our ensembles perform 3 concerts annually. Ensemble students also often take part in community performances at Little League games, local cafes, movie theaters, and even a residency at a senior living community.

We also have 1 private music lesson program:

Bergmann Program/Encore (4th–12th grade/ free, year-round private lessons to 90 socioeconomically disadvantaged SMMUSD students who could not otherwise afford this critical tool in a musician’s development)

In the 2022/23 season, we also launched three new programs:

Elemental Music Teaching Fellowship (a paid fellowship for college musicians in southern California to receive hands-on teaching experience in our Santa Monica ensemble programs, mentorship, and professional development training, with the goal of expanding representation of teachers from marginalized backgrounds in the music classroom)

Elemental @ Broadway (choirs for grades K–5 and string classes for grades 3–5 at Los Angeles Unified School District’s Broadway Elementary School)

Elemental @ Westminster (sequential in-school general music classes for grades 3–5 at Los Angeles Unified School District’s Title I Westminster Elementary)

With support from the California Arts Council, Joyce Gordon Foundation of the Arts, a small Oakland-based arts organization, will present renowned vocalist and educator Faye Carol and her ensemble in lecture/performances centering women in jazz and blues, in celebration of Women’s History Month, at 8 Title 1 public schools in historically Black, low-income communities of East Oakland, West Oakland and Richmond. This program is collaboratively developed with community members and responds to a community defined need for culturally responsive arts curricula in underserved public schools, centering Black communities whose culture is threatened by gentrification.

The Joyce Gordon Foundation of the Arts presents several core programs annually. First, we host the Oakland Youth Art Explosion (OYAE). OYAE is a two-day program consisting of a youth art exhibit and reception, along with an outdoor street festival exclusively for youth. The festival includes free workshops by professional artists, music, dance performances, spoken word, and a youth entrepreneur vendor market. The program seeks to empower and inspire youth to take an active role in the arts community here in Oakland, while also providing a platform for emerging young artists to showcase their work. Through this program, young people will gain valuable skills in curation, project management, and leadership, while also contributing to the cultural landscape in our community.

Second, we host an annual Holiday Youth Jazz Benefit Concert. We employ young musicians from the Oakland School of the Arts and invite them to perform a concert for community members at the Joyce Gordon Gallery. Musicians are paid for their time and celebrated for their talents. This program also includes a youth entrepreneur vendor market during and after the show. We use funds raised from ticket sales to purchase jackets for distribution to underserved youth throughout Oakland.

In 2025 we presented the Handful of Keys masterclass series, featuring a series of free 6 piano masterclasses led by master artists and educators in our community. Classes delved into the Black cultural traditions of jazz, blues, R&B, gospel, funk, and beyond.

Finally, we are preparing to launch a Women in Jazz, Blues, & Beyond lecture/performance series at eight Title 1 public schools in historically Black neighborhoods of West Oakland, East Oakland, and Richmond. This free program will be offered in celebration of Women’s History Month and Jazz Appreciation Month, educating youth about the contributions of pioneering women in jazz blues, and beyond.

With support from the California Arts Council, Rhythmix Cultural Works (RCW) will present Performance, Art & Learning “PAL”, a multicultural arts education program that presents professional world music and dance assemblies to elementary school students throughout Alameda County. From October 2025 – September 2026, PAL will present 16 multicultural performances at RCW’s Alameda-based theater and neighboring school district theaters to over 4,000 students from 30+ schools in Alameda County highlighting music and dance traditions from around the globe including Africa, Asia, South America, the Caribbean, Southeast Asia and the Pacific. Supplemental curriculum materials are provided for teacher and student use. PAL helps to empower underserved youth by fostering awareness about world cultures and stimulates a sense of pride in students’ cultural heritage by deepening connections to their communities.

Rhythmix Cultural Works (RCW) serves approximately 15,000 adults and students each year through a combination of performances, classes and workshops. RCW produces events featuring artists that present a mix of contemporary and traditional arts disciplines from around the world. RCW offers a wide array of programming including free world music concerts, art walks and festivals, music appreciation classes, K Gallery art exhibits and receptions, low-cost family events, and free/low-cost world music and dance assemblies through RCW’s Performance, Art & Learning (PAL) program offered to thousands of students throughout Alameda County. Over the years, live performances of various genres have included Latin jazz, Bollywood blues, Venezuelan Rock fusion, flamenco, comedy, and free community events such as RCW’s Island City Waterways, Love Our Island Art Walks, and ‘Round the World Festivals. After emerging from the pandemic, Rhythmix expanded its live PAL assembly offerings and created new free community programs including cultural heritage festivals and a world music family concert series in local parks.

With support from the California Arts Council, Blindspot Collective will create, produce, and tour a brand new theatre production designed for early elementary schools in low-income, rural, or historically underserved communities in San Diego County. The production will center social-emotional skills, sustainability, and inclusive storytelling, using original characters and student participation to promote connection, joy, and imaginative play.

CAC grant funds will support the development, production, and delivery of performances at local schools, ensuring access to high-quality arts experiences at no cost to participating campuses. The project aims to uplift youth, strengthen school communities, and reduce barriers to arts engagement by bringing transformative, culturally responsive programming directly to students where they are.

Since its founding in 2017, Blindspot Collective has developed new works of theatre with and for historically marginalized communities in San Diego County. We believe storytelling is a valuable tool to build human connections and foster understanding between disparate communities, as evidenced by past projects that highlighted the experiences of refugees, immigrants, people of color, transgender youth, people with disabilities, military veterans, and other marginalized groups. In addition to in-school performances, workshops, and residences serving K-12 students, we develop original work that merges artistic excellence and culturally responsive community development. Blindspot Collective has received acclaim for both its innovative original work, much of which is site-responsive or tours locally to increase community accessibility, and its development processes, which prioritize authentic community engagement and participation toward sustainable cultural change.

With support from the California Arts Council, Pedal Press will expand its art-based youth programs in Butte County, focusing on justice-involved youth, particularly from Chico, Oroville, and Paradise. CAC funds will support a re-entry program in partnership with Butte County probation. Programming integrates social-emotional learning, case management, and career and technical education through screenprinting. Youth will gain hands-on skills, income, and leadership opportunities while addressing social determinants of health like economic stability, education, and community connection. Funds will also support staffing, outreach, and evaluation to measure impact and improve program delivery.

Our organization offers accessible and affordable printing services to our community.
We do educational workshops for youth and the community to teach screen printing and other forms of printmaking.
We offer live printing services for local social justice causes and events utilizing our Pedal Press bikes that allow people to print their own t-shirts.

With support from the California Arts Council, Los Angeles Master Chorale will increase youth participation in and access to high-quality, culturally responsive, vocal arts education through Voices Within and Youth Chorus Los Angeles.

A “perennially superb ensemble” (The New Yorker), the Grammy-Award winning Los Angeles Master Chorale is peerless, arguably the nation’s leading professional chorus. A standard-bearer for classical music performed at the highest level, the Chorale continues to balance traditional and evolving repertoire. We envision a world in which choral music is a conduit for belonging, a vehicle for participation in the arts, and a means for understanding and exploring commonalities and differences.
Created by legendary conductor Roger Wagner in 1964, the Chorale is a founding resident company of The Music Center and choir-in-residence at Walt Disney Concert Hall. Hailed for its powerful performances, technical precision, and artistic daring, the Chorale is led by Grant Gershon, Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director; Associate Artistic Director Jenny Wong; and President & CEO Scott Altman. We create and present sublime expressions of the classical tradition, hybrids with other art forms, and new works.
The Chorale prioritizes innovation in its main-stage programming, as well as commissioning, touring, recording, and education. Artistic choices are guided by our major public pledge, made in 2020, to program at least half of each season with works from women, people of the global majority, and other artists historically excluded from classical music. Our main-stage programming is one way we are working to right imbalances of power and visibility to encourage social justice, racial and gender equity.
The Chorale also operates award-winning student education programs—Voices Within, Oratorio Project, the High School Choir Festival, and the new Youth Chorus Los Angeles —engaging more than 1,200 students aged 9-18 each year through in-depth artist residencies and collective singing experiences.

With support from the California Arts Council, Hungry Ghost Productions will produce ‘Love Letter to Oakland #4,’ a collaborative mural project at Oakland Technical High School that celebrates the city’s intergenerational creative legacy through student-led public art. Led by professional muralist-educators, the project will engage over 1,800 students in nominating notable alumni and peers to feature, 50 in design workshops, and 10 for hands-on mural mentorships. Community painting days and a public unveiling event will further connect students, families, faculty, and local leaders. The mural will include a QR-linked short documentary exploring Oakland’s intergenerational cultural heritage. CAC funds will support artist fees, materials including adaptive brushes, and documentation. At a Title 1 school facing budget cuts, this project provides vital, arts-rich learning that fosters identity, representation, and pride.

PUBLIC ARTS: site specific, community-driven murals

ARTS EDUCATION:
• Mural workshops for community groups: in-person learning including workshops on narrative development, symbolism, composition, design, and installation.
• Youth out-of-school mural programs: conceptualize, design, and paint murals. Cultivate, educate, and engage youth in community issues and the power of public art.
• Emerging artist mentorships: professional development and vocational training from professional team of artists

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT: involve community in co-creation of public art to promote representation, connection, and belonging. Encourage civic engagement and dialogue.
• Engage community in public art projects: Collaborate with the community in mural design and creation through feedback sessions, workshops, and other initiatives.
• Mural community painting days: free and accessible to all abilities
• Mural unveiling events: community celebrations that promote cultural exchange and intergenerational knowledge sharing. Events cultivate community relationships and connections while fostering belonging and community pride.
• Creative partnerships with community groups and collaborations that celebrate and preserve cultural heritage.

CULTURAL AWARENESS AND PRESERVATION
• Mural arts that celebrate the history and diversity of local communities. Present and uplift the values, traditions, and history of local cultural groups. Promote cultural exchange and encourage understanding and respect for different cultural heritages.
• Generate educational resources: Producing a short documentary on Oakland creatives for Love Letter to Oakland, and other resources for learning.

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT AND REVITALIZATION
• Beautification and reduction of blight. Transform shared spaces.
• Public arts that promote cultural and social cohesion and community-centered placekeeping. Reflect the identity and character of communities.

With support from the California Arts Council, Geoffrey’s Inner Circle will offer our fourth annual Youth Arts Camp in Oakland in summer 2026. This program is collaboratively developed with community members and addresses to a community-identified need for youth arts education centering Black youth and Black cultural traditions that is accessible to low-income families. Our Youth Arts Camp is a free, week-long intensive engaging Black youth ages 10-16 of all skill levels, offering a multidisciplinary arts curriculum with classes in singing, dance, rap, percussion, music theory, and visual art taught by a lineup of renowned Oakland-based artist-educators.

Geoffrey’s Inner Circle is a multidisciplinary arts venue and Black cultural center, operating as a hub of Black life in Oakland since the late 1970s and in its current downtown location since 1993. Geoffrey’s has for over 40 years consistently produced arts & culture programming including music and comedy shows, educational programs, jam sessions, festivals, community events, vocal and instrumental masterclasses with resident and visiting artists, an annual 10-week youth arts intensive, livestreams and lecture/performances for youth, and political events. Geoffrey’s centers Black art forms including jazz, blues, gospel, hip-hop, and R&B and features programming celebrating Black History Month, Black Music Month, and Kwanzaa.

With support from the California Arts Council, Attitudinal Healing Connection, Inc., doing business as The Center for ArtEsteem, will engage 1,400 children and youth in weekly, standards-based integrated arts instruction through our ArtEsteem Integrated Arts Education program. ArtEsteem integrates sequential arts education with academic subjects, both during school hours and after school, for marginalized students of color in under-resourced K-12 Oakland schools, where students lack access to arts programming. The curriculum incorporates leadership development and cultural and environmental awareness while increasing access to arts instruction for youth. ArtEsteem also integrates Attitudinal Healing principles and practices, which support students’ social-emotional wellness, inner healing, self-esteem, creativity, and self-empowerment. The program engages youth in uplifting and inspiring creative practices and art projects that benefit their mental health and emotional resilience.

ARTESTEEM
High-quality during and after school arts integrated visual and cultural arts education programming for 2,500 children and youth annually in under-resourced Oakland public schools.

Projects include:
*Oakland Legacy Project
Culturally relevant arts integration program implemented through ArtEsteem’s during and after school sites that emphasizes environmentally focused STEAM and leadership curriculum for Oakland youth.

*ArtMobile
The ArtEsteem ArtMobile is a one-of-a-kind custom built mobile trailer constructed for the sole purpose of enhancing school-site and community events with unique art activities for all ages.

*Oakland Super Heroes Mural Project
The OSHMP cultivates, educates, and engages West Oakland youth in addressing community issues through the power of public art with a process of design and installation, resulting in four (soon to be five) large-scale murals in Oakland’s I-580 freeway underpasses, and a collection of community-informed murals around Oakland’s schools and neighborhoods.

*Professional Development
ArtEsteem PD workshops train teachers on arts integrated methodology to develop culturally, environmentally, and thematically relevant lessons and engage students in creative, hands-on art practice.

HEALING CIRCLES
ArtEsteem healing circles (Racial Healing and trauma-informed Community Healing) provide safe, facilitated spaces for community members to engage in personal healing.

COMMUNITY BUILDING
ArtEsteem engages the local community through the annual ArtEsteem Exhibition, ArtMobile collaborations with Bay Area schools and organizations, and more.

With support from the California Arts Council, SACRAMENTO BALLET ASSOCIATION will provide 2,500 free tickets to the final dress rehearsals of NUTCRACKER (1,500 tickets) and SLEEPING BEAUTY (1,000 tickets) to students attending Title 1 Schools in Sacramento. To ensure that this is a communal experience we will also invite the families of these students to attend the performances. This will provide opportunities to experience live ballet performance for those who might not otherwise have access.

Sacramento Ballet celebrates its 70 years in 2024 as a highly regarded cultural asset renowned for artistic and production quality. We serve the entire Sacramento metropolitan region at the center of The Northern California Megaregion with a population of over 12 million, accounting for over 32% of California’s population. Sacramento Ballet is a cultural cornerstone and integral member of the Sacramento Arts community. More than 1 million people have enjoyed our performances, and many more participate in our School of Ballet, stage productions, and neighborhood, community, and scholastic outreach and engagement programs.
Our international company of 22-classically trained dancers and second company of 13 aspiring Second Company pre-professionals call Sacramento home. Approximately 80,000 people attend performances annually; many more participate and train in our School of Sacramento Ballet, our programming for older adults, dance in schools, and outreach programs.
Our mission is to enrich lives through the power of dance. The only professional ballet company in the region, we present classical ballets, contemporary works, and beloved holiday productions, captivating audiences with their artistry and athleticism.
Our vision is to deliver transformational professional performances and programs in new and evolving delivery mediums; excellence in dance training and education; Second Company free community performances and premieres, and outreach to underserved populations, activating our community engagement for all.
Sacramento Ballet’s programs for the community help make dance should be accessible to everyone. We provide free or low-cost dance classes in underserved neighborhoods, offer scholarships to talented students from diverse backgrounds, and bring the joy of dance to schools and community groups through special performances and workshops. Sacramento Ballet is a vital cultural asset in the Sacramento region, inspiring and enriching the lives of countless individuals through its dedication to artistic excellence, dance education, and community engagement.

With support from the California Arts Council, Owens Valley Career Development Center will offer Reconnecting Native Culture Through Indigenous Art, a workshop series for Native youth and families in Coleville, Lake Isabella, Lone Pine, Porterville, and Tule River. Led by a California poet and member of the Bishop Paiute Tribe, the workshops will bring together creative writing and traditional Native arts including sand painting, ribbon skirt and shirt making, pottery, basket weaving, hand games, and beading. Workshops will center around themes that encourage both personal reflection and cultural connection, using a healing-centered approach that emphasizes strength, resilience, and wellness. The series will conclude with a public art exhibit and open mic event celebrating youth creativity. Grant funding will support artist fees, workshop materials, travel to rural Tribal locations, and coordination of a final community event.

Tribal Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, Early Head Start, Family Literacy, Native Languages

CAC grant funds will be used to support a series of educational concerts featuring the Click Clack Moosic! program set to the popular book Click Clack Moo for children ages 3 – 7. The performances will take place in East L.A. and reach up to 2,000 L.A. Unified School District elementary school students.

This high-quality music programming for young children is a live musical-story time event. Students learn about musical instruments through the pre-concert curriculum and the pre-concert petting zoo. This updated version of classic programs like Peter and the Wolf covers more diverse styles of music including salsa, a ho down, waltz, and blues.

Through the story, children learn about working together, collective action, and how one small voice can make a big difference.

Helix Collective formed in 2009, as a chamber music ensemble with the objective of bringing classical music to new and diverse audiences. A feature of a “helix” is the ability to recombine into many different yet related forms. Thus, Helix Collective evolves and recombines for every program. The original group included flute, oboe and piano. With this trio, we toured and recorded the critically-acclaimed album, All In. In 2012, we became a non-profit 501(c)3. We added percussion and created the World Dance Club program, an album featuring newly-commissioned international dance music.

Our current core programs are the Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival, additional live score-to-screen concerts of media music, and music and storytelling concerts. We’ve developed new partnerships with the L.A. Film School for our annual festival and the Film Music Connect workshop with SAGindie, providing original, recorded scores for participating SAGindie filmmakers.

The Los Angeles Live Score Film Festival pairs directors of short films with film composers. The composers write original scores for Helix Collective to perform live-to-picture at the festival. After the festival, the scores are recorded for inclusion in the final version of the films. Films for the most recent festivals were curated by SAGindie and the L.A. Film School.

We also partner with the Composers Diversity Collective, an organization dedicated to increasing the visibility of composers from diverse backgrounds throughout the music industry and to mentoring emerging composers from underserved communities. Helix Collective recorded and produced “Shoutout!” a visual album of music by 12 composers from the collective, “Spotlight” a live concert featuring Composers Diversity Collective composers and Level Up game music concert featuring women and BIPOC composers.

In 2024 Helix Collective made the West coast premiere of Click Clack Moosic, a children’s musical story time program at Boston Court Pasadena.

With support from the California Arts Council, SAPPA will provide free music instruction and performance opportunities for 100 low-income children and youth ages 7 to 22 in South Los Angeles and Watts. In the program, called the Watts Willowbrook Music Academy and Watts Willowbrook Youth Orchestra, participants learn to play violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar and keyboards, develop their musical skills and knowledge, and perform for the public. The programs take place after school and in the summer at six partner sites throughout the community.

-The Watts Willowbrook Conservatory is a collaboration with multiple organizations in South LA. In sequential group classes taught by professional musicians at each site, students ages 7-18 learn to playing violin, viola, cello and bass. Instruction is offered at the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels. Performance in the Watts Willowbrook Youth Symphony is an integral part of the educational and developmental experience.
-Weekly Music Workshops bring general musical education to students ages 7-18 after school at community sites. The goal is to develop the children’s understanding and appreciation of music by learning to read music, playing instruments and singing.
-In the Senior Piano Arts program, adults ages 55 and older learn to play piano and read and interpret music in free, weekly, year-round classes provided at senior centers located in very low income communities in South Los Angeles. The program is taught by a professional musician and certified music therapist.

