School Of Arts And Culture At Mhp

THE MISSION OF THE SCHOOL IS TO CATALYZE CREATIVITY AND EMPOWER COMMUNITY.

SPECIAL INITIATIVESDURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2022, THE SCHOOL LAUNCHED A NEW PROGRAM, COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT, THAT SEEKS TO INFORM AND INFLUENCE WHAT THE NEIGHBORHOOD SURROUNDING THE MEXICAN HERITAGE PLAZA CAN BECOME. THE SCHOOL LEVERAGES A CULTURAL DISTRICT STRATEGY TO PRESERVE THE CULTURES, TRADITIONS, AND IDENTITIES THAT ARE UNIQUELY SAN JOSE TO ESTABLISH THE CITY'S FIRST CULTURAL DISTRICT WITH THE PLAZA AT ITS CENTER. SCHOOL OF ART'S AND CULTURE AT MHP'S PRIORITY IS ACQUIRING A BUILDING ACROSS THE STREET FROM THE PLAZA, WHERE THE SCHOOL INTENDS TO EXPAND SOME OF ITS CURRENT PROGRAMS.DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2021, THE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND CULTURE AT MHP LAUNCHED A SPECIAL PROJECT INITIATIVE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL AND SVCREATES, CALLED THE ADMINISTRATORS OF COLOR FELLOWSHIP. THE SCHOOL SERVED AS THE ADMINISTERING ORGANIZATION FOR THIS PILOT PROGRAM THAT AIMED TO UPLIFT AN INCLUSIVE WORKFORCE AND SUPPORT THE VIBRANCY OF ORGANIZATIONS THAT CREATE AND PRESERVE THE CULTURAL IDENTITIES OF ALL CALIFORNIA COMMUNITIES. THE CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL ADMINISTRATORS OF COLOR FELLOWSHIP (CAC ACF) SOUGHT TO ADDRESS THE NEED FOR MORE OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR IN ARTS ADMINISTRATION TO CREATE A PIPELINE FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR ACROSS AND THROUGHOUT THE ARTS SECTOR. CAC ACF PROGRAMMING WAS MADE POSSIBLE PARTLY BY A GRANT FROM THE JAMES IRVINE FOUNDATION AND A ONE-TIME INCREASE IN STATE ARTS FUNDING. THIS PILOT PROJECT CONCLUDED AT THE END OF DECEMBER 2021.IN ADDITION, DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC, THE SCHOOL ADAPTED ITS TEAM AND SPACE, THE MEXICAN HERITAGE PLAZA, TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE LOCAL EAST SAN JOSE COMMUNITY. THE SCHOOL OFFERED FOOD DISTRIBUTION, COVID-19 TESTING, AND COVID-19 VACCINATIONS. ALTOGETHER, THE SCHOOL SERVED OVER 150,000 COMMUNITY MEMBERS THROUGH COVID-19 RESPONSE ACTIVITIES DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2021.

