The H E Art Project

TO COMBAT THE EPIDEMIC HIGH SCHOOL DROPOUT CRISIS WITH A LONG-TERM, SEQUENTIAL ARTS PROGRAM OFFERING STUDENTS A PURSUABLE LIFE PATH THAT INSPIRES THEM TO STAY IN SCHOOL, EVOLVE AS UNIQUE INDIVIDUALS AND FLOURISH AS CREATIVE ADULTS. BY PROVIDING IN-SCHOOL AND AFTER-SCHOOL ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAMMING, WE AIM TO INCENTIVIZE AND MOTIVATE UNDER-RESOURCED YOUTH WHILE ENCOURAGING THEM TO MAKE MEANINGFUL CONTRIBUTIONS TO LAS CREATIVE ECONOMY.

ARTWORXLA IS THE LEADING ARTS EDUCATION PROVIDER IN THE ALTERNATIVE HIGH SCHOOL SYSTEM. IN FISCAL YEAR 21-22, ARTWORXLA HIRED A NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, JAIME ZAVALA, THE FIRST ED TO BE RECRUITED FROM OUTSIDE THE ORGANIZATION AND WHO HAS A COMPREHENSIVE UNDERSTANDING OF THE YOUTH POPULATION WE SERVE. THIS YEAR WE BOLSTERED OUR CAPACITY TO HELP DIVERSE YOUTH ACROSS L.A. COUNTY TO BEGIN TO RECOVER SEVERE LEARNING LOSS CAUSED BY COVID-19 RESTRICTIONS. IN-PERSON LEARNING RESUMED IN L.A. SCHOOLS, AND NUMEROUS TEACHERS SOUGHT NEW AND RENEWED PARTNERSHIPS WITH ARTWORXLA BECAUSE OUR PROGRAMS HAVE BEEN PROVEN TO MOTIVATE STUDENTS TO RETURN TO DAILY CLASS ATTENDANCE.THIS YEAR WE SERVED APPROXIMATELY 800 STUDENTS THROUGH OUR FACULTY OF SEVEN PROFESSIONAL TEACHING ARTISTS.SOME OF OUR NOTABLE PROGRAM OUTCOMES INCLUDE: LEVEL 1: 58 SCHOOL-BASED WORKSHOPS (28 SCHOOLS IN THE FALL AND 30 IN THE SPRING), WITH TWO VIRTUAL PUBLIC PRESENTATIONS EACH SEASON (DECEMBER AND MAY). LEVEL 2: FOUR AFTER-SCHOOL RESIDENCIES IN MUSIC PRODUCTION, PHOTOGRAPHY, ANIMATION, AND COMIC BOOK ILLUSTRATION, WITH AN ACCOMPANYING CREATIVE CAREER SKILLS TRAININGSERVING APPROXIMATELY 70 YOUTH. LEVEL 3: FIVE STUDENTS ATTENDED SUMMER ART PROGRAMS WITH HIGHER EDUCATION PARTNERS AND 14 COMPLETED A SPECIAL ART CENTER COMIC BOOK ILLUSTRATION PROGRAM ON SCHOLARSHIP. LEVEL 4: 12 ARTWORXLA INTERNS FULFILLED RESPONSIBILITIES IN A PAID 22-WEEK, MULTI-DISCIPLINARY PROGRAM. OUR LEVEL 1 21/22 CULTURAL PARTNERS WERE METRO ART AND THE ACADEMY MUSEUM OF MOTION PICTURES (AMMP). OUR LEVEL 2 RESIDENCY PARTNERS CONNECTED STUDENTS WITH INDUSTRY OPPORTUNITIES IN MUSIC PRODUCTION, INCLUDING SOUNDTRACK ENGINEERING, AND PHOTOGRAPHY, AS WELL AS AN OPPORTUNITY TO STUDY THE COEXISTENCE AND SYNTHESIS OF DIFFERENT CULTURES BASED ON RETURN TO PALMYRA AT THE GETTY RESEARCH INSTITUTE. IN 2022 ARTWORXLA EXPANDED THEIR OFFERINGS AND ENGAGED APPROXIMATELY 50 STUDENTS IN A DAY-LONG POSTER DESIGN CLASS WITH MAKE SOMETHING! OUR STUDENTS' WORK WAS INSTALLED ON A 40-FOOT WALL ON HOLLYWOODS WALK OF FAME. RECOGNIZING THE EFFECT OF COVID ON OUR STUDENTS MENTAL HEALTH, ARTWORXLA PARTNERED WITH THE GETTY CENTER TEEN PROGRAMS FOR A SPECIAL 8-WEEK MINDFULNESS PROGRAM. IN THE SPRING OF 2022, STUDENTS ENGAGED IN AN ANIMATION RESIDENCY WITH CREATE NOW! THIS VIRTUAL WORKSHOP WAS INSPIRED BY THE WORK OF AWARD WINNING FILMMAKER HAYAO MIYAZAKI, AND PARTICIPANTS ENJOYED A FIELD TRIP TO PURE IMAGINATION STUDENTS AND AMMP. DURING THE SPRING SEMESTER, ARTWORXLA ALSO PARTNERED WITH ARTCENTER TO PRODUCE A COMIC ILLUSTRATION COURSE IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE NEAS BIG READ. ARTWORXLAS 12-WEEK CREATIVE CAREER SKILLS WORKSHOPS CULMINATED IN OUR ANNUAL CREATIVE CAREERS DAY WHERE STUDENTS GOT TO HEAR FROM AND ASK QUESTIONS OF PANELISTS FROM VARIOUS INDUSTRIES, INCLUDING PROFESSIONALS FROM BLOCK SHOP TEXTILES, RAVENHILL STUDIO, TRAILER PARK MEDIA AND NETFLIX. AT LEVEL 3, FIVE STUDENTS SECURED SCHOLARSHIPS TO OTIS SUMMER OF ART, USC AND ARTCENTER. AT LEVEL 4, ARTWORXLAS PAID INTERNSHIP PROGRAM PROVIDED 12 STUDENTS WITH A 22-WEEK ARTS ENGAGEMENT AND LEADERSHIP TRAINING, IN SUPPORT WITH TRAILER PARK, AND BOARD MEMBER SHARI HOLLYS COMPANY PIPELINES. TWO ALUMNI STUDENTS SECURED PAID POSITIONS AS PRODUCTION ASSISTANTS ON MUSIC VIDEOS, AND ANOTHER TWO WERE PAID INTERNS FOR THE LEIMERT PARK FESTIVAL AND CONCERT SERIES.