With support from the California Arts Council, Institute of Inquiry will implement Creative Fields, a 28-week arts apprenticeship program that uplifts transitional-aged youth in the Morongo Basin while providing employment and professional to creative professionals. The program fosters self-esteem, community and artistic identity for youth who often face systemic barriers to arts and career education due to mental health or socioeconomic factors. Through 115 hours of immersive studio workshops in disciplines including fiber arts, woodworking, ceramics, photography, and theater, Creative Fields offers a transformative learning opportunity rooted in mentorship, creative discovery, and collaboration. In parallel, Teaching Artists receive values-based employment, and training in youth-centered, trauma-informed curriculum design. The program culminates in an exhibition celebrating youth voice and resilience, and providing avenues for creative confidence, and stable careers—for participants and the teaching artists who guide them.

The Institute of Inquiry is a community-rooted nonprofit in the high deserts of the Morongo Basin, serving youth and families through dynamic, arts and nature-based education since 2017. We are committed to the long-term health of our vibrant but underserved region, and center youth voice, curiosity, and stewardship of our desert ecosystem across all programming. Our work cultivates a lifelong love of learning in children and families who have been historically excluded from culturally responsive, high-quality educational opportunities. Since 2020, we have expanded our mission to include accessible career pathways in the Arts and Early Childhood Education—two sectors with deep potential for community transformation and wellbeing.

Our programs include:

1. Early Childhood Education Program
Our child-led, arts- and nature-based early childhood program serves children ages 3–7 and their families. Rooted in artistic exploration, play, and forest school models, the curriculum focuses on foundational skill building in social-emotional growth, emergent literacy, and environmental stewardship. With small class sizes and deep family engagement, we deliver responsive, inclusive education that is developmentally-appropriate and honors children’s voices.

2. Creative Fields Program (begins Oct 2025)
This 28-week arts education and workforce mentorship program for transitional-aged youth (ages 14–18). Youth work directly with a cohort of Teaching Artists in disciplines such as weaving, ceramics, fiber arts, woodworking, performance, and visual arts. The program offers over 100 hours of hands-on instruction and mentorship, culminating in a youth-driven final exhibition. Central program goals are to provide accessible learning environments, expand access to progressive arts education and career paths, while providing sustainable, values-based employment development for creative professionals.

3. Workforce Development in Arts & Education
We build sustainable career pipelines through teaching and mentorship opportunities that include:
· Teaching Artist Residencies
· Student-teaching opportunities for community college students
· Highly-supported early childhood educator positions

With the support of the California Arts Council, the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) will provide arts education and interpretive programs for youth through its core APRENDE (LEARN) program. APRENDE provides access to high-quality, culturally relevant arts curriculum and experiences in the region’s schools and communities through its three-pronged approach: Tours and Workshops, Evening for Educators, and Free Family Cultural Festivals.

MOLAA has noticed an increase in demand for APRENDE’s program. Funding from California Arts Council will support the growing demand through providing scholarships for low-income K-12 students, supporting teaching artists fees, professional development for K-12 educators, art materials and supplies, and bilingual translation services.

The Mission of the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA) is to expand knowledge and appreciation of modern and contemporary Latin American and Latino/a art through its collection, groundbreaking exhibitions, stimulating educational programs, and engaging cultural events. Founded in 1996, MOLAA serves a significant role in the arts and culture, humanities, and museum fields as the only museum in the United States solely dedicated to the exhibition and research of national and international modern and contemporary Latin American, Latino/a and Latinx artists. The collection now includes more than 1,300 works of art in all media including painting, sculpture, drawing, mixed media, photography and video art from Latin America and throughout the United States. In 2014, MOLAA revised its mission statement to include Latino/a and Chicano/a artists and artworks in its collection and exhibition programming to represent more fully its audiences and cultural role in the local and international community.

With support from the California Arts Council, Pacific Arts Movement will strengthen its Reel Voices program, an eight-week documentary filmmaking course for high school students from historically underserved communities. CAC funds will support student stipends and expanded outreach to low-income schools and neighborhoods, ensuring access, mentorship, and public storytelling opportunities that foster cultural pride, healing, and civic engagement.

Pacific Arts Movement (Pac Arts) is one of the largest media arts organizations in North America, specializing in Asian American and Asian international cinema. Our flagship event, the San Diego Asian Film Festival, has emerged as a leading showcase for Asian cinema in North America and a significant platform for Asian American media. This festival serves as a celebration of the diversity and breadth of the Asian and Pacific Islander diaspora, featuring everything from passionate independent voices and thought-provoking documentaries to major hits from Asia and work from cinema masters. In addition to the film festival, we operate Reel Voices, a program that has been empowering local high school students to master the art of documentary filmmaking since 2005. This program includes a comprehensive 10-week summer class and a year-round partnership with Monarch School. Through Reel Voices, we inspire and equip the next generation of storytellers, teaching them technical skills like video editing software and guiding them through all stages of production. The ultimate goal is to create socially-conscious storytellers who can authentically represent their experiences and perspectives, aligning with our mission to amplify underrepresented voices and reduce barriers to entry into the media arts.

With support from the California Arts Council, Aimusic.us will offer the free “Chinese Instrumental Music Education for Youth” program to 20–30 youth ages 7–13, primarily from underserved communities. This culturally responsive program provides 30 group lessons led by award-winning California artists, along with weekly music fundamentals classes. The program fosters positive social and emotional development in a safe and inclusive environment, emphasizing youth voice and cultural pride. By engaging students in traditional Chinese music, the project promotes cultural connection, life skills development, and equitable access to quality arts education. Collaboration between artists, families, and the community ensures a supportive learning experience that empowers youth to become confident creators and advocates in the arts.

Founded 30 years ago as Firebird Youth Chinese Orchestra (FYCO), Aimusic.us services our multicultural community by providing performances, festival concerts, and Chinese music classes. Providing unique Chinese music performances is our first core program. Aimusic is one of the few Asian-American art groups in the nation highly-demanded by our communities. Before the pandemic, we gave over 40 performances and served more than 10,000 residents in the grand San Francisco Bay Area annually. After back to in-person, 5 teaching artists and 40 FYCO young musicians have brought 23 performances to the community last year and the same amount so far this year. We are invited by public libraries, schools, community centers, senior homes, high-tech companies, and cultural celebrations held by government agencies and nonprofit organizations.

Bithiah’s Family Services is seeking CAC grant funding to support “Healing Through Art: Messy Art Nights,” a recurring evening event at our Pomona Resource Center designed specifically for youth impacted by the foster care system. This program offers a therapeutic and creative space where children can engage in expressive art activities led by trauma-informed clinicians, helping them process emotions and build confidence through artistic exploration. While youth participate in guided art therapy sessions, their caregivers are provided with a much-needed evening of respite. Grant funds will support clinician facilitation, high-quality art supplies, and program coordination. This initiative promotes emotional healing and well-being for youth while strengthening the caregiving environment by offering rest and relief to foster, adoptive, kinship, and biological families involved in the child welfare system.

Bithiah’s Family Services offers a comprehensive array of core programs and services that address the unique needs of individuals impacted by the foster care system. These services are grounded in a trauma-informed approach and are designed to promote healing, independence, and long-term stability. Our core programs include:

1. Housing Program for Transitional Aged Youth (TAY):
Bithiah’s provides safe, stable housing for young women who have aged out of foster care and are at risk of homelessness. Residents participate in structured programming that includes job readiness training, financial literacy, mentorship, and independent living skills. Each participant receives individualized support tailored to their specific goals, and the program also includes job placement services, resume development, and career planning.

2. Pomona and San Marcos Resource Centers:
Open to anyone impacted by the foster care system—including foster youth, caregivers, social workers, and biological families—our Resource Centers provide wraparound support seven days a week. Services include trauma-informed therapy with licensed clinicians, clinician-led support groups, private and group tutoring, court-approved visitation space, and assistance navigating systems such as child welfare and education. We also distribute brand-new tangible supplies, including diapers, food, clothing, school supplies, and hygiene items.

3. Holiday and Back-to-School Drives:
Our annual events, including the Christmas Gift Drive and Back-to-School Giveaway, ensure that children in foster care and underserved families receive essential items with dignity. These drives provide brand-new backpacks, school supplies, toys, clothing, and more—easing financial burdens and ensuring every child feels seen and valued during critical times of the year.

With support from the California Arts Council, QUEER WOMEN OF COLOR MEDIA ARTS PROJECT-QWOCMAP will activate youth voices, narratives, and perspectives through the Film & Freedom Academy, which provides FREE artistically rigorous, culturally responsive filmmaking workshop that provides social/emotional learning for LBTQIA+ BIPOC Youth ages 18-24 (African descent/Black; Native American/American Indian, Indigenous, First Nations; Native Hawaiian & Pacific Islander; Asian, incl. Southeast Asian & South Asian; Latinx, incl. indígena & afrodescendiente; Southwest Asian, North African, Arab, “Middle Eastern,” & Muslim; and multi-ethnic & multi-racial people of color). QWOCMAP will offer creative experiences in a safe, healthy, and appropriate learning environment that empowers youth, fosters creative abilities, and cultivates transferable leadership skills through this workforce development program.

QWOCMAP transforms film into a tool for systemic change by and for LBTQIA+ BIPOC communities through three core programs:

1. Filmmaker Training Program
Our FREE flagship program dismantles economic and educational barriers to film as an art form providing professional instruction, mentorship, equipment, meals, and emotional wellness support. The Filmmaker Training Program also has 3 arms that create economic opportunity, on-the-job training, and professional development to filmmakers expanding the creative workforce. QWOCMAP has launched the careers of 350+ filmmakers with organizations like NBCUniversal, CBS Studios, and Google.

IMPACT:

– 507 new films created by LBTQIA+ BIPOC filmmakers

– 80+ free professional workshops delivered

– 632 filmmakers trained

– $226,125 paid to Black filmmakers in 2024

– $95,427 in stipends since 2018

– Trauma-informed and access-centered instruction, meals, and support services

Testimonial (Dr. Yvonne Welbon):
“It’s accessible to everyone… You don’t have to pay $50,000 a year in tuition. That’s remarkable.”

2. International Queer Women of Color Film Festival
Celebrates LBTQIA+ BIPOC stories while modeling radical access and cross-movement solidarity. The FREE Film Festival forges transnational connections between filmmakers, their films, and 300+ Community Partner organizations.

IMPACT:

– 754 films screened

– 94 FREE fully accessible screenings featuring open captions, audio description, ASL, fragrance-free spaces, and trauma support

– 28,324 attendees since 2007

– $50,000 in filmmaker support since 2003

Testimonial:
“This is my favorite Pride event… It was the first place I saw people who looked like me on the big screen, living quiet, happy lives.”

3. Boutique Film Distribution Program
The boutique film Distribution Program provides education that strengthens movements and builds impact by distributing the world’s largest catalog of queer and trans films of color to global audiences, including releasing QWOCMAP films to the acclaim of international film festival jury and audience awards.

IMPACT:

– 25,000+ people reached across 6 continents

– Custom-curated programs for schools, movements, and media institutions

With support from the California Arts Council, Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation will provide free Mariachi Summer Camps and a free year-round Ensemble where 310 youth from historically underserved communities will learn music fundamentals and cultural practices of this culturally responsive art form while developing and deepening vital life skills. These programs deliver much-needed free music education and engagement to underserved youth during critical out-of-school hours, helping them to discover and develop their unique talents, foster their personal identity, and build their communication and teamwork skills. Working with outstanding teaching artists and mentors through a culturally significant creative outlet, youth achieve success, gain confidence, build healthy relationships, and learn new arts skills. Instruction, instruments, meals, uniforms, books, and academic tutoring are provided at no cost to the students or their families.

LBC is the North Bay’s premier arts and events center presenting world-class performances, nationally-recognized education programs, contemporary visual art, and many popular community events. A 501(c)(3) private non-profit organization, the Center is ranked among the world’s top 100 performing arts presenters hosting performances in music, theater, dance, comedy, family programming and renowned speaker events; and serving more than 50,000 children annually through its Education Through the Arts programs. Located in the heart of the Sonoma wine country, the Center is owned and operated by the Luther Burbank Memorial Foundation, and relies on the generosity of members, donors, and sponsors to achieve its mission to enrich, educate, and entertain the North Bay community.

African American Writers & Artists (AAW&A) seeks funding for “Poems from Within the Teenage Soul,” also known as the S.O.S. (Saving Our Stories) project. This program offers FREE creative writing workshops for foster youth, youth in the juvenile justice system and alternative schools, and those in San Diego’s Promise Zones.

Led by culturally responsive teaching artists and supported by mental health professionals, youth will explore healing through self-expression. The program culminates in a professionally designed anthology featuring participants’ original work.

Focusing on marginalized voices—especially African American youth—the project promotes empowerment, literacy, and mental wellness. Grant funds will support teaching artists, mental health staff, interns, program materials, and accessibility needs. Funding will also provide youth incentives and help host a ceremony to recognize and celebrate the creative achievements of participating youth.

Yearly artist exhibitions
Quarterly Artist workshops
Creative Development program-

BAVC Media requests $25,000 to support nine months of staffing for our Youth and Emerging Media Maker (YEMM) Programs. YEMM programs have been a staple in the Bay Area community, providing systematically under-served California youth ages 11-25 with access to media arts education for over twenty years. We offer in-school, afterschool, and summer programs ranging from courses for those with no media-making experience to “earn and learn” workforce training programs. YEMM programs intervene in systemic inequities in media arts education by providing under-resourced youth tools and opportunities to express themselves and build confidence in safe and supportive environments. Through mentorship and project-based, hands-on, collaborative learning models, YEMM programs also support participants practice vital soft-skills such as problem-solving, conflict resolution, and communication, all of which serve their academic, professional, and social-emotional development.

BAVC is a community hub and resource for media makers in the Bay Area, California and across the country, serving over 7,500 freelancers, filmmakers, job-seekers, activists, and artists every year. BAVC provides access to media making technology and education, storytelling workshops, a diverse and engaged community of makers and producers, advisory and AV production services, media making grants and other resources. BAVC advocates for those whose stories aren’t being told, and provides the resources for anyone to create and share, and amplify their stories and those of their communities. BAVC’s diverse, inclusive, and innovative programs lead the field in media training for youth and educators, technology and multimedia focused workforce development, visually-driven new media storytelling and audio-visual preservation.

BAVC has been a trusted community educator, collaborator, incubator, community builder and resource for the media arts world since 1976.

With support from the California Arts Council, Senderos (meaning pathways) will provide equitable access to baile folklórico (Mexican folkloric dance) and Oaxacan banda de viento (wind band) with free after-school classes for Latino youth and all who are interested in participating in Santa Cruz County. Linking young people to their cultural heritage enhances self-esteem and promotes family unity as they learn about, embrace, value, and share traditions together. For over 20 years Senderos has presented community events sharing Indigenous traditions of Mexico, particularly from Oaxaca, like the Guelaguetza cultural arts festival, creating a sense of belonging and pride for Latino youth and families and increasing understanding of diversity in our region.

Senderos core programs and services are:
Centeotl Danza y Baile – After school and weekend dance classes teaching traditional Mexican dances.
Ensamble Musical – After school music instruction with the goal of creating a traditional Oaxacan Banda de Viento.
Vive Oaxaca Guelaguetza – Authentic cultural dance, music, food, crafts festival like those held in Oaxaca held each spring in downtown Santa Cruz.
Community Performances – Senderos dancers and musicians perform at many community and school events annually, including Día de los Muertos co-presented with the Santa Cruz Museum of Art & History and many more.
Plaza Comunitaria – Academic tutoring, skill building classes, family resource information for youth and adults.
¡Adelante Santa Cruz! – Scholarship program supporting selected middle and high school students to focus on the path to higher education.
Latino Role Models conference presented in Spanish at Cabrillo College inspiring students and parents to achieve their dreams for college and career.
Nido de Lenguas – a collaborative project with UC-Santa Cruz Humanities Institute and Linguistics Department to share the value of Indigenous languages of Oaxaca.

With support from the California Arts Council, CHANCE THEATER will offer their 2025 six-week summer workshop series “Teens Speak Up” and “Spectrum Speak Up” for a total of three workshops designed to provide a safe, nurturing space for teens, including those on the autism spectrum, to explore creative expression through writing, storytelling, and theater arts. Each workshop culminates in an original student-written and performed show before a live audience. The program encourages students to creatively express thoughts, feelings, and experiences that may be difficult to communicate otherwise, and does so in an environment that focuses on collaboration with peers and community-building. To ensure equitable access to arts education, the program will be offered free of charge to all participants, and will actively seek to represent students from diverse backgrounds.

Our production season presents socially-conscious, provocative, intimate theater experiences for a diverse audience. Our post-show audience engagement program hosts discussions after every performance. Furthering our goal to provide audiences with access to the creative process, our OTR “On the Radar” new works development series consists of 3-4 readings and 1-2 workshops per year. Designed to foster the educational and emotional growth of young people, our Theater for Young Audience (TYA) series have adult actors performing work geared towards young people. With our Veterans Initiative, we continue our outreach to vets by giving them a voice through storytelling workshops. Finally, our education programs are designed to reinforce the truth that theater is a place for expression and connection.

With support from the California Arts Council, Páah Áama Paddle Club will connect Indigenous youth in the Klamath River basin with opportunities to embrace traditional river-based culture, helping them harvest cultural materials and learn from Karuk master basket weaver Wilverna Reece. They will learn from Storytellers within their own tribal communities who will share cultural stories of how the River has sustained Native cultures from time immemorial and then learn to create their own stories that this generation of youth can pass on to the next. With last year’s completion of the largest dam removal in history, the Klamath River is now flowing freely for 300+ miles for the first time in a century so this Project allows Native youth to directly experience the revitalization not only of the watershed, but also their traditional cultures.

Our core programs provide exposure to healthy river-based activities, livelihoods and culture for local Native youth in our communities. This includes building confident river based navigation skills on the water, creating river-based community events, creating opportunities for youth to participate in traditional cultural activities, including inter-generational Storytelling with opportunities for Native youth to publicly share their own stories from their own cultural perspective, and leadership development.

With support from the California Arts Council, ARTS COUNCIL SANTA CRUZ COUNTY will enhance arts education for youth, especially those from systemically disinvested communities. We’ll ensure access to high-quality, culturally relevant arts experiences by training local artists and teachers, mentoring youth, and offering school-based programs, directly addressing inequities.
We’ll achieve this through three key initiatives: Mariposa Arts, an after-school program, delivering visual art, music, dance, and theatre to over 3,000 students across 17 schools. Its unique intergenerational model trains high school students to co-teach younger children, developing their creative talents and crucial life skills. Our Artist Teacher Partnership Residencies connect teaching artists with non-arts subject teachers for 10-week collaborations, developing arts-integrated curriculum with a social-emotional learning focus. Finally, our Summer Arts Education Institute trains 45 educators annually in arts integration, fostering creative expression and well-being.

