Goals and Accomplishments

• To provide students with an arts education by providing them with Artist in Residence programs at no cost to the school or their families
• To make sure that graduating elementary students move on to middle school with the ability to read and play music
• To make sure that high school arts teachers have the resources they need to offer an adequate arts program at their schools
• To support high need, exceptionally talented students recommended by teachers to access the many resources available to them, either by offering scholarships ourselves, or matching providers with students
• To unleash new learning styles and give at-risk youth an outlet to express themselves
• To enhance the environments of school communities with murals
• To organize student exhibits and performances
• To make student achievement more accessible to non-English speaking parents
• To elevate the value of the arts in the entire community of the San Fernando Valley by exposing students to the many available resources within the community and by partnering with various local agencies in our programming
• To create a bridge across racial lines by exposing students to the arts of other cultures by maintaining a multicultural curriculum
• To empower parents to fight for the arts in public schools
• To educate the general public on the value of arts education to the community and future of America

We have been honored several times by the City of Los Angeles, the California State Legislature, the Economic Alliance of the San Fernando Valley, and the 31st District PTA. In May of 2006, Vanalden Elementary, the council’s pilot school, received the California Distinguished School Award. The arts program that they have had in place for over 6 years played a role in securing the nomination and the award. Vanalden is one of the only schools in the entire LAUSD that, in addition to the many various enriching programs that dedicated teachers and administrators have brought in to the school, has a comprehensive arts education program in place.


In September 2007, the council hosted an Arts Education Town Hall at the Madrid Theatre. Over 150 arts education activists attended from throughout the Los Angeles area. Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa delivered the opening remarks and a panel of 5 arts education leaders answered questions from the audience. This event put AEAC on the map as a leader in the arts education movement.

In 2008, a student from San Fernando High School was offered a full scholarship to attend both the summer program at Idyllwild Arts Academy, as well as finish his last year of high school there, after receiving honors from our teen art show.

Annual Valley Wide Student Art Show Puts the Valley on the Map
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