EVENTS - COMMUNITY ACCESS AND ENGAGEMENTTHE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM PROVIDES LOCAL ARTISTS, ARTS, AND COMMUNITY AGENCIES ACCESS TO THE MEXICAN HERITAGE PLAZA, TRAINING AND TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE ON USING THE SPACE, AND ACCESS TO AUDIENCE NETWORKS. ACTIVATING AND CURATING THE SIX-ACRE, $35 MILLION, CITY-OWNED FACILITY AS A PROGRAMMABLE ARTS AND CULTURAL DESTINATION AND COMMUNITY HUB, THE SCHOOL PROVIDES EAST SAN JOSE RESIDENTS WITH A SAFE, ACTIVE, FAMILY VENUE FOR DIVERSE ARTS ACTIVITIES THAT SPEAK TO ITS UNIQUE CULTURAL HERITAGE. IN THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2020, THE COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PROGRAM WORKED WITH 60 COMMUNITY PARTNERS TO PRESENT RELEVANT, MULTICULTURAL PROGRAMMING THAT CELEBRATED THE LOCAL COMMUNITY'S DIVERSITY AND SUBSIDIZED THE COST OF 156 PRODUCTIONS. DURING THE YEAR ENDING JUNE 30, 2021, THE SCHOOL WAS UNABLE TO HOST OUR COMMUNITY PARTNERS DUE TO SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDERS AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC. TWENTY-EIGHT COMMUNITY PARTNERS RETURNED TO THE PLAZA DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2022; THE SCHOOL HOSTED OVER 84 COMMUNITY EVENTS. THIS ACTIVATION CONTINUES TO INCREASE STEADILY AS THE ARTS AND CULTURAL SECTOR AND THE LOCAL NEIGHBORHOOD RECOVER FROM THE PANDEMIC.THE SCHOOL'S COMMUNITY ACCESS POLICY IS DEFINED PRIMARILY BY THE SPIRIT OF THE GUIDING PRINCIPLES FOR COMMUNITY ACCESS AND ENGAGEMENT:- CREATE WELCOMING, INCLUSIVE AND AFFORDABLE COMMUNITY GATHERINGS AND CULTURAL OFFERINGS IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ARTISTS, ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND COMMUNITY-FOCUSED NONPROFITS THAT CAPITALIZE ON THE STRENGTHS OF THIS UNIQUE FACILITY AND LOCATION IN EAST SAN JOSE.- DEVELOP PARTNERSHIPS WITH A NETWORK OF ARTISTS, ARTS, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS TO LEVERAGE EXISTING RELATIONSHIPS AND CAPACITY WHILE ADVANCING AND GROWING COLLECTIVE IMPACT.- BUILD COMMUNITY CONFIDENCE, ENTHUSIASM, AND TRUST OVER TIME THROUGH CONSISTENT COMMUNICATION, RESPONSIVENESS, AND A RELIABLE MENU OF OPPORTUNITIES.- DEVELOP A BROAD MIX OF PROGRAMMING FOCUSING ON MEXICAN CULTURE WHILE ACTIVATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR SOCIAL INTEGRATION WITH THE WIDER MULTICULTURAL ARTISTIC COMMUNITY PRESENT IN SAN JOSE.- FACILITATE MULTIPLE ENTRY POINTS FOR COMMUNITY MEMBERS, PARTNER ORGANIZATIONS, AND PRIVATE CLIENTS.- CREATE A RELATIONSHIP OF RECIPROCITY WITH ORGANIZATIONS AND THE COMMUNITY THROUGH "MISSION COMPATIBLE" ACTIVATION OF SPACES.- EMBRACE GRASSROOTS PARTICIPATION AS CRITICAL TO THE SUCCESS OF THE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND CULTURE AT MHP'S VISION AND PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES FOR COMMUNITY FEEDBACK.EVENTS - MARKET RATE RENTAL PROGRAMSCHOOL OF ARTS AND CULTURE AT MHP IS LOCATED IN A BEAUTIFUL, MULTI-USE VENUE IN A HISTORICALLY SIGNIFICANT LOCATION AND NEIGHBORHOOD. THE SITE IS THE SAME PLACE WHERE CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST CESAR CHAVEZ ORGANIZED THE FIRST GRAPE BOYCOTT WITH THE FARMWORKER MOVEMENT. THE HOUSE HE LIVED IN IS LOCATED A QUARTER OF A MILE AWAY FROM THE SCHOOL.THE BUSINESS PLAN WRITTEN BY THE MHP STEERING COMMITTEE IN 2011 IDENTIFIES RENTAL INCOME FROM THE FACILITY AS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT OF THE LONG-TERM SUSTAINABILITY OF THE SCHOOL OF ARTS AND CULTURE AT MHP. AT ITS INCEPTION, THE SCHOOL HAS PARTNERED WITH A FOR-PROFIT COMPANY, GIANT CREATIVE SERVICES, TO ENSURE A CAREFUL, CREATIVE, AND ATTENTIVE APPROACH TO MARKET RATE RENTALS. THIS CLOSE PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SCHOOL STAFF RESULTED IN THE INCREASED USAGE OF THE FACILITY BY SEVERAL ARTS ORGANIZATIONS AND PRIVATE EVENTS IN A MANNER NEVER BEFORE SEEN UNDER PREVIOUS OPERATORS. HOWEVER, IN FY22, THE SCHOOL DECIDED TO BRING THE MANAGEMENT OF THE MARKET RATE RENTALS IN-HOUSE AND HIRED ITS OWN TEAM TO MANAGE THE DEPARTMENT. THE SCHOOL'S MARKET RATE RENTAL PROGRAM GENERATES REVENUE THAT THEN DIRECTLY SUPPORTS THE SCHOOL'S PROGRAMS. IN ADDITION, 98% OF ALL EVENTS AT THE MEXICAN HERITAGE PLAZA THROUGH THE MARKET RATE RENTAL PROGRAM ARE ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY. DURING THE YEAR ENDED JUNE 30, 2021, THE SCHOOL SERVED AS A FOOD DISTRIBUTION SITE, A COVID-19 TESTING SITE, AND A COVID-19 VACCINATION SITE FOR THE LOCAL EAST SAN JOSE COMMUNITY, SERVING OVER 150,000 PEOPLE (DOUBLE THE NUMBER TYPICALLY REACHED IN A YEAR). SCHOOL OF ARTS AND CULTURE AT MHP DID NOT HOST OTHER EVENTS AS A RESULT OF THE PANDEMIC. HOWEVER, IN FY22, THE SCHOOL BEGAN TO HOST EVENTS AND CELEBRATIONS AGAIN. AS BEFORE, THESE EVENTS ARE DEEPLY ROOTED IN THE COMMUNITY.

FACILITYTHE SCHOOL OPERATES THE MEXICAN HERITAGE PLAZA, WHICH THE CITY OF SAN JOSE OWNS. THE SCHOOL LEVERAGES THE $35 MILLION FACILITY TO OFFER ITS PROGRAMS, INCLUDING QUALITY ARTS EDUCATION COURSES TO THE COMMUNITY THROUGH ITS ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM; AN ARTS LEADERSHIP PROGRAM FOR PEOPLE OF COLOR (I.E., THE MULTICULTURAL ARTS LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE); AND COMMUNITY EVENTS THROUGH ITS COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND MARKET RATE PROGRAMS. IN THIS WAY, THE LONG-UNDERUTILIZED FACILITY IS ACTIVATED AND TRANSFORMED INTO A VIBRANT HUB OF COMMUNITY ACTIVITY.