Guided by its 2022-27 Strategic Plan, Arts Council Santa Cruz County will build, support, and sustain a dynamic, responsive, and inclusive arts culture in Santa Cruz County as characterized by:
-Culturally rich and historically neglected communities are elevated, celebrated, and have a position of power in the arts ecosystem that reflects their cultural assets
-Art and artists drive the County’s cultural and economic success and well being
-Santa Cruz County residents of all backgrounds are engaged in a continuum of meaningful and relevant arts engagement activities that provoke a greater sense of belonging
-BIPOC artists and arts organizations that serve the County’s BIPOC community are well-resourced and well-positioned for their important work
To do so, the Council will pursue five strategic priorities:
-Promote an inclusive vision of arts in the County and the importance of vibrant and thriving arts ecosystems
-Increase investment in BIPOC communities and organizations in Watsonville and throughout the County
-Partner with a diverse set of actors to develop the County’s cultural economy
-Elevate the importance of high-quality, culturally relevant arts learning and support capacity and programming to foster the future generation of artists and art lovers
-Strengthen the Council’s culture and operations to enable its intended impact in the community

Through grants to artists and arts organizations, arts education programs that serve more than 18,000 youth across Santa Cruz County, and community initiatives such as Open Studios, the Tannery Arts Center, and the Watsonville Center for the Arts, we help Santa Cruz County thrive.

With support from the California Arts Council, Living Jazz will sustain RootED (formerly the Living Jazz Children’s Project), a culturally responsive music education program serving 1,500 TK–12 students across 21 public schools in Alameda and West Contra Costa Counties. Following a period of substantial growth (14 to 21 schools), this support will help ensure program continuity and sustainability. RootED provides free, year-round instruction in choir, rhythm, movement, and vocal expression, led by diverse teaching artists who reflect the students they serve. Over half of partner schools are in the lowest two quartiles of the Healthy Places Index, and many higher-HPI schools enroll students from low-HPI neighborhoods, with up to 76% qualifying as low income. CAC funds will support teaching artist and staff compensation, curriculum development, and consistent program delivery that fosters creativity, confidence, and belonging.

“In the Name of Love” is the East Bay’s only non-denominational musical tribute honoring Dr. King Jr. Launched in 2002, the annual event celebrates the talents of local artists in a themed program highlighting social justice and has showcased 80+ prominent solo guest artists, commissioned and premiered new works, provide a platform for first-time collaborations, attracted sell-out audiences of ~1300 and celebrated the cultural, racial and ethnic diversity of Oakland’s public school system through performances by the Living Jazz Children’s Project choir. On hiatus since a 2021 online concert during the pandemic, ITNOL was re-imagined in 2024, with the 20th anniversary concert featuring the musical theme of Stevie Wonder and his activism, a sold-out much larger venue, and a larger roster of artists representing Oakland’s various communities of color.

Living Jazz RootED (formerly The Living Jazz Children’s Project) is a free in-school performing arts education and performance program serving ~1,200 Oakland and West Contra Costa public elementary, middle, and high school students. Created in 2005, the program includes choral, vocal, and rhythm music components and a dance component that builds fundamental music and dance skills while teaching students about cultural diversity and social justice.

Jazz Camp West is a nationally acclaimed jazz immersion program known for its culturally diverse curriculum; multi-generational, racially diverse student body; supportive, collaborative environment; renowned faculty artists; and spectacular outdoor setting. The eight-day program is now entering its 41st season and serves ~250 people ages 15 and up.

Jam Camp West is a supportive, nurturing seven-day alternative, sleep-away music camp for youth, modeled after Jazz Camp. LJ debuted the program in 2008 to serve youth with and without prior musical training. It features diverse urban-influenced contemporary music styles (spoken word, Afro-Cuban percussion, steeldrum, songwriting, ukulele, beatbox) in a beautiful redwood setting for ~125 youth ages 10-17.

With support from the California Arts Council, KESHET CHAIM DANCERS will provide competitive wages to its actors, director, tech crew, and administrator for the high school tour of SURVIVORS by Wendy Kout.

CONCERTS: KCDE develops and presents productions of original works by resident and guest choreographers and performed locally, nationally, and internationally. We have performed locally at venues including Kodak Theater, Disney Concert Hall, Ford Amphitheatre, Hollywood Bowl, and Paramount Studios. TOURING: Nationally, KCDE has traveled to NYC, San Francisco, San Diego, and Washington DC as headliners for large festivals. Tour locations include New York, Texas, Florida, Moscow, Mexico City, and Tel Aviv.

HOLOCAUST EDUCATION: Our Holocaust education program is centered around a one-act play called SURVIVORS by Wendy Kout. The play shows the history of Holocaust through eyewitness testimony of ten adolescent survivors, presenting it from their points of view. The show stresses the importance of speaking up and acting against hatred and bullying in our world today. It gives the students a stark warning, connecting WWII Nazis to present-day racists in politics, sports, and the media. After the show, we host a talkback with the playwright and actors, hosted by trained Holocaust educator from The Museum of Tolerance and Stand With Us. They are sometimes joined by a Holocaust survivor which makes an even more impactful impression on the students.

COMMUNITY DANCE: Folk dance workshops are held through the week at temples, schools, and community centers in LA. These classes introduce students to Israeli dance and music. Locations include American Jewish University, and Pasadena Jewish Temple.

COLORS OF ISRAEL EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM: Colors of Israel uses dance and music to teach elementary-school students about Israel, history, and culture. This program has been in public and private schools since 2006.Currently, we provide this program to all students at Lashon Academy, a Hebrew language LAUSD school.

With support from the California Arts Council, EcoArts of Lake County DBA Middletown Art Center (MAC) will deliver YÓMI–PLACE, providing Title I public school students with free field trips to an exhibit of contemporary Native American art at MAC. Field trips center inquiry-based, standards-aligned gallery tours led by a culture bearer together with a seasoned teaching-artist, paired with creative arts studio activities using traditional and contemporary materials led by cultural educator and emerging artist Way-La Brown. All activities model the power of arts integration and kinesthetic experiences to enhance core curriculum and diverse learners’ voices and understandings in an exhibition with profound and meaningful content that grounds them in place-based natural history and Native American cultural heritage. Students will demonstrate their understandings through written and spoken observational notes, dialogue, and art making.

Community-focused, MAC offers a range of visual, cultural, literary, and performing arts programming to the people of rural Lake County. We prioritize cross-cultural exchange and engagement onsite and within underrepresented communities. We reach, serve, connect, and uplift people of diverse backgrounds and cultures in an economically challenged, geographically dispersed, and isolated region where arts resources are few.

Prioritizing community outreach, inclusion, and engagement, we offer free, community-engaged art at festivals and centers of activity in underrepresented communities. Events at MAC include cultural celebrations, concerts, dances, open mics, and readings. Cultural arts workshops and projects are collaboratively designed with and led by culture bearers and BIPOC artists. We offer workshops in visual arts, writing, drumming, and artists’ professional development (promotion/documentation). In partnership with Woodland Community College, MAC hosts accredited art classes.

MAC hosts field trips and initiates artist-in-schools programs. Students are exposed to contemporary art and cultural expressions through inquiry-based learning and creative arts expressions of understanding. Teachers are exposed to arts integration and students’ diverse learning modalities. Families have access to affordable summer art camps, homeschool, and after-school classes.

Artist opportunities include curated thematic exhibits, Art Talks, installations at the EcoArts Sculpture Walk at Trailside Park, promotion, documentation, and web presence. Musicians and poets can perform. Artists are invited to teach, submit public art proposals, and collaborate on project design. Youth are mentored in teaching, mural-making, event management, and promotion.

All engagement options are free, by donation, or low-cost to increase and ensure equitable access.

MAC has generated a burgeoning local art scene where artists and art appreciators coalesce. We have innovated, adapted, and responded to years of regional wildfires, seasonal power cuts, and COVID-19. We uplift Lake County’s diverse communities, celebrate our resilience, and strengthen our sense of interconnectedness through the power of the arts and shared cultural experiences.

With support from the California Arts Council, HERO Theatre will provide a free 15-session participatory performance, writing, and dance workshop with the Youth Group at Alexandria House, a transitional residence that provides safe and supportive housing for women and children experiencing homelessness and trauma, in their community room. It will run a minimum of fifteen 2-hour sessions, meeting twice weekly. The project will culminate with a devised play that the Youth Group and HERO will present to the residents and staff of Alexandria House. In addition, props and costumes will be made during the workshops, and we’ll invite adult residents and smaller children to join, engaging multiple generations at Alexandria House in the project.

HERO’s goal is to create programming that has a lasting impact on audiences and helps shape a better society. We produce elaborately staged readings, full productions of plays, and special events like FESTIVAL IRENE: a 2-week festival honoring the life and legacy of Cuban playwright Maria Irene Fornés.

We commission bold, innovative new work. In 2019, HERO launched OUR AMERICA new play commissioning series, in which BIPOC playwrights explore real stories of cities in America undergoing vast socio-economic change. Under this, HERO produced Amina Henry’s TROY, inspired by THE TROJAN WOMEN and based on true stories of unhoused women in L.A. HERO partnered with local shelters to invite more than 300 unhoused women to attend and provided free tickets, round-trip transportation, concessions, and a post-show talkback with artists. HERO’s 2023 production of Henry’s NOTHING, NOTHING continues these partnerships and responds to audience desire to celebrate Black women and joy.

In 2021, HERO launched NUESTRO PLANETA (NP), a multimedia new works initiative rooted in research around ecological concerns in Latine countries and the U.S. and how Latine American families are directly affected.

In September 2021, HERO presented an elaborately staged reading of FLEX by Candrice Jones about a Black high school girls’ basketball team that explores such themes as teen pregnancy and abortion.

In 2022, we produced Velina Hasu Houston’s TEA and also RISE: An Immersive Exploration of Gun Violence in Schools which received critical acclaim.

HERO’s education programming serves elementary through high school students in the L.A. school district, specifically through Inner-City Arts and solo writing and performance classes at Homeboy Industries for formerly incarcerated youth. HERO’s Dukakis Mentorship Program, provides early career artists and administrators one-on-one mentorship; 50+ artists served.

HERO frequently invites communities represented in the work on our stages to attend our programming for no cost.

With support from the California Arts Council, Create CA will produce two Arts + Activism Days for current California high school students. These events, taking place at the California State Summer School for the Arts (CSSSA), provide access to meaningful, culturally responsive workshops that activate young changemakers.

Guided by Create CA’s youth program participants, Arts + Activism Days will connect 550 students to half-day workshops with community artists. Workshops provide engagement in the arts and social justice, providing students with leadership skills to communicate the importance of the arts. 50% of participants are located in the lower two quartiles of the Healthy Places Index and represent the economic, cultural and ethnic diversity of all 58 California counties. Students will collaborate on art with a purpose, gaining creative skills for life.

Create CA works to fulfill its mission through three programs:

The Arts Now program trains advocates to work with local school boards, design strategic arts education plans, and improve resources for arts education. Participants receive strategic coaching, training, communications support, and micro-grants.

The Student Voices program provides leadership training and advocacy opportunities for current public school students. Our annual Student Arts Advocacy Day is the largest arts advocacy training event for high schoolers in California.

Lastly, Create CA’s public will program influences decision-makers, raises awareness about the benefits of arts education, and increases access to and participation in the arts.

With support from the California Arts Council, San Diego Opera will implement its flagship Words & Music program, a dynamic in-school arts residency that empowers youth in grades 3–12 to create and perform original operas and songs inspired by their personal stories. Grant funds will support professional teaching artists, curriculum development, and supplies needed for student performances in eight partner schools. The program enhances arts access for students from under-resourced communities, cultivates cultural literacy, and nurtures creativity, confidence, and collaboration through songwriting, storytelling, and musical performance.

San Diego Opera (SDO) is a widely respected member of the international opera community and an invaluable cultural resource to the San Diego region. San Diego Opera Association was incorporated in 1965 as a producing company and presented its first staging of La Bohème in the newly opened San Diego Civic Theatre. Led since 2015 by General Director David Bennett, the Company has embarked on a series of community-based initiatives, free public performances, and family-friendly operas with world-renowned opera stars to better serve the diverse San Diego region. In 2016, the Company premiered its wildly popular dētour Series, which explores the expressive nature of opera with the potency of intimate theater.

SDO’s commitment to providing a valuable artistic service to our community extends to our offstage work including: Words and Music, an artist residency program that serves hundreds of San Diego youth with in-school, after-school, and summer arts instruction; Opera Hack, a hackathon that brings together leaders in the arts and technology to improve the production and performance of opera; an Artist-in-Residence program where residents of City Heights and San Ysidro create artistic works together that tell their stories, and; an Opera en Español initiative dedicated to building partnerships with arts organizations and artists in Mexico and the U.S. and commissioning, producing, and presenting Spanish-language opera.

With support from the California Arts Council, CAMERATA SINGERS OF LONG BEACH INC will present the Peace4Youth program, centering environmental justice issues, to students in three Long Beach School District Middle Schools.

Camerata Singers of Long Beach (CSLB) is a 90-voice classical music chorus completing its 58th season. The organization is led by Grammy-winning Artistic Director, Dr. James K. Bass, Director of Choral Studies at UCLA. It produces 4 concerts per year, including the annual Peace Project, examining social justice topics, an annual performance of Handel’s Messiah, ChoralFest Long Beach in the Spring, and Evening of Song to finish the season. CSLB is the artistic partner of the Long Beach Symphony Orchestra. In the summer months, LBCS presents its free, community based outdoor concert series, The Front Porch Concerts. LBCS also runs two education programs. The Camerata Children’s Music Academy provides three weekly workshops teaching music fundamentals to pre-K children at the Long Beach YMCA Early Education Program, which runs state-funded child development centers for low-income families. Peace4Youth is presented in partnership with the Long Beach Unified School District, and brings the Peace Project into Middle and High Schools.

Marin Theatre seeks funding to achieve two key goals 1) expand our theatre education programming and reach young people from the developmentally disabled community in the Bay Area and 2) build our organizational capacity to bring the arts to the disabled community by expanding access accommodations. To do this successfully, we will partner with AXIS Dance, a Berkeley-based advocacy group and ensemble of disabled and neurodiverse performers, along with the Marin-based chapter of The Arc, a national organization supporting access to education, workforce development, and enrichment opportunities for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Marin Theatre will offer weekly theatre workshops with young adults from The Arc and enlist training and consultation from AXIS Dance to reimagine our theatre’s accessibility and equip our teams with revised best practices for disabled equitable language and accommodations.

MTC is a professional theatre in the North Bay serving 30,000 patrons and nearly 3,000 students annually. We are committed to the development and production of new plays, including a comprehensive New Play Program with productions of world premieres, two nationally recognized annual playwriting awards, and readings and workshops by the nation’s best emerging and established playwrights. MTC’s robust arts education program stems from the belief that there is a profound connection between education and art with each inspiring and reinforcing the other. Arts education classes provide a creative, diverse and supportive environment where students can take risks and grow. Students are given the opportunity to explore their imaginations, build self-esteem, practice public speaking, and develop teamwork and cooperation skills, which will enrich their lives, build a strong work ethic, develop self-confidence, and set them on a path to success in school and in their communities.

With California Arts Council support, Trails and Vistas will collaborate with Artist/Culture Bearers on five projects:

a. Four days of Dreaming Tree Field Trip, which will take 400+ third grade students on accessible, interactive art walks (music, poetry and visual arts) with Culture Bearers, environmental leaders and California artists, and partial printing of our field journal.
b. Three free art workshops for teen parents in Truckee’s STEPP program (Sierra Teen Education Parenting Program).
c. Three free spoken word poetry workshops for high schoolers in the Truckee/North Tahoe area.
d. One public spoken word performance for high schoolers in the Truckee/North Tahoe area; and
e. Participation of teen parents in Truckee’s STEPP program in our annual AWE Walk, which invites participants to slow down and connect with nature through the arts.

Art in Nature Field Trips – an interactive art hike for 400+ California and Nevada third grade students with music, poetry, environmental studies, and visual art.
Art in Nature Awe Walks – an interactive art walk for (i) individuals with sensory, cognitive and physical disabilities and (ii) in 2025, for seniors.
Art Hikes- a 3 mile art hike featuring collaborations of dance, poetry, music, storytelling and environmental visual art with speciality hikes such as family, leisure, bilingual, LGBTQ+ inclusivity, and mindful hikes
World Concert of Truckee Tahoe with California music and dance
Truckee’s Historical Tour- Cultural and history tours featuring live actors with oral storytelling in historic downtown Truckee, CA.
Community Art workshops-inspiring community members and visitors to create artwork, write poetry, and dance.

With support from the California Arts Council, CALIFORNIA SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC will reach more students by increasing accessibility to violin, cello, vocal, and musicianship instruction for 2nd-6th graders and will compensate Teaching Artists for increased annual hours from 170 to 261, honoring school leadership requests. Sound Minds will expand the number of days/hours into the school day in addition to existing after-school programming. The benefit of additional hours of instruction will amplify the depth of programming for participating youth. More hours will also serve to: 1) accommodate more advanced learning for 5th and 6th graders in preparation for middle-high school advancement into regional partnership youth orchestras, 2) help students resist the inclination to select soccer or other competing after-school activities instead, and/or 3) recruit youth who might have not approached the after-school opportunity beforehand.

California Symphony is a cornerstone producer at the Lesher Center for the Arts in Walnut Creek and presents its 10-concert subscription series in the 785-seat Hofmann Theatre. The orchestra musicians also regularly perform with the San Francisco Symphony, San Francisco Opera, and San Francisco Ballet, among others. California Symphony is distinguished by its vibrant concert programs that combine classics alongside American repertoire and works by living composers, and for presenting emerging talents.

Outside of the concert hall, California Symphony actively supports music education as a driver for social change through its El Sistema-inspired Sound Minds program, which brings intensive music instruction in an area where 91% of students qualify for the federal free or reduced-price lunch program. The orchestra also hosts the highly competitive Young American Composer-in-Residence program and has launched the careers of some of today’s most well-known artists and composers. Its newest education program, Fresh Look, aims to fill the gap left by a lack of arts education for the “classically curious” adults in our community.

COMPASSPOINT MENTORSHIP will empower 40+ high school youth across two projects- particularly from Asian American and Latinx communities – to create two collaborative public murals across Silicon Valley. CAC funds will support two professional lead artists providing mentorship in traditional and contemporary painting techniques while integrating environmental education. The project includes community engagement through 50+ resident surveys, collaborative design sessions, intensive 5-15 day painting camps, and community celebrations. Grant funds will provide full scholarships for 10-20+ students covering materials, meals, and transportation, ensuring economic barriers don’t prevent participation. This project addresses youth civic disengagement and cultural isolation while creating lasting public art that deters graffiti, enhances community spaces, and celebrates local heritage. These two murals will serve as a permanent testament to youth leadership and cross-cultural collaboration, building bridges between communities while developing culturally competent leaders.

leadership opportunities / ownership: Youth take charge through our issue-based committees, designing and leading projects that address real community challenges. Students develop leadership skills while creating meaningful change that bridges cultural divides.

hands-on learning: Through innovative community projects like AI integration and public murals, youth build STEM skills and confidence while making tangible contributions that connect diverse neighborhoods.

cross-cultural connection: Year-round camps, cultural festivals, and collaborative projects bring together youth from Asian, Latinx, and other backgrounds, with full scholarships ensuring all can participate in experiences that celebrate shared histories and build lasting connections across communities.

mentorship and training: Experienced mentors from diverse professional and cultural backgrounds provide guidance through career workshops, leadership training, and college preparation support that honors students’ cultural identities.

community-responsive partnerships: We develop relationships with organizations that share our nimble, youth-centered approach, creating networks that amplify youth voice and community impact across geographic and cultural boundaries.

