Friday, October 18, 2019

Feel Good Friday - Arts Outreach

I'm headed to Los Olivos, California today and so is Feel Good Friday! Although only one of us will be wine tasting.

Our Los Olivos destination is Arts Outreach, a nonprofit community arts organization based in the Santa Ynez Valley. Their mission is "promoting the visual, literary and musical arts in the Santa Ynez and Los Alamos Valleys".

They began in 1980 with five volunteer artists as an arts-in-schools program, placing artists in the classrooms to teach and perform. Today, they have over 70 professional artists helping them out.

Arts Outreach still places artists in the classroom to work in partnership with the teachers and holds art classes after school and during the summer. Summer classes can include, art, music and theater. There is also a 20-week singing workshop called Valley Glee, which culminates in a performance for the community.

Adult programs include art classes that teach a variety of mediums and an outreach program that brings concerts and artistic events to retirement communities and senior living centers.

If you live in the area, you can get a taste of Arts Outreach by participating in the upcoming Gingerbread Wonderland fundraiser. Enjoy dinner and wine, then decorate a gingerbread house. Or maybe you should reverse the order.

For people not in the area, you can show your support of Arts Outreach by making a donation, liking their Facebook page and following them on Twitter @ArtsOutreach1.


No comments: