The Wallis Awarded California Arts Council Announces “Arts Education Exposure” Grant

The California Arts Council (CAC) announced it awarded a $16,200 Arts Education Exposure grant to the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts for The Wallis School Partners Program, which enables pre-kindergarten through twelfth-grade students from the Greater Los Angeles Area to experience the very best in the performing arts at The Wallis through student matinees with local, national and International Artists. The program places a strong emphasis on low-income and underserved communities in which students have limited arts access.

Mark Slavkin, Director of Education for The Wallis, says, "We are honored and grateful for the California Arts Council's continued support of The Wallis School Partners Program, which is entering fifth year. Our student matinees help increase arts exposure for students throughout the Los Angeles area, with a major focus on the most underserved communities and districts. We value the CAC's partnership and support for this vital work."

CAC Arts Education Exposure grants specifically support attendance at high-quality performances and exhibits for students with limited access to such programs. Fostering deep cultural resonance with the student communities served, the experiences are complemented by pre- and post-attendance activities, such as artist talkbacks, teaching artist workshops and facility tours.

The Wallis is one of 124 grantees chosen for the Arts Education Exposure program. The award was featured as part of a larger announcement from the California Arts Council, with grant funds totaling a projected $24,508,541 for California Arts Council, with grant funds totaling a projected $24,508,541 for 2018-19, the highest investment in statewide arts programming since the 2000-01 fiscal year.

"Arts and culture are inextricably linked to our humanity," says Nashormeh Lindo, California Arts Council Chair. "They serve as a universal touchpoint for understanding and addressing our societal issues-dismantling inequity, healing trauma, reframing justice, inspiring truth and shaping futures. The Council is humbled to support the vital work of The Wallis and its passionate efforts to make a better California for us all."

To view a complete listing of all Arts Education Exposure grantees, visit: http://arts.ca.gov/programs/program_files/1819/CurrentGrantees/FY18-19_Project_Descriptions_EXP.pdf.