With support from the California Arts Council, Michael’s Daughter Foundation will offer the “Dream Forward Arts in Residency”, an arts education program that teaches filmmaking to underserved youth ages 12–24 in Title 1 schools and juvenile detention facilities across LA County. The program includes in-school learning, arts education for justice-impacted youth, creative youth development, and arts exposure through field trips, guest speakers, and interactive activities.

The Michael’s Daughter Foundation offers a diverse range of arts programs, including filmmaking, animation, puppetry, creative writing, original play creation, performance art, monologue development, short films, documentaries, and music. We also provide financial literacy workshops for all ages in partnership with local banks. These programs are held year-round across various communities in Los Angeles. Additionally, we are committed to offering college scholarships to students impacted by incarceration or with an incarcerated loved one, as well as providing emergency support to families affected by incarceration.

Tandy Beal & Company(TBC) will produce our integrated arts education program, ArtSmart, in 3 Central Coast counties that have limited access to the arts, featuring:

*Interactive School-Concerts by excellent California-based artists in world music, dance and circus, with unique study guides for each event.

*6-12 week Public School Residencies: “Dance Around the World”, “The Kindness Project”, “Wide Wide World” and creative movement. All VAPA aligned.

*Teaching-artist training workshops—“Expanding Horizons”—and ongoing mentorships, fostering professional growth and enhancing the quality of arts education provided to students.

*Continuing Education Units available for schoolteachers to enrich their arts commitment (and salaries).

*Outdoor public free world arts festival.

*Online evaluations.

To deepen the goals and their success, TBC partners include County Offices of Education, district superintendents, arts councils, principals, teachers and artists. This multi-platformed approach helps anchor arts in schools.

After 40 years of touring internationally, TBC currently focuses on regional art-making.

LIVE CONCERTS:
1) All with dance, circus, and a cappella singers, SoVoSó.
•”JOY!”
•”Nutz REMixed” an alternative Nutcracker
•”Mangia del Arte” a unique benefit concert (raising funds for Salinas’ Cesar Chavez Library, Lobero Theatre+.)

2) “Keep on Truckin’”: free 20-minute family shows (Music and Circus), outdoors and covid-safe, with diverse artists and forms: Gospel, Brazilian, Balkan, Latin Percussion, Celtic, Moroccan. Classical, Americana, Old Timey Music, Body Music & Banjo, Circus, Chinese Magic. In parks, schools and senior centers.

3) “HereAfterAfter: a self-guided tour of eternity” on the subject of our mortality(’18, ’24) with 15 outreach events. Partner: Hospice

4) Other new TBC concerts. Examples: “Scoville Units”-’20, “In C”-’22, New Music Works-’24.

5) Free annual Multicultural Fair. Partner: local schools and Chamber of Commerce.

ARTS EDUCATION:
ArtSmart, TBC’s flagship arts education program, is celebrating 52 years of inspiring the next generations with vibrant art in Santa Cruz, Monterey and San Benito County schools. Partnering with COEs, Districts, schools and Arts Councils. Highlights include:
•87 concerts in schools and school-theatres ’22-‘23.

•”Dance Around the World” 8-week VAPA-aligned residencies furthering kinesthetic and socio-emotional learning; language development; engagement with the beauty of diverse world cultures; and dance.

•”The Kindness Project” focuses on caring for others and the broader community. After movement exercises, reflecting, writing, and listening to each other’s essays, students collaborate to choose where they want to expand kindness in the community. Then TBC gives them a check for a non-profit that champions their intentions and choice.

•“WideWideWide World” introduces classrooms to different world artists each week.

•“Expanding Horizons”-Teaching-Artist Training open to public, partnering with Cabrillo College and Arts Council. Selected teaching-artists receive individual mentorship as paid assistants. Schoolteachers can receive Continuing Education Units to support their commitment to arts-learning.

With support from the California Arts Council, RuckusRoots will offer our Wild Art program to approximately 200 3rd-8th grade students at Isana Octavia Charter School in spring 2026. We are excited to expand this offering to a larger group of students after launching a successful partnership with the school in 2025. One of RuckusRoots’ flagship programs, Wild Art employs a professional teaching arts to lead students in fundamentals of design, color theory, drawing and painting, with integrated lessons on local Los Angeles wildlife, creative reuse and conservation, resulting in a collaboratively-made art piece (mural or collage). Funds will be utilized to support the teaching artist, program-specific staff hours and purchase supplies, ensuring that students engage in high-quality arts programming that they otherwise do not receive as part of their regular school day.

RuckusRoots’ programs fall into three categories: In-School, Apprenticeship and Public, all working to achieve the following goals:

1. Co-create arts programming in communities where it is needed and wanted.
2. Offer programming that inspires a shift in knowledge, values and/or behavior with regards to environmental challenges like climate change, utilizing the arts as a tool for engagement.
3. Amplify the artistic voices of marginalized groups.
4. Share resources with local artists and activists from the communities where we work.
5. Utilize found, recycled or natural materials in artworks whenever possible

Main programs:

-In-School: Wild Art, TRASHformation and A.L.I.V.E.: Art Living in Vibrant Environments are offered as enrichment or expanded learning opportunities to elementary and middle school-students. Our multi-week programs last 1-6 months, with students aged 5-13 led by professional local artists. Programs aim to build age-appropriate visual arts skills in the areas of painting, drawing, sculpture, design and/or creative reuse, and social-emotional skills of collaboration, creative confidence and change-making. Each program results in a collaboratively-built, large-scale final artwork, ie: a mural, creative-reuse collage, or sculpture, and culminates with a public showcase i.e.: open house, community event or art walk.

Teen / Young Adult: For high-school and transition-aged youth, these programs (The Rebel Garden Project and Public ARTivism Apprenticeship) offer smaller groups of students (10-40) deeper learning and mentoring experiences with practicing artists. Themes of art as activism and as a profession are explored; students gain experience creating artworks as well as in professional development and entrepreneurship (artist statements, documentation, branding, design and project management).

Public Workshops: We offer free, youth or multigenerational, multi-series or one-time workshops (Garden Magic, From Earth to Art) in which the public is invited to learn techniques and sustainability-uses of specific mediums (fabric, ceramics, non-toxic paint, biodegradable and natural materials) from local artists and experts.

With support from the California Arts Council, POETIC JUSTICE will use poetry, a simple technology, to restore and save lives. By writing and sharing poetry, people impacted by juvenile incarceration in youth facilities create communities rooted in mental health, physical safety, and rehabilitation. Through poetry, multimodal therapeutic art, and somatic mindfulness activities, Poetic Justice artists support young artists incarcerated in San Diego’s Youth Transitional Center (YTC) as they learn to access the root causes of trauma and harm in their lives and become participants in their personal and community transformation. CAC funding will make it possible for PJ to implement the “Free Verse” poetry project to girls and gender-diverse youth, ages 13-24. YTC has already requested that PJ scale the program for the boys’ cottages and high security East Mesa in 2026.

Poetic Justice offers gender responsive and trauma informed classes in the following California carceral settings:
– CIW: 2 RAC classes/wk
– CIW: Children’s Literature Project, ongoing study, production, and publication of children’s books about incarcerated motherhood
– CCWF: 2 RAC classes/wk (including the high security 503 unit)
– CIW & CCWF:
———- Distance Learning Program
———- Voices on the Inside – ongoing self-portrait poetry and photography program with community exhibitions
———- Reentry Journal Project – ongoing paid stipend for first 12 weeks on parole
– Las Colinas (SD Jail): 3 classes/wk (mainline, high security, and psychiatric units)
– SD Youth Transitional Center: 1 weekly class for girls 12-19 y/o

Other PJ Work in California
– East Mesa Rehabilitation Program: (men’s facility)
– California Model Working Group Leadership Team
– Transitional Programming Works (TPW) Women’s Subcommittee Leadership Team

A typical weekly class provides gender-diverse and sensitive access by incorporating mindful breathing, trauma-responsive programming, community support, creative writing, and therapeutic visual arts.

For example, participants might explore aspects of anxiety, worthlessness, shame, etc. through poetry’s grapho-motor process within a trusted community engaged in evidence-based healing because putting language to the unspeakable supports healing from root causes of trauma and PTSD, and provides pathways forward. Whereas abuse, depression, and addiction damage language centers, poetry reactivates them. In fact research indicates that poetry (rhythm, metaphor, rhyme) activates the right hemisphere. The left brain is responsible for acquisition and expression, but the right brain’s ability to integrate unrelated concepts into comprehensible metaphor with repetition and syncopation can access language pathways damaged by trauma. Research, including JW Pennebaker’s work, shows “writing about upsetting events improves physical and mental health,” but only by creating safe communities for interoception and embodied agency. The traumatized brain doesn’t remember in logical sequences; trauma memory returns in sensory experiences rooted in the limbic system rather than language centers – this is why poetry is consequential for healing.

With support from the California Arts Council, Haven Academy of the Arts will continue our year-round, tuition-free youth arts programming at our LA City Branch.

Haven Academy of the Arts consists of two main branches: Haven South Bay and Haven LA City Programs…
1. Haven South Bay is a tuition-based, year-round program located in El Segundo.
2. Haven LA City Programs consists of 3 tuition free sub-sites:
a. Haven Pico Union, a tuition-free, year-round program located in the Pico Union neighborhood of DTLA.
b. hART of the City Summer Theatre Camps, a tuition-free mobile theatre camp program, which serves economically depressed neighborhoods throughout the greater Los Angeles area.
c. A second, tuition-free year-round site, launched in fall of 2023 in the West Adams neighborhood and following the Haven Pico Union curriculum model. Called “Haven West Adams”.

Haven Academy’s curriculum offers three core programs: Musicals, Camps, and Classes.  
Musicals take place each fall, spring and summer, focusing on a specific age group each season. After auditioning, students participate in a 3-month-long rehearsal process that culminates in a fully staged theatrical performance.  
Theatre Camps span two weeks at a time, wherein students attend a series of acting, dancing and singing workshops in preparation for a performance.  
Classes exist to give students the tools they need to reach their full capacity as a performer. All dance and voice classes conclude with a recital or the presentation of a featured number in a musical.

With support from the California Arts Council, Fernando Pullum Community Arts Council (“Pullum Center”) will provide performing arts instruction for more than 1,400 students, ages 5 – 20. Pullum Center serves underserved youth in historically and systemically underserved communities located in South Los Angeles, which are in the lower two quartiles of the Healthy Places Index.

The Pullum Center provides free arts instruction in 24 areas of study to more than 1,400 students, ages 5 to 20, at our headquarters and partner schools. Classes are offered in music, acting, dance, and music recording.

With support from the California Arts Council, Benkadi will provide an 18-week in-school African Drum, Dance, and Culture program to 80 students in 5th and 6th grade at Gil Garcetti Learning Academy in South Central Los Angeles. This program aims to foster creative expression, introduce African arts and culture, enhance cognitive development, and improve mental and physical well-being. It also seeks to cultivate cross-cultural understanding and empathy.
In one semester, students will learn African drumming and traditional rhythms, and engage with grade-appropriate social studies, geography, history, and arts and culture content through a structured curriculum. Benkadi’s teaching artists, who are award-winning performers, bring their expertise to the classroom to guide the students in their creative journey.
The program will culminate in a performance for the entire school, parents, and community in celebration of students’ achievements.

Benkadi brings West African drum, dance and culture programs to schools of economic and social need in Los Angeles County and provides experiential events and learning opportunities to the wider community. Benkadi is fiscally sponsored by Community Partners.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Regents of the University of California at Berkeley/Cal Performances will present Berkeley/Oakland AileyCamp in 2026, a nationally-acclaimed summer program that uses dance as a vehicle for developing self-esteem, creative expression, and critical thinking skills among underserved or at-risk middle school students ages 11-14.

Cal Performances brings the best of music, dance, and theater from around the globe directly to Bay Area audiences, fostering life-affirming encounters with the performing arts, as well as countless opportunities to ignite discovery. Cal Performances is known for the unmatched quality and variety of our programming—every season, we present approximately 80 world-class performances ranging from classical music to jazz to musical traditions from around the world, from ballet to contemporary dance, from large-scale multidisciplinary works to intimate theater, to spoken word, and everything in between.

Located on the UC Berkeley campus, we engage as deeply with our campus community as we do with the broader Bay Area, including by welcoming UC Berkeley students into our halls, offering special access programs for students and others associated with the University, and creating links between our programming and the rich intellectual life of the campus. Additionally, our Cal Performances Classroom initiatives plant the seeds for future generations of performing arts lovers by offering a variety of avenues for local K-12 youth to engage with our programming.

With support from the California Arts Council, Maya’s Music Therapy Fund will provide free weekly music therapy sessions to youth with developmental disabilities at two East Bay after-school program sites. Through music therapy sessions and performing at our Spring Music Festival, participants will foster creative self-expression and gain new musical, cognitive, and social skills.

Maya’s Music Therapy Fund’s board certified music therapists work with people with disabilities such as autism, cerebral palsy, Down’s syndrome, brain injury, hearing and vision impairment, ADHD, Rett syndrome, and other developmental disabilities. Experiencing the unique power of music to engage our brains and our bodies, clients gain physical and social skills while building self-esteem and confidence during individual and group music therapy sessions. MMTF also collaborates with agencies and existing programs that serve people with disabilities from Alameda, Contra Costa, and San Francisco Counties in Northern California.
Our main programs are:
– Individual music therapy sessions
– Group music therapy sessions
– Our annual Maya’s Spring Music Festival where participants perform and celebrate their talents with an audience of supportive friends and family

With support from the California Arts Council, Izcalli will empower youth to create and perform original live theater centered on the theme of freedom at the Chicano Park Museum and Cultural Center in the heart of San Diego’s Barrio Logan Cultural District. The Museum and Chicano Park—home to an Izcalli organization mural and a site with a powerful history of successful resistance—will serve as relevant and meaningful rehearsal and performance venues for amplifying youth voices and demonstrating effective strategies for community empowerment.

Teatro Izcalli, a Chicanx comedy troupe, has been performing throughout the United States at various conferences, theater venues and community spaces for over 25 years. Teatro Izcalli follows in the tradition of el Teatro Campesino and Culture Clash and presents the traditions, opportunities, and issues related to the Chicanx/Latinx community. Our actos (sketches) and plays address issues such as racism, identity, higher education, and immigration. Additionally, for the past five years Teatro Izcalli had a residency teaching teatro to the next generation of social justice storytellers in San Diego middle schools.

Beyond Teatro Izcalli, Izcalli provides deeper intervention services and assistance for middle and high school students through Circulo de Hombres (Circle of Men), an on-campus after school program that support Latino youth with making positive choices and becoming more engaged in school by providing them with male role models and enriching cultural programming. The organization also offers Circulo de Mujeres (Circle of Women) that connects girls to women mentors and a community of support within their schools. In addition to art making activities both programs use a “talking circle” format to engage youth in dialogue and reflection about their issues, such as sexuality, teen pregnancy, and the violence that impacts their communities.

Program Goals:
1. To establish positive communication with current high risk students based on suspensions, grades, homelessness, gangs and other issues that can lead to the pipeline to prison.
2. Recruit mentors from the community to assist as presenters and added support for students in the community.
3. Create enriching art and cultural activities which deepen students self-awareness and promote community involvement
5. Continue to build healthy rites of passage programs, retreats, and events, for young people of color.
6. Help youth to create a deeper connection to the land and with Mother Earth.

With support from the California Arts Council, Luna Kids Dance, Inc. dba Luna Dance & Creativity (formerly Luna Dance Institute) will offer dance integration strategies to early childhood education (ECE) teachers in Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) to meet their
early learning goals of inclusion and access, positive embodiment, creative expression through the arts, social-emotional learning, and trauma-informed practice. Two early education inclusion hubs, Kaiser Early Learning Center and Burbank Preschool will receive a full-year dance curriculum for all students through model dance classes and side-by-side coaching faciliated by teaching artists, family engagement activities, and professional development (PD) onsite and at Luna through their Professional Learning services. These sites will serve as models for OUSD as they implement a teacher led PD plan to ensure dance education access for all students 0-5 years old.

Our ADA-accessible STUDIO LAB children’s program offers a progression of dance learning designed to nurture the choreographer in every child in a studio class structure at Luna’s studios in Berkeley. The STUDIO LAB adult program offers opportunities for and presentations on dance research, the choreographic process, and topics that expand ideas about what dance is and who can dance.

PROFESSIONAL LEARNING fulfills Luna’s mission to bring all children to dance as we deepen the knowledge and practice of dance learning through workshops, courses, panel conversations, and resources designed so that creative practitioners manifest creative self-efficacy, investigate teaching practice, establish collegial communities, cultivate dance leadership, and become change agents.

Luna helps the field of dance education arc toward justice through FIELD MOVING, our practice-to-policy approach that includes sharing the findings of our inquiries and research; joining with others to create impact; and relentlessly advocating for inclusion, creativity, and self-determination. Recognizing that our work is situated within systems of oppression and racial injustice, we seek change by working together in community, paying attention, staying true to our values, and placing children as the future at the center of our work.

Through PARTNERS FOR CHANGE, Luna collaborates with organizations (social service and human welfare agencies, schools and school districts) throughout the region, state and nation to build capacity for enduring dance programs that support the values of each community.

Luna, an expert in EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION in dance, has refined, over more than three decades, its pedagogy and curriculum to align with discoveries in neuroscience, play research, child psychology, and cultural responsiveness. As we envision a future with today’s toddlers becoming tomorrow’s leaders, early learning demands our crucial attention and focus. Luna faculty continue our research, theory-building, and practice to better understand how dance is at the convergence of all processes of learning.

With support from the California Arts Council, The Cypher Spot will expand our free and affordable arts programming for youth in Hawthorne and surrounding communities. Grant funds will support culturally rooted street dance classes—including Krump, Breaking, Hip Hop, and Afrobeats—as well as growing visual art offerings like screen printing, drawing, and painting. All classes are led by professional artists who reflect the backgrounds and experiences of the youth we serve. Funding will go toward artist pay, equipment, community outreach, and expansion of programs, ensuring access for families facing financial and social barriers. Our goal is to provide a safe, uplifting space where youth can explore their creativity, build confidence, and connect more deeply to their culture and community through the arts.

The Cypher Spot has been a home for many since we opened in Inglewood in 2016. We build character, skill, confidence, and perseverance in our students using the elements of urban culture (dance, art, and media). We host daily classes for our students in Hip Hop, Breakdance, Krump, House, Popping, painting, video production, and much more. We foster creative abilities of youth through programs focused on learning foundational knowledge and having them apply it to their own personal art. Students are often challenged to create their own dance choreography, create original pieces of art, and compete and showcase freestyle/improvisational dance.

