Virginia Avenue Project’s Arts Center for Youth will host an opening day celebration on Sunday, April 19, from 11 am to 3 pm, in tandem with 18th Street Arts Center’s Champagne Social.
For 23 years, its mission has been to inspire children to think creatively, courageously and critically about their life goals and choices by providing free Performing Arts and Creative Writing programs, in conjunction with long-term mentoring.
Fundamental to its work is the importance of Arts as Education, the impact of mentorship on children’s lives, and the necessity of honoring creative ways of learning.
Since 1992, almost 2,000 children have participated in The Project.
The center said 93 percent who become involved, stay involved, adding that 100 percent of children who stay in the core programming for two more years graduate high school, and 95 percent go on to college (UC Berkeley, USC and Harvard among them).
The center added 98 percent are among the first generation in their family to attend university.
This past September, the center moved into Santa Monica’s 18th Street Arts Center. This permanent home now houses administrative offices, storage, and classroom space, under one roof.
The Virginia Avenue Project Arts Center for Youth said it will be a galvanizing force in the Pico Corridor community, increasing access to the arts and meeting a massive unmet need for safe, fun, and engaging spaces for young people.
On April 19, student docents will be leading tours of the new Arts Center, and staff, board, volunteers and alumni will be on hand.
In addition, 18th Street Arts Center’s residents will be hosting open studio tours. For more information, contact Lisa Sorrentino at 310.496.1720 or Lisa@VirginiaAvenueProject.org.
