The Music Center Expands Opportunities For Free Arts Experiences And Performances Throughout L.A. County

The Music Center today announced the launch of Arts Grown L.A., a collaborative effort that creates a platform for the artistic expression already thriving in communities throughout Los Angeles County. Deepening and expanding the reach of free arts events and performances available to the public, Arts Grown L.A., a TMC Arts program, builds on The Music Center's highly successful partnerships with community groups and local artists to create free, family-friendly performances and artmaking experiences for all ages.

The program evolved from The Music Center's long-standing programs in schools; it will expand the reach of The Music Center's multidisciplinary artist roster into neighborhoods; create connections with local artists and arts organizations to produce large-scale neighborhood performances; and establish dance residencies for young people at community partner sites. From performances and concerts at parks, community centers, libraries, senior centers and civic events, to Hip Hop dance parties and youth lessons, Arts Grown L.A. uplifts artists and creativity in communities throughout Los Angeles and complements existing local programs to enrich and enliven neighborhoods through the arts.

Arts Grown L.A. features three areas of focus including 1) Partnerships with more than 25 community and public organizations to present local events such as Boxtales Theatre Company at the El Dorado Neighborhood Library in Long Beach on June 22 - part of a series of performances at all Long Beach Public Library locations to kick off their annual Summer Reading Program; 2) Collaborations with community partners and neighborhoods to produce performances and participatory arts workshops with area artists such as a performance in summer 2022 with Levitt Pavilion Los Angeles that will feature Music Center Performing Artists along with a performance by Heart of Los Angeles (HOLA) youth; and 3) Dance residencies at community partner sites in partnership with Tiffany Bong and UniverSOUL Hip Hop to provide dance instruction for young people. One such dance residency got underway this past Saturday, with a Hip Hop dance performance at the grand opening of Little Tokyo Service Center's Terasaki Budokan space. Youth enrolled in the Mi CASA afterschool program will be able to enroll in a dance residency at the location for weekly dance instruction and an opportunity to participate in a culminating performance at The Music Center.

"L.A. County has a rich arts culture with artists whose work defines and differentiates the many pockets and neighborhoods throughout the region. It's these artists that bring our communities together, build bridges and open lines of communication through their work and remind us of what we share in common and how we can respect each other's differences," said Josephine Ramirez, executive vice president of TMC Arts for The Music Center. "Arts Grown L.A. was designed to embrace local artists and partner with the talent we find in the backyards of L.A. County to create arts experiences we can share with our children, friends and neighbors."

"We are excited to partner with The Music Center and UniverSOUL Hip Hop to bring their transformative, soul-centered dance education to the youth in Little Tokyo Service Center's Mi CASA afterschool program and to the Little Tokyo community," said Nancy Alcaraz, director of resident services at Little Tokyo Service Center. "We are committed to fostering a love of learning and self-actualization in every student, and this partnership will infuse joy into our youth participants by elevating their voices and artistic expressions through dance and Hip Hop. With partnerships like the one with The Music Center's Arts Grown L.A., our center can connect our youth to formative experiences and enriching resources."

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