Not only do we teach our students the application of the art but we also focus on the history behind it too. This empowers the youth to see that even they can create an art form, a dance style, or an art piece that can change the world and reach past the borders of our city. Many styles of dance that we focus on originated and/or blossomed in the streets, parties, and backyards of Los Angeles that now stretch all around the world. We love to teach the history of these cultures so that our students may find representation in them.

Through our classes and events, our goal is to encourage our students to challenge themselves through new styles in dance and art which in return will encourage critical thinking, problem solving, leadership, collaboration, and creativity. In this we provide our students a chance to share their voice, release, and their energy.

With funding from California Arts Council, the Museum of Contemporary Art San Diego will deliver the Teen Art Collective (TAC), a 75+ hour after-school program that brings together diverse high school students for a transformative experience in contemporary art, identity, cultural preservation. In partnership with the Balboa Art Conservation Center, TAC fosters youth voices through hands-on workshops, mentorship with California artists, and field trips to artists’ studios and cultural institutions. Students engage with professionals—many reflecting their own backgrounds—and explore museum collections, conservation science, and creative careers. The program is free to all participants and emphasizes culturally responsive learning, emotional growth, and collaborative artmaking. TAC culminates in a student-curated exhibition at MCASD, activating youth narratives and cultivating critical thinking, leadership, and respect for diverse cultures in a safe, supportive environment.

MCASD provides an unprecedented variety of exhibition spaces and experiences for the community, showcasing an internationally recognized collection and a dynamic schedule of exhibitions and public programs. The Museum presents a rotating schedule of exhibitions annually and has a strong history of touring exhibitions to prestigious national and international venues. Youth are a key audience and, since 2007, MCASD has offered free admission to all visitors ages 25 and under. Programs for young people include the Extended School Partnership, Teen Art Collective, Family Art Labs, and monthly Family Free Days, as well as interactive night time event series. The Museum’s Reflections creative aging program serves older adults. On Free Third Thursdays the Museum offers extended hours with a changing roster of films, talks and perfromances. Play Days take place on the second Sunday of the month are also free for all and offer dedicated family programming and artmaking. The Museum’s La Jolla campus reopened to the public in April 2022 after a significant expansion which quadrupled the gallery space.

With support from the California Arts Council, MEDIA ARTS CENTER SAN DIEGO (MACSD) will serve underrepresented youth (ages 6-25) in San Diego County through the Young Producers Project (YPP), a visual storytelling and media literacy initiative.

YPP programs include the Teen Producers Project, Emerging Makers, City Heights IdeaLab, Youth Creators Media Camp, student outreach screenings, Teen Filmmaking Bootcamps, In-School and Library Workshops, and Workforce Development Initiative. During the past thirty-two years, our programs have experienced remarkable growth, paralleled by an increasing demand from our community. Funds from this grant will help MACSD improve its capacity to best serve youth who lack access to culturally resonant media stories and digital tools. Through hands-on programs, filmmaking, screenings, free field trips, and mentorship, we teach participants how to transform their communities through the power of media arts.

MACSD programs, events, and film festivals are inclusionary—designed with audiences, participants, and community collaboration in mind. A summary of core organizational programs and services can be broken down into three categories:

WATCH—San Diego Latino Film Festival (SDLFF) celebrates its 32nd anniversary in March 2025 introducing viewers to contemporary US-Latino and Latin American cinema. Additional programming includes the Que Viva Outdoor Cine Latino Series, and daily screenings of at our Digital Gym Cinema.

LEARN—Media education programs for youth include: Teen Producers Project, Youth Media & Tech Camps, ¡Tu Cine! Student Film Showcase, the iVIE Awards & Student Film Festival and in-school media programs.

CREATE—Tools for community-based media production and collaboration include: Frontera Filmmakers, a grassroots training course for independent filmmakers; and Video Production Services, helping community groups make digital media presence accessible and affordable.

With support from the California Arts Council, Unearth and Empower Communities (UEC) will offer a youth-centered public art initiative that engages BIPOC students in grades 7-12 in a transformative, arts-based learning experience. The Compton Mural Project is a collaborative effort between UEC, The Makers Hub, and Compton District 2 Councilmember Andre Spicer. This 10-week high-impact program provides participants with an intensive 30-hour curriculum that combines hands-on mural design and creation with civic education, cultural heritage exploration, and artistic skill-building. Our plan is to offer two cohorts, one in the fall and one in the spring, thereby serving approximately 30 youth.

Community Arts Program
Artists, 3 years – 6th grade come from all over Compton to dance, sing, draw, paint and have fun attending our free week-long Art camps. The program is designed to empower and expose students to critical thinking, collaboration, and creative problem solving in the arts.

Little Creators
Young artists, 0-3 years, receive a free art kit filled with supplies and activities to explore and create in their own homes. The program is designed to empower and expose our youngest students to sensory play, motor skill development, and creative problem solving in the arts.

Compton Mural Project
In partnership with Compton District 2 Councilperson, Andre Spicer, the Compton Mural Project will take a cohort of 25 youth, grades 6-9th, through a 30 hour process of learning Compton history, the importance of civic engagement, what social justice can look like, mural design, safety and creation. Students work directly with local artists to design and paint a mural in the community.

Houses of STEAM
Compton youth, K-6th, and their families learn STEAM education through hands-on training, building projects, attending field trips and speaking with BIPOC professionals in the STEAM career fields. The program is designed to empower and improve students’ proficiency in STEAM-related subjects.

STEAM Tech Center
This program prepares Compton students, grades 6-12, for STEAM careers through hands-on experience with tech, such as digital media, coding, robotics, sound & music production, and 3D printing.

Pathways Program
Upon high school graduation, students have the choice to enroll in college, train for a career and/or become an entrepreneur. This program supports high school graduates as they progress down one of these pathways with training, scholarships and grants. The program is designed to empower and prepare students for the successes and challenges of the future.

With support from the California Arts Council, Legend’s Purpose will expand its Creative Empowerment Lab to deliver free, high-quality, culturally responsive arts programming to underserved youth ages 12–24 across Sacramento County. This initiative centers system-impacted youth—including those in foster care, the justice system, or experiencing economic hardship—and engages them in self-reflective and expressive art forms such as visual storytelling, spoken word, and collaborative public art. CAC funds will support teaching artist stipends, materials, youth transportation, and community-based art showcases. Through this work, Legend’s Purpose will foster personal growth, creative skill-building, and community pride—using the arts as a vehicle for healing, empowerment, and leadership.

1. Creative Empowerment Lab (Self-Reflective & Expressive Arts)
This flagship program offers youth a structured, trauma-informed space to explore their personal narratives through visual arts, creative writing, spoken word, music, and movement. Rooted in restorative practices and cultural relevance, the lab supports emotional healing and identity development. Youth produce personal and collaborative works that are showcased in community exhibits and public spaces, transforming pain into purpose and art into advocacy.
Core activities: Weekly arts workshops, open mics, and gallery events
Target population: Youth ages 12–24 with lived experience in foster care, justice systems, or community violence
Outcomes: Improved emotional regulation, self-expression, and confidence
2. Purpose Pathways (College & Career Readiness)
This program provides tailored support for youth navigating education, employment, and life planning. Through mentorship, life coaching, resume building, college application support, and exposure to career paths—including creative industries—participants develop a vision and tools to pursue it.
Core activities: One-on-one mentoring, college/career workshops, FAFSA/college app support, paid internships
Partners: Local employers, colleges, CBOs
Outcomes: Increased high school graduation, postsecondary enrollment, and job placement
3. Community Resilience Circles (Mentorship & Leadership Development)
These circles foster intergenerational connection, peer support, and leadership cultivation. Rooted in culturally affirming practices, youth engage in dialogue, healing circles, community service, and skill-building to empower them.
Core activities: Weekly circles, community events, public speaking & facilitation training
Focus: Leadership, cultural identity, conflict resolution
Outcomes: Stronger community ties, reduced isolation, increased civic engagement
4. Legacy Arts Collaborative (Community Projects & Civic Engagement)
Youth co-design and lead community resilience projects, storytelling campaigns, and cultural events that highlight the narratives of underserved communities. These initiatives serve to reclaim public space, amplify marginalized voices, and encourage cross-community dialogue.
Core activities: Mural projects, oral history initiatives, youth-led forums and showcases
Collaborators: Local advocates, historians, and neighborhood leaders
Outcomes: Increased community visibility, intergenerational engagement, and local investment

With support from the California Arts Council, TRANSCENDANCE YOUTH ARTS PROJECT will engage up to 70 youth from underserved communities in our CREATE Performance Group program from October 2025 – August 2026.

In accordance with our ongoing, successful program model, students ages 9-19 years will experience a holistic and culturally affirming creative process with professional Teaching Artists through a robust Creative Youth Development program. The students and artists will co-create an original dance theatre production that will be presented at a culminating performance on a professional San Diego Stage in Spring 2026, and we will offer additional community outreach performances during Summer 2026.

Through this programming we will address community-identified needs including youth mentorship, access to youth-tailored creative spaces, making art with an equity lens, and providing a platform to amplify youth voice and vision.

transcenDANCE programs provide youth development opportunities through a unique three-tiered program model: CONNECT, CREATE, CONTRIBUTE. transcenDANCE CONNECTS to youth and communities through in-school and out-of-school time dance classes, artist-in-residency programs, outreach performances, and summer camps. CREATE is the heart of the transcenDANCE programs. Youth explore dance and the performing arts through rigorous dance training and immersion in a social change and social emotional learning curriculum over 9 months, which culminates in an annual performance on a professional San Diego stage. transcenDANCE alumni CONTRIBUTE to transcenDANCE through performances, teaching and choreography assistantships and paid roles, and mentoring of incoming students. All students have access to mental health services, mentorship, and leadership development opportunties. Our students’ transformative experience develops their leadership skills, social and emotional resilience, and confidence to change the trajectories of their lives and positively impact the communities they live in.

With support from the California Arts Council, Nevada County Arts Council will deliver Bass Dojo—a therapeutic, culturally responsive music program for system-engaged youth at Nevada County’s only remaining residential facility for high-needs students, Mountain Valley Child and Family Services. Led by professional bassist and seasoned educator Pancho Tomaselli, the program provides in-school instruction centered on improvisation, collaboration, and personal expression. Youth will find their voice, and together build resilience, emotional literacy, and a sense of agency through creative practice. Grant funds will support artist compensation, curriculum development, instrument rentals and evaluation. Bass Dojo serves students in a deeply remote, rural area ranked in the lowest HPI quartile and historically underfunded by state arts resources. It directly addresses a critical service gap—meeting CAC priorities through equity-focused, healing-centered arts engagement in one of California’s most underserved communities.

As Nevada County’s umbrella organization for the arts, we serve as convenors, consultants, researchers, strategists, advocates, supporters, funders, promotors, policy wonks, and general arts and culture cheerleaders for our community.

We offer Arts Incubator, providing fiduciary oversight, financial management, and other administrative services to help build the capacity of cultural initiatives or emerging arts collaboratives who may not yet have their 501(c)(3) status. We offer grant making services and an artist relief fund; we offer pro-bono grant writing consulting; and lead creative sector emergency preparedness and disaster response. We engage in ongoing countywide cultural planning and evaluation, and regional and statewide peer learning and advocacy.

We manage the county’s arts directory and community arts calendar, and engage in ongoing promotion of the arts sector through multiple channels.

We administer two California Cultural Districts. Grass Valley-Nevada City Cultural District and Truckee Cultural District were redesignated by the State in 2023 for an additional five years, implying a tremendous responsibility to grow and sustain authentic grassroots arts and cultural opportunities, increase the visibility of local artists, nourish community participation in local arts and culture, promote socioeconomic and ethnic diversity, and work against by-products of placemaking such as gentrification, displacement, and racism.

We run multiple Arts Education programs; MUSE, a new widely distributed annual guide to arts and subcultures in Nevada County; an we are the Administering Organization for Upstate California Creative Corps, regranting 3.38m in state funds over 19 counties.

With support from the California Arts Council, KeyNote will provide music education programs in Chula Vista, reaching early childhood (0-5) through the Chula Vista Elementary School District Office of Early Childhood Development, Opus Project after-school music ensembles in four Elementary Schools, and music enrichment for students up to age 18 through a special pathway to join the San Diego Youth Orchestra.

Celebrating 80 years in 2024-25, KeyNote/SDYS is San Diego’s comprehensive provider of cradle-to-college music education opportunities through: Our flagship ensemble program, housed in San Diego’s historic Balboa Park, features thirteen orchestras and bands for musicians of all levels and provides additional depth through chamber music, theory, composition, second instrument camps, and summer opportunities. KeyNote’s Community Opus Project has partnered with Chula Vista Elementary School District for more than ten years to restore music education programs to more than forty schools and is a national model for community engagement through music education. Lastly, KeyNote’s early childhood program, Chimes, works with infants, toddlers, and their families to promote creative youth development, pre-literacy, and school readiness through music education and pre-ensemble training.

With support from the California Arts Council, ON THE MARGINS INC is expanding ¡DALE!, a multicultural arts program designed to cultivate young artists and activists. ¡DALE! provides meaningful and culturally responsive arts experiences for BIPOC and LGBTQIA+ youth aged 14-18 in Sonoma County. The program bolsters youth leadership, art and organizing skills, empowering youth to work towards a more inclusive and equitable California. Grant funds will specifically support youth engagement with the arts, communiy artists and menors and expand the program to include increased recruitment efforts of differently abled youth maintaining the priority on underserved target populations from communities of color and LGBTQIA2+ youth.

Arts-based interventions are at the very center of our work at On the Margins (OTM), an organization deeply rooted in Sonoma County, within the broader San Francisco Bay Area. We passionately believe in the transformative power of artists and creative expression as a vital tool for healing, liberation, and community building, particularly within historically marginalized communities. Our commitment extends across a range of impactful programs: ¡DALE! empowers youth through art to address social justice issues; SER utilizes artistic modalities in its bilingual, family-oriented approach to support identity and intergenerational healing; HEAL employs creative practices in peer support for processing trauma and fostering well-being; and RISE integrates artistic exploration into culturally responsive career counseling. Furthermore, LA ASAMBLEA, a collaborative initiative we spearhead, centers arts-based engagement as it distributes grant funds to Sonoma County BIPOC and Queer artists, supporting their economic stability, access to creative spaces, educational advancement, and overall health through grants and a variety of artistic events and workshops. Even within our therapy, clinical training, and consultation services, we prioritize and incorporate arts-based approaches, recognizing their unique ability to facilitate emotional processing, build resilience, and foster connection in accessible and profound ways, making art an integral and invaluable aspect of everything we do to cultivate a more equitable and liberated future. One of our strategic priorities is to cultivate a network where BIPOC and Queer artists can share knowledge, deepen skills, and nurture connections

With support from the California Arts Council, the REGENTS OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA AT RIVERSIDE / UCR ARTS will have the critical funds necessary to help a new generation of high-school aged filmmakers to develop their own voices by providing them with artist mentorship, filmmaking technologies, and a college-level curriculum through its OFF THE BLOCK summer documentary filmmaking workshop.

UCR ARTS is the University of California, Riverside’s internationally recognized photography museum and art center. UCR ARTS produces an average of 14 exhibitions, 150 screenings, and 20 performances annually, serving 33,000 visitors, students, and community members each year. Its rich history extends back to the founding of the Sweeney Art Gallery in 1963, the California Museum of Photography in 1973, and the Barbara and Art Culver Center for the Arts in 2010. With over 750,000 photographs, photographic imaging technologies, and contemporary artworks in its collection, these entities comprise one of premiere university art museums and centers in the country. From major thematic exhibitions, historical photography exhibitions, artist projects, new work by emerging artists/curators, and touring exhibitions, UCR ARTS strives to cover the range and diversity of photography and contemporary art and the cultural heritage in the region. Additionally, the center houses the only independent cinema in the area, bringing foreign, independent, experimental, documentary, and exemplary Hollywood film to Riverside in its 72-seat theater. UCR ARTS’ mission complements the University’s greater mission to provide opportunities and educational success for students from under-represented communities by bringing world-class visual arts to the area, and marrying these national and international activities to significant, local community initiatives with hands-on, in-depth educational opportunities.  Beyond UCR ARTS’ multiple galleries, exhibition spaces, and screening room, the facility houses a media editing lab, with extensive capabilities for the creation of film and web-based media, 360 video, virtual reality, among others. UCR ARTS also houses two dance studios, a black box theater equipped with green screen and full theatrical lighting, and a sound recording studio with full mixing and mastering capabilities. UCR ARTS’ staff consists of 16 arts professionals dedicated to bringing a slate of diverse and dynamic exhibitions, performances, educational opportunities, and related programming to its region.

With support from the California Arts Council, VARIETY CHILDREN’S CHARITIES OF THE DESERT TENT 66 will expand its free, inclusive arts programming for underserved and disabled children ages 5–18. Monthly Adaptive Art and Sensory Art classes will be offered at our Palm Desert center and introduced in high-need communities through Family Resource Centers in Mecca and Desert Hot Springs. CAC funds will support art supplies, bilingual teaching artist stipends, and program staffing to ensure equitable, culturally responsive, and accessible arts experiences for youth who face barriers due to disability, illness, income, or geography.

Variety Children’s Charity of the Desert delivers direct, transformative services for children (ages 0–18) across Riverside County’s Coachella Valley, with physical offices in Mecca, Palm Desert, and Desert Hot Springs. We focus on children with special needs and those facing economic hardship, providing critical support across four core program areas.

1. Freedom Program
This program supports mobility, independence, and social inclusion through three key initiatives:

Adaptive Bikes: Custom-designed mobility bikes and equipment for children with disabilities such as cerebral palsy, spina bifida, and autism, fitted by trained medical volunteers.

Bikes for Kids: Rewards academic achievement in under-resourced fourth-grade students with bicycles, helmets, and locks—impacting over 8,900 students to date.

Recycled Rides: Provides reliable vehicles to families in need, ensuring access to care, education, and community life.

2. Future Program
Future fosters inclusion, creativity, and confidence through activities like monthly Art from the Heart classes and a range of adaptive sports and recreational events, from zoo visits to yoga and fishing—encouraging family engagement and joy.

3. Care Program
This program addresses health and developmental needs via:

Caring Connections: Offers early childhood developmental screenings (ages 0–5) using ASQ-3, plus referrals, tools, and guidance for families.

Certified Autism Resource Center: Staff are trained in best practices to serve autistic children and their families with empathy and effectiveness.

4. Outreach Program
Launched in 2024, Outreach provides responsive case management, resource referrals, and family support to help bridge service gaps and empower caregivers, especially in underserved areas. Workshops, peer support, and life-skills programming at our Resource Center ensure holistic care for the entire family unit.

With support from the California Arts Council, KULARTS will support the winter/spring 2026 semester of our Agos program, a community-led initiative fostering Creative Youth Development among Pilipino American youth through arts-based education, mentorship, and cultural exploration. Established in 2009, Agos engages youth in ages 12-24 with a dynamic curriculum that combines Pilipino folkloric dance, music, historic education, and political discourse to build self-identity, community connection, and leadership skills. Agos activities include after-school programming for ages 12-17 and young adult engagements for ages 18-24, rooted in the traditions of the Pilipino diaspora.

Every season, KULARTS provides various participatory programming, activities for artists and the greater community including:

KULARTS PRESENTS
Showcases commissions and presentation of contemporary and tribal Pilipinx art through works by American Pilipinx and international Philippine artists.

THE MAKING VISIBLE PROJECT
Highlights the under-recognized histories of Pilipinos in San Francisco and places them in dialogue with Pilipinx stories of today through commissions of visual artwork and curated exhibitions in indoor and outdoor spaces.

AGOS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT & EDUCATION PROGRAM
AGOS ED PROGRAM – KULARTS’ new youth & family centered education program of folkloric dance and music and sociopolitical knowledge building.
PHILIPPINE MASTER ARTISTS-IN-RESIDENCE – the facilitation of cultural exchanges between master artists and the Pilipinx community; and
PHILIPPINE TRIBU TUR – a biennial immersion in Philippine indigenous communities designed for US-based artists and cultural workers.
ART DIALOGUE IN THE PILIPINX DIASPORA – gathers contemporary practitioners, master artists, and allied artists in a symposium and performance showcase to discuss urgent issues in the field.
KULARTS CURATORIAL CONTINUUM PROGRAM – curatorial committees—Queering Pilipinx Dance Aesthetics and NexGen Curators & Makers—of artists and creators under the mentorship of Artistic Director Alleluia Panis

With support from the California Arts Council, White Hall Arts Academy Foundation will expand Saturday Sessions, JAMM-U, and Soundworks programs to provide free and low-cost arts education for youth ages 4–18 and workforce training for transitional-aged youth 18–24 in South LA. Grant funds will support instructors, materials, and outreach to ensure equitable access to music, dance, acting, and technical training for underserved and justice-impacted and foster youth.

Soundworks is a workforce development program that trains justice-affected and transitional aged foster youth ages 18–24 in audio engineering, lighting design, and video production. Participants gain technical skills and hands-on experience in live entertainment, positioning them for apprenticeships and careers in the creative economy.

Saturday Sessions combines the HeARTbeats and Project MuszEd programs to deliver inclusive arts education year-round. HeARTbeats serves ages 4–12 with group classes in drums, violin, guitar, piano, singing, and dance. Project MuszEd offers conservatory-level instruction in music production, acting, and songwriting for teens and young adults. Each cycle serves over 60 students and culminates in a showcase to foster confidence and community pride. Funding supports class materials, instructors, and outreach. Classes run in 4- and 8-week sessions.

Private Music Lesson Scholarships provide over $20,000 annually in free lessons for children in underserved communities and youth impacted by foster care.

H.O.P.E. Choir and Ensemble are intergenerational performing groups that empower participants to engage in community through music. These groups uplift audiences with performances for organizations like United Airlines, LA Metro, CASA-LA, and the Taste of Soul Festival.

JAMM-U brings music instruction to youth with limited access to instruments. Students receive training in guitar, vocals, and production at partner sites across South Los Angeles, including Crete Academy, Watts Learning Center, and Birdie V. Lee Bright Elementary School.

Rock The Block is our signature annual wellness festival, drawing over 3,000 attendees to celebrate music, community empowerment, and wellbeing. With live performances, panel discussions, health services, youth activities, and clean energy showcases, the event reflects our mission to strengthen South LA through the arts.

With support from the California Arts Council, Prescott Circus Theatre will provide 10 months of
circus and theater arts education programs for as many as 235 low-income Oakland youth that will foster
engagement, creative growth, leadership, and opportunities to shine for their communities.

Prescott Circus Theatre provides no-cost, year round public school and community based programs for youth representing historically oppressed and marginalized communities (primarily low-income, Black and Children of Color) in partnership with professional artists, public schools, and other local organizations. Our culturally responsive programs apply standards based curriculum with youth development best practices to support students’ learning to perform their best on stage and in life. School programs take place at as many as seven Oakland public schools with complimentary weekly training for older youth and an annual summer circus arts and academic program. School programs serve students in general and special education classes with some exclusively for students with disabilities. The organization produces two free public productions each year in the spring and summer. The Prescott Circus Youth Performing Company performs and make appearances at over twenty events annually from civic parades to visits to senior centers.

With support from the California Arts Council, Children’s Fairyland will develop, deliver, and evaluate a new suite of arts learning programs for children ages 2 to 8 that use puppetry to foster social and emotional learning (SEL) and early language and literacy development. The “Puppet Education” program builds on Fairyland’s 69-year history of presenting original puppet shows, and includes: 1) add-on field trip workshops featuring original puppet storytimes and interactive dramatic play; 2) in-classroom workshops that adapt the field trip program for the classroom; and 3) puppet-based teacher training opportunities for early childhood educators. The program targets under-resourced children in and near the city of Oakland, and will be provided free for groups in need. We anticipate serving roughly 1,400 under-resourced children, caretakers, and teachers over the course of the grant period.

Children’s Fairyland provides a safe, screen-free space for all children to learn, grow, and play. The park boasts 40 whimsical fairytale-themed exhibits, the oldest continuously operating puppet theater in the United States, gentle animals, and eight acres of lush gardens. We offer family friendly performances and educational programs all year long that celebrate and enrich our Oakland community.

Fairyland has seen significant shifts in focus and priorities in recent years. Guided by our strategic plan, we are integrating more diverse stories in our core programs. Daily original puppet shows are one of the most popular park experiences, and we are collaborating with cultural consultants and native voice actors to produce authentic cultural tales that make every child feel seen and represented. Our community programs include a year-round calendar of cultural heritage events featuring performers, crafts, and food; book celebrations highlighting local authors and a rich tapestry of stories; and a lighthearted cooking series that pairs Fairyland’s puppet mascot with guest chefs to take families on cultural culinary adventures.

We strengthened what we offer field trip participants, with the launch of a curriculum-based preschool puppet workshop that will soon make its way to Oakland classrooms. The program complements our Fairyland Flora & Fauna program serving early elementary classes. We are telling stories that celebrate differences, and reaching more under-resourced youth through our Children’s Theatre program, Youth Writers Workshop, weekly Toddler Storytimes, and Summer Day Camps. We employ and train about 30 Park Ambassadors each year, mostly young Oaklanders of color, to develop professional skills that will help them on their life’s journey.

Taken together, all the elements of Fairyland combine to serve as a vital resource for children and families to help them prepare for school, develop emotionally within a supportive community, and unleash their creativity.

With support from the California Arts Council, Everyday Arts will implement “Everyday Arts in El Sereno,” a multi-disciplinary arts initiative aimed at giving students at Huntington Drive Elementary School (a free public school in LAUSD, 27.5% Healthy Places Index) the chance to develop their social-emotional competencies through inclusive arts integration.

Our holistic, multi-tiered approach includes: Class Visits, where we facilitate weekly visual and performing arts integration activities with students; Professional Learning, where we train classroom teachers in our methodology, so they can continue incorporating arts integration after the residency; and Bilingual Family Events, where students and caregivers create art together to increase family resilience.

We use the CASEL “core competencies” (self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision-making) as our framework, and utilize Universal Design for Learning to ensure accessibility for all students.

Our core program offerings are:
1. Educator Workshops – Learn how to infuse arts-based strategies into your everyday teaching practice. Help improve students’ social-emotional and academic growth through music, visual arts, movement, and theater activities! These workshops are open to classroom teachers, arts specialists, administrators, and related service providers.
2. Lesson Planning Support – Receive post-workshop support via a one-on-one session with an Arts Integration Specialist. We’ll work with you to identify and adapt arts activities most suited to your classroom goals and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs). These coaching sessions are available for classroom teachers and arts specialists.
3. Class Visits – Receive in-class support to implement arts integration lessons with your students. Our Arts Integration Specialist will co-facilitate with the classroom teacher and support staff.
4. Family Workshops Learn new ways to engage your children at home through easy-to-implement music, visual arts, movement, and theater activities! Parents and caregivers are invited to attend these workshops with their children, where they will participate in fun and accessible artmaking together.

Everyday Arts prides itself on delivering fun, hands-on workshops that include collaborative art-making, group discussion, reflective practice, and lesson-planning. Participants learn inclusive teaching strategies, utilizing music, visual arts, drama, and movement activities aligned to the California Arts Standards. Our curriculum is adaptable for a wide range of populations, including students with autism spectrum disorder, intellectual disabilities, multiple disabilities, emotional disturbance, and learning disabilities, and has been shown to have a positive effect on reaching Individualized Educational Plan goals in self-contained classrooms as well as inclusion settings. We utilize the principles of Universal Design for Learning as well as the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning “Core SEL Competencies” to help students with diverse learning needs reach their goals.

The House of MAGIC Foundation for the Arts requests funding to expand Magic Mentor, a STEAM-focused initiative that teaches underserved and at-risk youth in Santa Paula and the Santa Clara River Valley through the art of magic. This innovative program uses age-appropriate magic tricks to engage students in science, technology, engineering, arts, and math concepts in a hands-on, memorable way. CAC grant funds will support the delivery of free and low-cost Magic Mentor workshops, including curriculum materials such as a teacher’s guide, student handouts, and instructional videos. Funds will also support educator stipends, specialized supplies, and facility costs essential to delivering consistent, high-quality instruction. This support will help The House of MAGIC Foundation provide an accessible, intellectually stimulating experience that fosters curiosity, critical thinking, and confidence in students often left behind in traditional settings.

Educational classes and showcases in Performing Arts. We also develop programs to help educate kids about bullying, saying no to drugs, staying out of gangs, the dangers of social media, self-respect, and more.

With support from CAC, AXIS Dance Company will expand its Youth Performance program to offer four 45-minute youth performances followed by interactive discussions for K–5 students at partnering venues in systemically under-resourced areas of Contra Costa, San Francisco, Alameda, and Santa Clara Counties. These engaging matinees feature performances by disabled, D/deaf, , non-disabled, and neurodivergent professional dancers who share personal stories and demonstrate integrated choreography that redefines traditional ideas of who can dance. Youth Performances offer educational insights on disability and accessibility, followed by dancers sharing their personal journeys. Introducing the K-5 audience to integrated dance, many youth’s first dance performance experience. Students will leave with an expanded understanding of dance and disability and the empowering message that if you have a body, you can dance.

Our Artistic Advancement Program serves as a training ground for professional D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists and consists of our Summer Intensive, Company Appreniceship, Choreo-Lab, and Teacher Trainings. Our Summer Intensive, now entering its seventeenth year, provides professional development for dancers at all levels of their growth through a multi-day experience that connects participants.

Our Choreo-Lab paves the way for D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent choreographers to elevate their artistry through mentoring, networking, and peer support while producing original work. We have built a robust professional development suite of services that deepens Choreo-Lab participants’ understanding of the craft, including grants & fellowships, budgeting, production, presenting, and disability justice workshops, an enhanced year-round mentorship component, and opportunities to connect with Choreo-Lab Alumni and meet with presenters to learn from them. Through our Choreo-Lab program, we have a unique capacity to increase the representation of D/deaf, disabled and neurodivergent artists in the dance field.

Many educators lack the tools or training to confidently create inclusive learning spaces for D/deaf, disabled, and neurodivergent students. AXIS bridges that gap. We pair 45-minute integrated dance performances with artist-led discussions, introducing young audiences to disability representation and the expressive power of movement. These experiences are joyful, interactive, and often a student’s first encounter with professional dance. In tandem, we equip educators with tools to create inclusive classrooms through movement-based exercises and dialogue about language, access, and belonging. Our focus on youth programming furthers our goal to introduce new populations to integrated dance. In 2024, AXIS reached 8,000 K-12 students in the Bay Area. 50% of participants were from low-income communities and 80-100% of participants were BIPOC.

With support from the California Arts Council, Southland Sings will present “My Story, My Voice: Poetry to Song” for children and youth with disabilities at three sites: Oak Grove Center in Murrieta, Dohallen Elementary School in Rialto, and to students in the Orange County Department of Education’s ACCESS program.

Southland Sings offers two programs: “My Story, My Voice: Poetry to Song” and our new “From the Page to the Stage.” Both programs serve K-12 children, children with disabilities, children undergoing residential psychiatric treatment, children experiencing homelessness, and system-engaged youth.

“My Story, My Voice: Poetry to Song” teaches children to become writers, composers, singers, and performers of their own original musicals. Working together, the students improvise and write melodies with original accompaniment, and then merge their musical creation with their own lyrics. The finished piece contains 5-8 original short songs and poems, dialogue, movement, and narration. There is also an optional component that allows students to create original animations of their work.

“From the Page to the Stage” uses the same methodology as “My Story, My Voice: Poetry to Song,” but the students create a play instead of a work of musical theater.

In both programs, students determine the theme and plot of their work, create characters, dialogue, and narration based on their life experiences or on a common classroom subject. Students work both individually and in small groups over 10-14 consecutive 60-minute weekly sessions. The project culminates with a student-performed show for a live audience.

With support from the California Arts Council, FERN STREET COMMUNITY ARTS will provide free-of-charge opportunities for circus education and performance to historically underserved youth in City Heights, San Diego. Programming includes our year-round After-School Circus Program, Central Elementary Minimum Day Program, and Fern Street Family Services. Youth performance opportunities include the annual month-long Neighborhood Tour to parks in underserved neighborhoods and community-driven performances throughout the year. Through teaching and performing of circus arts, we seek to build vibrant, visible community, and enliven public spaces, with a primary focus on Creative Youth Development.

Founded in 1990, Fern Street Circus (FSC) has built a legacy of circus in San Diego through a series of annual shows in Balboa Park, Golden Hill, City Heights, and in neighborhoods across San Diego County.

EDUCATION. FSC’s education programs focus on serving communities mostly through City recreation centers. At Mid-City Gym in City Heights, we teach low-income youth free-of-charge, emphasizing skill building, conditioning, team work and cultural understanding.

PERFORMANCE. Known for creating performances with a playful sense of place, the Circus mixes adult professionals with after-school students. Anchor elements include live music; sets conceived and built by locally known visual artists; and a bi-lingual, non-linear narrative.

FSC’s Neighborhood Tour takes place each spring, with free shows in Mid-City San Diego neighborhood parks.

COMMUNITY. The Circus is resident in City Heights, interacting daily with and supporting activists and their constituents from around the world. In September 2023, FSCA moved into a recently vacated elementary school in City Heights, Central. At the former Central campus, FSCA has a 2,500 square foot gym with wood floors,, 20′ ceiling, natural light and a stage, as well as 4 classrooms for training, storage and an office. This is FSCA’s first-ever dedicated indoor space.

Fern Street Community Arts was named Live Well San Diego’s Central Region “Public Health Champion” of 2025.

With support from the California Arts Council, The High Steppers Drill Team, Inc. will provide social-emotional creative experiences in safe and nurturing environments through our proposed project and core program, The High Steppers Drill Team. The High Steppers Drill Team empowers youth through the preservation, revitalization, and reclamation of the cultural practice of Step, a traditional artistic and cultural practice that dates to the aftermath of the slave rebellion of 1739 and is shaped out of the African American college movements at the turn of the 20th century. In addition, The High Steppers integrate Drill and Dance into their movement-based programs, with wraparound services such as mental health and wellness and academic support.

Our organization supports 3 core programs with wraparound services including, but not limited to, academic awareness and mental health support. Six staff members and 4 teaching artist alumni — all members of the Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) community — oversee and manage The High Steppers programs and day-to-day operations within the organization.

In service of our mission, our organization directly serves approximately 75 young people per year. One of our core programs is our Drill Team, which utilizes the art of military drill technique, dance, and step routines as an access point for creative youth development. Our team of 10-30 participants per semester, ranging from 3 to 17 years old, engages in 2-hour practice sessions on Tuesdays and Thursdays each week during our 16 week-long spring semesters, 4 week summer boot camps, and 12 week fall semesters. Co-Founder and Executive/Artistic Director Charolette Patton-Logan leads the Drill Team program.

Grounded and rooted within their community, The High Steppers have a long-standing tradition of cultivating relationships with community members and service providers working across sectors. Student alumni and graduates from the organization’s programs work alongside The High Steppers Co-Founder and Executive/Artistic Director, Charolette Patton-Logan, as Junior Step Instructors and Step Masters in training.

With support from the California Arts Council, Gamelan Sekar Jaya will conduct three residencies in Title 1 Oakland Unified School District (OUSD) schools, engaging Oakland students in collaborative musical and choreographic composition grounded in the Balinese performing arts tradition. These residencies will be a collaboration between Balinese culture bearers, local dancers and musicians, OUSD faculty, and OUSD students.

Direct artistic interaction is key to GSJ’s unique programming. Many of Bali’s most renowned performing artists have joined GSJ for extended residencies over the past 40 years. The artist-in-residence program is the only US program outside of a university or consulate to regularly host Balinese artists for extended residencies, making it an important resource for the public. Artists-in-residence share their artistic skills, experience, and creativity with these shared goals: direct artistic interaction with performers, students, and audiences; dissemination of major works from the living tradition of Balinese arts; enriching historical, cultural, and artistic understanding in a setting emphasizing artistic excellence and mutual respect. GSJ has presented hundreds of concerts locally and internationally, and each year GSJ introduces thousands of children, youth and adults to Balinese arts and culture through classes, school programs, and other outreach activities.

With support from the California Arts Council, MUSYCA will expand equitable access to high-quality choral music education and culturally responsive arts programming for youth ages 4–25 across Los Angeles County. Grant funds will support inclusive music instruction, performance opportunities, and creative workshops designed to empower youth from underserved communities. The program will engage participants in active music-making, foster cross-cultural understanding, and promote their personal and artistic growth.

MUSYCA Children’s Choir is a multiracial, multicultural choral music education organization, shaping the future by making a difference in the lives of children and youth through musical excellence. MUSYCA rehearsals, music classes, and performances take place during after-school hours and on weekends in a community setting. The children study and perform a varied musical repertoire, consisting of high-quality, age-appropriate choral music for young people, varied in style, time period, and character. MUSYCA In-School program serves children in partnership with local schools, providing instruction in choral singing, musicianship, and recorders. The choir provides many performance and recording opportunities for the students throughout each year and participates in outreach and collaborations with community organizations, performing arts groups, composers, and artists. MUSYCA’s student-led outreach initiative, Nurturing Association of Young Artists (NAYA) provides senior citizens in nursing homes with intergenerational activities and performances. MUSYCA serves children and youth ages 3-21 in Los Angeles County and neighboring communities. Most of the students come from financially disadvantaged families and attend Title 1 public schools.

With support from the California Arts Council, StageWrite will deepen our partnerships with two San Francisco public elementary schools, Glen Park Elementary and William Cobb Elementary, providing classroom drama residencies in General Education, Spanish Bi-Literacy and Special Education classrooms. StageWrite will also provide interactive, arts integration professional development workshops for partnering classroom teachers, enhancing the collaborative relationships between artists and teachers while building a body of shared knowledge in theatre-in-education pedagogy. StageWrite’s engagement with school partners will also extend to students’ families via facilitation of Community Drama Events, further strengthening our collaboration between teachers, teaching artists, students, and families.

StageWrite serves approximately 1000 students annually in San Francisco public elementary schools. StageWrite’s Building Literacy through Theatre sequential drama program begins with kindergarten and 1st grade students participating in story dramas based on social issues; 2nd and 3rd graders explore narrative story elements creating performances that reimagine grade-level texts; and 4th and 5th grade students write original work, including monologues and one-act plays, which are performed by the students and by professional actors. Our ADAPTS (Autism & Drama with Artists, Parents, Teachers & Students) program serves students with autism in inclusive residencies to engage students in creative play, improve communication, and encourage personal growth. All StageWrite programs are designed and implemented using student-centered methodology. It is our belief that students learn the most from examining their own thoughts and feelings, and thinking critically about the world. We believe in theatre as a tool for social change, and a means of empowering students and communities. This principle of StageWrite’s work has been a guiding force for 20+ years and has been essential in informing our response to the challenges of today.

As a response to the pandemic, StageWrite developed, piloted, and refined two new curricula: “Zoom-a-Rama: Community Through Drama,” designed for distance learning at the start of the pandemic, and “Room-a-Rama” which re-imagined our curriculum to use improvisational drama games and collaborative storytelling activities to build classroom communities and support social emotional learning as students returned in-person, serving 45 classrooms at 6 San Francisco public elementary schools.

We propose a 6 month, tuition-subsidized music education program providing weekly private lessons to 15 youth from under-resourced families, including children with autism and other developmental differences. Students select one instrument—piano, violin, cello, guitar, drums, or voice—and receive individualized instruction from trained teaching artists. The program promotes creativity, confidence, and emotional well-being, and culminates in a student recital that showcases participants’ progress and celebrates their achievements with family and community.

CAC grant funds will be used to compensate teaching artists, provide instruments and learning materials, support administrative costs, and ensure accessibility for students with disabilities. This project increases access to high-quality, inclusive arts education, supports youth development, and uplifts communities by centering the arts as a powerful tool for connection, healing, and personal growth.

We have 18 highly qualified instructors and staff, many with advanced degrees from USC; 5 have earned their PhD. We have 2 buildings on site.
Our Robotics Program is instructed by a Computer Programmer with a BS from USC, and utilizes Lego EV3 technology to teach students about building and programming. One of our alumni was recently admitted to Cal Poly Pomona and will study Engineering.
We have Art for all ages instructed in a wide range of media. Our teacher has a Master’s in Fine Art from CSU, Long Beach. We offer small group lessons, 3 to 5 students, in a weekly one-hour program.
Our music lessons are private, once a week. We have an annual student recital to showcase for our community, and our faculty has an annual public recital. We teach classical music and follow the Visual and Performing Arts Content Standards for California Public Schools. Every year, most of our students participate in the Certificate of Merit Program held by the Music Teachers Association of California.

With support from the California Arts Council, UNUSUAL SUSPECTS THEATRE CO (USTC) will deliver five total 12-week Youth Theatre Conservatory performance residencies at four arts-poor, Title 1 school sites and one community-based site. These 5 after-school residencies will provide 100+ LA County high-school students opportunities to create and perform original plays based on their personal experiences and shared culture. Each residency will provide an intensive, youth-driven creative process that combines a standards-based and culturally-responsive curriculum with deep mentorship to increase access to formative arts education in under-resourced LA County communities for youth (ages 14–19; 98% BIPOC). Each residency will culminate in 1-3 public youth performances—with an additional final “Best of Fest” event—attended by peers, families, neighbors, and site partners. Funds will support key USTC staff and Teaching Artists (TAs) who implement the Conservatory program.

USTC believes that the future of theatre lives in Los Angeles, and has developed a 5-year plan (2024-2028) to increase the quality and reach of our programs. We are adding partners and updating curricula to better connect with and meet the needs of today’s young people and provide the best possible platform for learning and creating theatre-arts. Through cross-training services and deepening partnerships, USTC also strives to support equity in disenfranchised communities holistically, promoting systemic change beyond our own work. For example, USTC is a founding member of the Arts for Healing and Justice Network (AHJN), an interdisciplinary collaborative of 15 arts organizations working to build resiliency and wellness, eliminate recidivism, and transform the juvenile-justice system.

Programs include:

YOUTH THEATRE CONSERVATORY: Our flagship program offers experiential theatre-arts education and mentoring via two sequential 10-week after-school residencies per site (playwriting then performance) wherein youth collaborate to create and perform an original play. The program is expanding into a sequential, multi-year model to engage high school students across four academic levels.

YOUTH THEATRE RESIDENCY: Standards-based workshops in-and-out of the classroom that help students build teamwork, communication, and socialization skills.

VOICES FROM INSIDE PROGRAM (VIP): Provided in partnership with AHJN, our site-adaptive VIP offers healing-informed, standards-based theatre-arts education and mentoring for incarcerated, justice-involved, and other trauma-impacted minors.

NEIGHBORHOOD VOICES PROGRAM: Intergenerational community residents (ages 11-65+) create and perform an original, modernized morality play that addresses local issues.

VOCATIONAL TRAINING PROGRAM: Offered in tandem with select residencies to provide hands-on training and skill-building opportunities in distinct theatrical disciplines (e.g. Costume/Scenic Design).

THEATRE & CULTURE ACCESS PROGRAM: Free field trips introduce students and families from low-income communities to professional theatre.

YOUTH JOURNALISM FELLOWSHIP: In collaboration with Stage Raw, the Fellowship provides select students (ages 15-25) with professional critical writing instruction/mentoring and opportunities to publish original pieces.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Hanford Multicultural Theater Company will expose our diverse youth to spoken word, storytelling, poetry, playwriting, puppetry, and performance skills, empowering them to create their own original work to perform for the public. The engagement will be at two locations: the Lil’ Brick Theater and the Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi-Yokut Tribe Educational Center.

Our goal is to enhance the livability of our community and ensure equal access to the arts. We offer high-quality, free acting classes, improvisation, puppetry, Shakespeare, and scene-study classes for all ages, abilities, and cultures. We organized the annual Hanford Dia de Los Muertos cultural community event, which invited folklorico and Aztec dancers, and artisans to share their skills. The new Story Slam and ‘Whatever Open-Mic’ for area storytellers, poets, comedians, and musicians is a hit with our community. We also present new one-act plays, marionette puppet shows, improv shows, and encourage the community to feel safe creating in our space. We are an all-inclusive entity that welcomes our disabled and mentally challenged community. Our participant age range is from 4 to 93. We draw participants from Hanford, Armona, Stratford, Kettleman City, Fresno, Avenal, Lemoore, Dinuba, Pixley, Tulare, Visalia, Corcoran, Laton, Kingsburg, Riverdale, and NAS-Lemoore service people and their families. We provide a nurturing and welcoming environment for all individuals.

With support from the CAC, the Mary Porter Sesnon Art Gallery at UC Santa Cruz will launch Art Hustle To Go (AHTG), a program for undergraduate and high school students, to attend high-quality exhibitions in local and regional arts venues, learn to mentor others, and expand their museum and gallery experiences. AHTG’s goal is to serve students who may not have had access to such experiences due to socio-economic status, geographic region, or other aspects of students’ life experiences that elevate the impact of having opportunities to engage with these cultural assets. AHTG experiences will also include campus events and workshops led by arts and culture practitioners. ATHG is part of Art Hustle, the Sesnon career development initiative that focuses on giving students direct experiences in the art industry that complement their academic experience.

Mission and Vision

With support from the California Arts Council, East Oakland Youth Development Center (EOYDC) will invite East Oakland youth, ages 12 to 18, to engage in positive, culturally resonant, and artistic expression with Onyx AfroDance Ensemble. By creating and performing original choreography rooted in West African tradition, Black and Brown youth dance their stories; through community arts presentations, they share their hopes and aspirations. In doing so, they cultivate a better Oakland – and a better California – for all.

In 1978, East Oakland community leaders collaborated with former Clorox CEO Robert Shetterly to found EOYDC. In partnership, they defined the mission and vision of EOYDC which, for nearly five decades, has served as an anchor educational and community East Oakland institution, advancing opportunities for East Oakland youth to develop as responsible citizens and dynamic leaders in this community. EOYDC remains a stabilizing force that offers direct educational support, leadership development, arts, and wellness services to local children and youth.

With support from the California Arts Council, IMMERSIVE ART COLLECTIVE will present the third annual Creative Bend Summer Camp—a FREE, two-week multidisciplinary arts program for youth ages 6–12 from low-income communities in Downtown Los Angeles. Led by professional teaching artists and volunteers, the camp offers immersive instruction in world-building, set design, movement, drumming, and storytelling. Participants collaborate to create and perform an original piece for family and community, celebrating their growth and creativity. CAC grant funds will support artist stipends, program supplies, meals, and administrative costs, ensuring equitable access to high-quality arts education and empowering young people through creative expression.

Immersive Art Collective empowers creatives from disadvantaged backgrounds through collaborative arts workshops and theatrical productions intended to introduce participants to a variety of art forms, provide a safe space for expression and exploration, encourage healing, and supply education and skills training.
Examples of our existing programs include:
Acting for the Camera
Acting for Stage
Film Camera Operation
Film/TV Production
Stage Production
Dance – multiple genres
Monster Work
Physical Storytelling
Immersive World Building
Movement and Wellness
Improvisation
Voice Work
Makeup Artistry
Creative Writing​
​The Art of Drag
Vogue and Ballroom
Photography
Creative Writing
Songwriting
Slam Poetry
Voice-Over
Painting
Drawing
Sculpting
Graphic Design
Crafting
Clowning
Screenwriting

In addition to these services, we have a collective of artists in a Discord forum where they can facilitate networking and social events. Moreover, in the past year, Immersive Art Collective has been able to produce over 12 unique theatrical events which have funded therapeutic art workshops and art-form instruction for group homes, trauma centers, and recovery houses.

With the support from the California Arts Countil, Fostering Dreams Project will provide a 12-week culturally responsive dance and music program at the Children’s Center of Antelope Valley serving up to 25 foster, unhoused, and system-impacted youth ages 8–18. This program will use healing-centered arts education to foster self-expression, cultural identity, and social-emotional growth. Youth will engage in diverse dance styles, storytelling, and music therapy while building confidence, leadership, and connection to community.

At Fostering Dreams Project our mission is to transform the lives of youth in foster care through the healing art of dance and performing arts.
We provide exclusive opportunities to learn dance as a way of being more expressive, socially, and academically engaged to help youth build confidence, become leaders, and create brighter futures.

By providing a structured curriculum aligned with the California VAPA Standards that produces positive outcomes for youth, our purpose is to ensure foster and at-risk youth make measurable progress in the areas of:
– education and psychosocial development
– strengthen their skills in dance, choreography, and historical cultural context
– acquire new dance skills and knowledge
– develop self-awareness, and discipline
– improve problem solving and decision making skills
– develop a love and understanding for the art of dance

Through the combination of dance instruction, history, and meditative and self-reflective practices, “soft skills,” such as leadership, teamwork, motivation, self- expression, emotional wellbeing, and self-discipline are developed throughout the program.

With support from the California Arts Council, Community Music Center (CMC) will continue offering the tuition-free Mission District Young Musicians Program (MDYMP) to 25 primarily Latinx youth ages 11 – 18, outside of school time. This bilingual program is designed to engage and empower students through the music of Latin America. Youth receive a comprehensive Latin music education including private lessons, ensemble rehearsals, theory classes, and performances, with a focus on social-emotional learning and creative expression. MDYMP is critical to CMC’s efforts to amplify the voices of black and brown students and faculty. Inspired by their training and MDYMP’s Latinx teaching artists, students become skilled musicians, creative leaders, and community culture-bearers. This program’s NEA grant for FY2025 was terminated on May 2, 2025, and CMC does not expect its FY2026 request to be funded.

CMC provides:
Weekly private lessons in student’s choice of thirty instruments, including voice.
Ensemble classes and programs including:
• The tuition-free Young Musicians Program
• The tuition-free Children’s Chorus
• The tuition-free Teen Jazz Orchestra led by jazz bassist Marcus Shelby.
* The tuition-free Black Music Studies Program, led by Maestro and Nola Curtis.
• Music For Children
• Low-cost (sliding scale) chamber and jazz ensembles
• CMC Camps: Five week-long summer camps emphasizing ensembles, friends, and fun.
• The tuition-free Older Adult Choir Program
• New Voices Bay Area TIGQ Chorus
• The Black Music Studies Program
Community Performances
Engagement with music from diverse cultures
Access to free and low-cost on-site concerts and masterclasses with a diverse array of renowned musicians
Free tickets to local off-site concerts

With support from the California Arts Council, San Francisco Children’s Art Center (SFCAC) will provide in-school programming with 12 week visual arts residencies in 30 San Francisco Unified School District and Head Start Early Education classrooms, serving youth in San Francisco’s economically vulnerable and historically marginalized communities and increasing equitable access to creative experiences. Funding will also support expanded community outreach programs that will enhance SFCAC’s connections with San Francisco families via family artmaking workshops hosted at San Francisco Public Library branches in the same under-resourced neighborhood communities where we are providing in-school programming.

Annually, SFCAC serves approximately 1200 San Francisco children, ages 2-10 years old, and their teachers and families. Our students are predominantly from economically vulnerable families (70%) and students of color (90%).

SCHOOL PROGRAMS:
The majority of our students participate through SFCAC school residency programs in San Francisco preschools and elementary schools. Our primary focus is providing visual arts residencies to PreK classrooms in San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD) and HeadStart preschools. This focus grew from an identified need for developmentally-appropriate creative exploration in Early Education settings in under-resourced communities which have historically lacked equitable access to arts engagement.

OUT-OF-SCHOOL ART CLASSES & CAMPS:
At SFCAC’s art studio in San Francisco’s Fort Mason Center for Arts & Culture, we provide out-of-school time classes and summer art camps for young artists. While our studio programs are fee-based, we reserve 50% of all spots for scholarship students. Earned income from enrollment fees is re-invested directly in our community programs.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT:
SFCAC provides professional development for education partners including classroom teachers and SFUSD visual arts teachers. Our workshops are designed to build understanding of the benefits of process-oriented artmaking and how this approach supports individual student agency while fostering a classroom culture of collaboration and collective learning. In the 2024-25 school year, we provided more than 20 hours of professional development engagement to SFUSD educators.

COMMUNITY OUTREACH:
SFCAC engages directly with the San Francisco community with free family art workshops at our studio and at public events across the city, including at public library branches, farmers’ markets pop-ups, and other community partner venues. These inter-generational, hands-on artmaking workshops provide opportunities for families to engage together in creative play, enhance parent/caregiver confidence in supporting their children’s creative development, and nurture families’ sense of belonging and increased visibility of families in San Francisco’s cultural spaces.

With support from the California Arts Council, LAMusArt will sustain the provision of the Tuition-Free Music Ensembles program, which serves East LA youth with free, weekly music education.

Since its inception, LAMusArt has created equitable opportunities to engage in free and/or low-cost quality arts programming for students as young as age 4 continuing to seniors 65+. Across four disciplines, we offer dozens of weekly (private and group) classes (both low cost and no cost) held on our campus, an 11,000 square foot facility in the heart of East Los Angeles which includes over 20 classrooms, an audio recording studio, and an outdoor performance space where events, performances, exhibits, etc. take place.
Our Music department consists of three sectors: our one-on-one instrument and voice lessons; our Tuition-Free Music Ensembles Program; and our 10-week Audio Engineering workshops.
The Visual Art Department offers small group classes starting at age five which focus on creative exploration through drawing, painting, sculpture, and design.
Dance hosts up to 17 classes per week, ranging from classical Ballet to more modern forms of movement like Hip-Hop, Ballet, and Musical Theater.
The Drama department features 3 programs including our weekly, small group acting classes for students 8-16; our Playmaking program, which teaches students the basics of playwriting; and Camp MusArt, our summer arts program where students take daily lessons in all disciplines and rehearse for a musical production.
In all disciplines, we provide opportunities for public showcases annually, providing our community with vital ways to engage and connect with artistic demonstrations. Programming and curriculum planning is focused on the K-12 population and instruction is tailored to each student’s needs, interests, and rate of progression. The organization also offers need-based scholarships. LAMusArt is proud to be a trusted, reliable cornerstone for arts education in the community of East Los Angeles.

With support from the California Arts Council, LIBERTY PAINTING CORP will offer arts education opportunities to all Siskiyou County students through the gallery’s Explorations program. Class visits are structured using the California Arts Education Framework, following the definition of an advanced comprehensive art program and are adaptable for all learners.

The liberty arts education team has made it a priority to reach out to remote communities that have been recognized as historically underserved and direct our resources towards those facing disparities in art education opportunities. Through our LIBERTY ART DAYS, 8-12 artists travel to schools up to 75 miles away, bringing projects and supplies- even a printing press, to spend a day sharing projects with students not normally tackled in a classroom. Grant funding will support educators and materials.

Our core programming is through our exhibition schedule, which is generated from our community, and includes: LOCAL FOCUS- exploring work by regional artists; BRIDGE SHOWS- bringing new work and ideas in from metropolitan areas, and OPEN-CALL opportunities inviting the community to participate (often for the first time) in curating, creating and exhibiting work.

Annually, members are invited to propose a show. As future curators, they prepare a presentation, outlining the theme/invitation/artists to be exhibited. All proposals are considered, with a vote by community participants selecting the most promising for inclusion in our upcoming exhibition schedule.

Art education is delivered through our Explorations outreach classes, which introduce students/visitors to art in a gallery setting, with local artists often sharing their knowledge and creative inspiration. Students are introduced to work through context, language and process. They have the opportunity to individually view the art, and come together for discussion. They then create personal work related to the themes and processes in our dedicated studio.

During COVID, we developed relationships with three outlying schools in our county. Now, Liberty Arts transports 8-12 artists with supplies (including a printing press), into these schools for projects not normally seen in a classroom. We have made the 150-mile round trip journeys to school in the lowest HPI quartile areas or so remote they have no score.

Liberty Arts also serves our community as a venue for performance and special events, hosting musicians and biennial fashion extravaganzas on the adjacent City Plaza. This year we held “Special Delivery” events which featured twelve speakers who introduced audiences to a wide range of topics through 18-slide presentations. We shared The Red Dress Project/MMIP, The Living Memorial Sculpture Garden honoring veterans, Language of Monsters, and the Art of Burning Man among the 24 subject themes.

With support from the California Arts Council, the Humboldt Arts Council will send experienced poet-teachers into local K-12 schools to teach poetry reading, writing, performance, and publication. Our program will bring poetry—a source of coping, creativity, empowerment, and healing through crises—to over 1,000 students and the larger community. Schools will include those with a high percentage of Native American students near the Hoopa and Yurok Reservations, adjacent to Karuk land tracts; and a significant percentage of students representing a cross-section of cultures: Latinx, Asian (particularly Hmong), Black, and those with disabilities.

A private, nonprofit arts agency, the Humboldt Arts Council was formed in 1966 to serve in a rural county with a vibrant arts community. HAC incorporated as a private, California 501©3 in 1971, became the state/local partner of the California Arts Council in 1987, and became owners and operators of the Morris Graves Museum of Art in 2000. HAC is also the owner of the Romano Gabriel Sculpture Garden in Eureka, acquired in 2012. As a lead participant in community arts planning for over five decades, HAC has contributed significantly to the current level of maturity and vitality of Humboldt arts and culture.

With support from the California Arts Council, GRAND VISION FOUNDATION will sustain its Roots of Music Program (RoMP) which exposes students to live music concerts in partnership with professional, community-based artists, while providing rich music learning through in-school lessons and student recital performances. RoMP is part of Grand Vision’s Meet the Music (MTM) education program, which provides standards-based, culturally relevant weekly music instruction in underserved elementary schools in the LA Harbor area and beyond, as well as arts integration training to classroom educators.

Grand Vision Foundation (GVF) is a music-focused community arts organization, founded in 1996 to save and restore the historic Warner Grand Theatre, a 1,500 seat art deco movie palace. Today, the City of LA owns and operates the Theatre, hosting 100+ events annually, GVF serves as Theatre’s Friends’ Group, partnering with the City on ongoing events and promotion.

Since 2008, we’ve seen our vision come to life at the Grand Annex Music Hall, our 150-seat cabaret style storefront theatre, where we present an ongoing concert series of innovative global, Latin, jazz, and American roots music artists. The Annex has become a hub for the L.A. Harbor and South Bay communities, where residents and visitors can find a range of high quality and accessible cultural experiences. In addition to the indoor stage, GVF regularly collaborates with other community organizations to co-produce free outdoor music and arts festivals.

GVF engages the next generation through Meet the Music (MTM), a robust in-school youth education program, serving approximately 2,500 elementary school students annually with innovative musical skill building and engagement curricula. Founded in 2009, MTM provides equitable access to music education through sequential standards-based instruction and participatory live music experiences. MTM helps to close the arts education opportunity gap (compared to students in affluent districts) while deepening student capacity for creative learning. We serve under-resourced LA Unified School District schools with a focus on the LA Harbor area, providing innovative musical skill-building and engagement curricula.

With support from the California Arts Council, GUITARS ANTIQUA MUSIC PROGRAM will expand and enrich its free classical guitar youth program through a series of workshops, lectures, a field trip, and outreach performances. These activities are designed to enhance the musical knowledge of our youth participants, particularly for those in middle to high school grades, providing a close insight into the field of music. The project aspires to offer music-centered activities that will not only educate our participants beyond the limits of our regular guitar lessons, but also spark their interest in further education and open doors to possible career paths. Beneficiaries from the Lawndale and Hawthorne communities will acquire higher knowledge in the arts.

Guitars Antiqua Music Program was established in 2017 as a parent and community initiative with the sole intent to provide a 100 % tuition-free, after-school music program for youths living in the underserved communities of Gardena, Lawndale, and Hawthorne, all part of the greater Los Angeles County.

We offer group guitar lessons to youth ages 9 yrs old to 17 yrs old. The program aims to engage students with fewer resources for music education and offer a quality experience and opportunity regardless of their families’ economic status. We offer two main programs: (1) Group lessons at our local park, where we have classes for beginning, intermediate, and advanced levels. All participants are provided a guitar package (on a loaner basis) to extend their music education at home. We offer 32 weeks of instruction during the school calendar year and an addition six-week summer session. (2) Thanks to our partnership with the Lawndale Elementary School District, we provide guitar lessons at all six elementary school sites in the district and are currently serving over 100 students every school year. During our program sessions, we offer many opportunities for students to explore their music curiosity and enhance their artistic development. Our work has been recognized and supported by private and public arts organizations such as the California Arts Council, Los Angeles Department of Arts and Culture, D’Addario Foundation, Guitar Center Music Foundation, and Find Your Light Foundation. Our after school classes conducted at Bodger Park in Hawthorne, California are made possible through our Core Community Partnership with the Los Angeles Department of Parks and Recreation. While guitar education is our top priority, Guitars Antiqua allows and encourages students to experience the highest expression of themselves creating the true transformative impacts in their lives.

With support from the California Arts Council, KARMIC ACTION RETRIBUTION MANAGEMENT AGENCY will host LA Rooted: Art, Healing & Rhythmic Resistance, a culturally grounded summer program for youth ages 13–16. Led by local artists and cultural bearers—Susana Figueroa (SONJIART), Christine Jimenez, and Ana Ruth Yela Castillo—this program connects youth to ancestral knowledge and creative expression through visual art, dance, storytelling, and nature-based practices. Participants will explore themes such as Art in Liberation, Healing, and Motion through hands-on workshops, mural-making, plant-based art, and community storytelling. By centering BIPOC youth voices and lived experiences, LA Rooted fosters identity, belonging, and emotional wellbeing. This program will activate cultural resilience and leadership in youth, cultivating a deeper connection to land, heritage, and the transformative power of art within their communities.CAC funds will support artists, materials, coordination, and accessibility.

Projects of KARMA:

Roots in Motion (RIM) cultivates intergenerational health and resilience in low-income communities of color through outdoor adventures and movement-based activities. As part of Karmic Action Retribution Management Agency, RIM celebrates diverse identities and ancestral heritages, creating empowering programs that foster wellness, creativity, and community connection. Since 2013, we’ve offered year-round initiatives like youth camps, bike trips, and backpacking journeys, providing spaces for self-growth and nature-led connections.

Bicilibre Community Bicycle Shop stands in solidarity with day laborers, the unhoused, and local organizations by providing vital bike repair services and support. Our mission is to empower these communities through accessible transportation, fostering mental wellness and economic resilience. By challenging health disparities and systemic inequality, we use the bicycle as a tool for community strength, mobility, and justice.

KARMA’s fiscal sponsorship program- A grantor-grantee structure, sponsored projects remain independent from KARMA and manage their own tax reporting and liabilities, while KARMA facilitates the receipt and distribution of grants and tax-exempt donations to help realize the project’s purpose.

With support from the California Arts Council, Art Bias will offer the 3rd year of a free, life-changing group and individual mentorship program consisting of hands-on art making, portfolio development, field trips, curatorial, and professional growth opportunities to guide underserved students at Sequoia High School into the advanced, college level International Baccalaureate (IB) art program. Based at Art Bias in our community space and co-designed with the Sequoia High School art teachers, each mentee receives at least 40 weekly meetings of 2 hours (80 hours annually) of instructional time including painting, weaving, felting, photography, Chinese brush painting, Japanese calligraphy, Mexican milagritos, linocut, portraiture, and more, directly from professional artists. In addition to creative work, youth receive one-on-one guidance and individual support for network building, college applications, interview prep, and introductions to paid work.

We provide 50 artist studios, professional development resources and events, classes, exhibition opportunities, teaching opportunities, and a thriving community of artists amplifying art’s positive impact on society.

With support from the California Arts Council, GOLDEN VALLEY MUSIC SOCIETY INC will present “Orchestra Experience Live!” for all 4th grade students in the Murrieta Valley Unified School District featuring the California Chamber Orchestra, Conductor Dana Zimbric, and local artists in the Murrieta Mesa High School Gershwin Performing Arts Center.

The California Chamber Orchestra (CCO), operating under the umbrella of the Golden Valley Music Society, is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization established in 2005. Led by Artistic Director and Conductor Dana Zimbric, CCO hosts nearly 20 professional concerts and recitals annually, distinguishing itself as the primary professional orchestra in the Temecula/Murrieta area.

Comprised of leading professional musicians from across southern California, CCO has maintained a collective bargaining agreement with the American Federation of Musicians Local 325 since 2023.

From 2005 to 2019, CCO collaborated with the Old Town Temecula Community Theater to present an annual seven-concert Classical Series, four of which showcased the orchestra. Since July 1, 2019, the orchestra has shifted its focus to the Gershwin Performing Arts Center in Murrieta for its annual concert series.

Since October 2008, CCO has hosted Classics at The Merc, a Sunday afternoon series featuring chamber recitals by professional soloists and small ensembles. Held in the intimate setting of the Old Town Temecula Community Theater, this series offers a unique musical experience for audiences. In the upcoming 2024-2025 season, the series will highlight the region’s premier chamber musicians in a monthly recital format.

Since 2012, CCO has been dedicated to providing music education to over 20,000 students in the Temecula and Murrieta communities. This includes live theater performances of classical works like “Peter and the Wolf” and “Carnival of the Animals,” as well as interactive assemblies for elementary students. Additionally, the organization offers coaching for middle and high school orchestras, master classes, and affordable or complimentary tickets to CCO performances. Collaborations, such as the “Just Add Jazz” project with acclaimed jazz vocalist Sherry Williams, further enrich the educational experiences provided by CCO.

With support from the California Arts Council, the San Bernardino Symphony Association will operate a Youth Symphony Orchestra dedicated to the performance of works by systemically underrepresented composers.

The San Bernardino Symphony actualizes our mission through engaging and culturally/artistically relevant programming. We also provide a variety of educational enrichment programs, including concerts for the schools serving over 1,700 students annually, introductory workshops on orchestral instruments for every local third grade class (roughly 5,000 students each year), online educational videos, and our San Bernardino Symphony Youth Orchestra, a 70+ piece orchestra dedicatd to the performance of works by underrepresented composers. We also offer certificated Symphony Teens programs providing job skills training to local high school students. The vast majority of these students are of minority decent and considered at-risk due to economic circumstances. The Symphony also operates the Guthrie Music Rental Library providing low cost orchestral parts to other orchestras, schools, and choral groups.

With support from the California Arts Council, BAY AREA CREATIVE BAC will strengthen its SPARC Creativity program, delivering year-round arts education to over 7,000 K-12 youth across the Bay Area. Grants fund will sustain culturally responsive, trauma-informed workshops in spoken word poetry, hip hop dance, visual arts and filmmaking, led by professional artists rooted in the communities they serve. This support will allow BAC to deepen its impact in underserved neighborhoods, maintain fair compensation for artists, expand bilingual and accessible programming, and invest in the organizational infrastructure needed to deliver transformative art experiences that affirm identity, foster resilience and build community pride.

SPARC Creativity offers spoken word poetry, dance, filmmaking workshops and performances tailored for underserved youth aged 5-18. Our comprehensive services encompass weekly arts workshops conducted during the school day, after school, and throughout the summer. Additionally, SPARC teaching artists lead impactful school day performances that showcase the creative expressions of our participants.

Revisions stands as a beacon of therapeutic arts for youth and families, providing essential services such as facilitating writing groups in Juvenile Hall, facilitating creative support groups for social workers, leading conferences focused on substance abuse prevention, and performing at mental health symposiums.

Educators for Empathy is dedicated to professional development for both classroom teachers and teaching artists. Our impactful sessions take the form of in-service school district-wide half and full-day training sessions. We extend our reach by collaborating with other nonprofits, offering monthly one-on-one coaching sessions to empower educators with transformative teaching practices.

Spoken works delivers local creative professionals to provide team building sessions that
connect members of the workforce to a culturally diverse panel of published authors and
nationally ranked spoken word artists. Activities are insightful, productive and high energy
designed to leverage lateral thinking towards new solutions and bonding.

Playhouse Merced’s Conservatory provides theater education, scholarships, and accessible performances for diverse youth in Merced County.

Playhouse Merced provides on-site educational services through classes and workshops in acting, dance, voice, playwriting and instrumental music as well as off-site programming by providing trained teaching artists to schools. In addition, Playhouse Merced presents a 10-show season on-site, off-site alternative work and episodic programming.

With support from the CAC, Street Poets will facilitate weekly Beats and Rhymes music/poetry sessions . Youth will record tracks for our annual album and perform at the Open Mic. Funds also support our Music Fellowship program that engages our standout youth and provides lessons/mentorship around music production, business and more.

Street Poets programming consists of transformational poetry/music workshops designed specifically for system-impacted youth. These include those in LA County’s juvenile detention facilities, community centers, and underserved public school, and at our Street Poets office and via our Poetry in Motion Van. Weekly workshops are supplemented by leadership training and mentoring, open-mic events, poetry performances and poetry reading series, as well as youth-driven books, CD and DVD projects that amplify/illustrate the kind of fearless creative work that inspires young people. Annually, we reach approximately 650 at-risk youth, ages 11-18, through our long and short-term workshops, and over hundreds more via one-time Street Poets performances at schools and in the community. We also reach thousands of additional youth and adults via our Poetry in Motion Van programming.

After 30 years of facilitating healing, transformational poetry, writing, and music production workshops; hosting inspirational community open mic events; and providing mentoring support and leadership retreats for youth and young adults in Los Angeles, Street Poets has put down permanent roots in the city it has served so well. Street Poets’ future arts/cultural center sits directly across the street from John Adams Middle School just south of downtown Los Angeles.

Slated to open in 2025, the future Street Poets’ permanent home begins an exciting new chapter in our evolution as a culture-shaping, system-changing community-based organization.
This new space will anchor our arts-based outreach and community-building work here in LA. It will serve as a welcoming collaborative hub and convening space for the many arts and youth-serving organizations with whom we work, and as a multi-generational destination for poets of all ages.

With support from the California Arts Council, Silicon Valley Shakespeare will create the program “Shakespeare Is Us,” bringing culturally, financially, and geographically accessible afterschool theatre residency programs and student matinees to middle- and elementary-schoolers at Title I schools. Through the original curriculum “Shakespeare Through Your Eyes,” this identity-centered approach invites students to explore and reinterpret Shakespeare’s stories through their own cultures, languages, and lived experiences. Using movement, ensemble-building, and personal storytelling, students build confidence, communication skills, and a sense of creative ownership, connecting them to and giving agency over a 400-year-old artistic legacy and language shared across the globe. The program culminates in student matinees and public performances of an adapted Shakespeare play, reimagined entirely through their own voices.

OUR CORE PROGRAMS
*Summer Repertory – produce two affordably ticketed Shakespeare, classics, or classics-inspired plays in Sanborn Park in Saratoga each summer (22 performances).

*Free Shakespeare in the Park – produce one Shakespeare play, free to the public, at Willow Street Park in San José each spring (9 performances).

*Winter Production – produce one classic, winter-themed production in the South Bay (11+ performances).

*Education – provide a summer Shakespeare Camp for kids, workshops, assemblies, and after-school programs to over 2,000 students in local schools, and an immersive trainee/mentorship program for local high-school and college students to develop professional skills.

*Special events including an annual 48-hour Play Festival of locally developed new works, in partnership with a local college or university.

With support from the California Arts Council, San Francisco Youth Theatre (SFYT) will build on existing partnerships by providing theatre arts training to Marshall Elementary School (grades K-5), and continue our long-time engagement with young children (PreK/Tk) in six SFUSD Early Childhood schools and classrooms. School populations include 460 youth from low-income households, ELL Spanish-speakers, and students with disabilities. Residencies will be taught by teachers who reflect the student population at each school, and will explore a wide range of theatre arts in both English and Spanish–acting, music, movement, story telling and dance, infusing joy and creativity into children’s school day.

Founded in 2014, SFYT provides fully-accessible arts training and performance opportunities for youth ages 4-24 onsite at its Mission District location and through SFUSD schools and Community-based organizations. Primary beneficiaries are grades PreK–College low-income youth with limited access to theatre arts, including youth who are low income, LGBTQ+, youth with disabilities, newcomers, and English language learners. Transitional-aged youth (18-24) participate in SFYT’s Emerging Theatre Professional Program which provides a pathway to arts careers through internships and employment opportunities. SFYT serves ≈1200 students in year-round school day and after school programs.

SFYT offers a broad array of activities that include skill-building classes in acting, music, dance, movement, visual art, playwriting, and production. Fall skill-building classes evolve into spring performance ensembles for elementary through college-aged students. All onsite classes and ensembles are on a sliding scale, with no one turned away for lack of funds. School programs are offered at no fee to students.

SFYT’s ongoing creative programs, onsite and at SFUSD, include:
–Story Theatre (PreK-1): Creative exploration through literature for young children.
–Theatre and movement classes for children with disabilities.
–”Teatro en español”: Spanish bilingual programming for students PreK-12
–Madcap Players (Elementary): Theatre skill-building and performance using stories from around the world.
–415 Teen Ensemble (Middle & High School): Theatre skill-building classes leading to full-scale productions of plays with social justice themes.
–Queer Drama: A space for Queer youth to develop their creative voices.
–SFYT DREAM Ensemble: A professional touring ensemble for transitional-aged youth that performs original social justice theatre and leads workshops at schools throughout California, such as Gary Soto’s “The Afterlife” about teen violence and suicide, and Alma Flor Ada’s “Dancing Home” about child immigration. DREAM Ensemble members also work as teaching assistants in younger theatre classes.

With support from the California Arts Council, Arts & Learning Conservatory (ALC) will provide a high-quality, comprehensive musical and technical theatre education program, encompassing theatre, dance, vocal instruction, and tech design at two schools, Letha Raney Intermediate School and Corona Fundamental Intermediate School, where approximately 80% of students face socioeconomic barriers. This initiative will serve 70 students (35 per school) ages 12-14, and reach an estimated audience of 1,300 community members. Designed to nurture self-awareness, build self-esteem, and enhance social-emotional learning, the program also equips students with tools for academic success and fosters meaningful community connections. For over two decades, Arts & Learning Conservatory has delivered world-class arts instruction directly to under-resourced schools, reviving creativity and opportunity in places too often silenced by budget cuts and systemic inequities.

Key ALC programs include After School Arts Program (ASAP); Arts Connect; Theatre and Music Camps; Youth Mainstage Theatre Productions; smaller programs conducted at the ALC studio.

All ALC teachers have Bachelor of Arts degrees and 60% have earned Master of Arts degrees. Their time teaching with us ranges from 3 to 15 years with a combined experience of 48 years. As professional and accomplished artists, they are role models and mentors for the students. 50% of our instructors are of color, representing those they serve. Our students, staff, and Master Class hosts reflect the community we serve including the deaf. ALC utilizes American Sign Language interpreters or full closed captions during designated performances. Staff and students of all abilities know that our conservatory listens with intent to the needs of the community to create support and artistic opportunities.

Founded in 2004, ALC exists to ensuring equitable access through the transformative power of the arts. Grounded in our “Arts for All” mission, ALC delivers immersive, culturally responsive arts education that champions diversity, and cultivates student talent.

ALC serves as a creative catalyst through sustained partnerships such as Think Together, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Central Coast. Our programs reach students in public and charter schools alike, many of whom come from historically underserved communities, and provide access to high-quality performing arts and Technical Theatre instruction. By intentionally casting students of all backgrounds in both lead and supporting roles, ALC ensures that every child has a voice and a stage.

Our youth-centered curriculum not only builds artistic skill and confidence but also opens career pathways in the arts and beyond. These programs dismantle systemic barriers and stereotypes, preparing students, particularly students of color, with the tools they need to thrive in school, in the workforce, and in their communities.

With support from the California Arts Council, Mono Arts Council will continue to provide all elementary and middle school students of the Eastern Sierra Unified School District with an engaging, community driven, hands-on music program. Started in 2022, the Crescendo Music Program has provided over 300 students in these rural Mono County communities with access to a sequential, standards-based music education they would not otherwise receive.

Mono Arts Council offers arts programs to all residents and visitors of Mono County. We continue to create awareness of MAC activities through public outreach, our Gallery & Art Center, and our Art Festivals.Through the MAC Gallery & Arts Center we create a space for local, regional and emerging artists to exhibit their work. MAC offers art education in all Mono County schools. We provide free in school art instruction, free after school art and Kids Summer Art Camps. MAC reaches all students through in-school programs such as the Create With the Greats and Crescendo Music program.