CREATEEmpowering Young L.A. Adults Through the Visual & Performing Arts
Throughout the following year PIECES will be expanding its programming to better serve its growing number of young artists seeking a place to grow artistically and to create. To effectively do so, we will offer more professional learning opportunities, conduct outreach to secure more volunteers, mentors and staff, as well as organize events for the community that showcase the work of our members. Our purpose for doing this is to ensure that more and more of our young artists find success.
In what areas of Los Angeles will you be directly working?
Westside
How do you plan to use these resources to make change?
Engage residents and stakeholders
Expand a pilot or a program
How will your proposal improve the following CREATE metrics?
Employment in the creative industries
Arts establishments per capita
Concentration of manufacturing activity in LA
Measures of cultural and global economic influence (“soft power”) (Dream Metric)
Recruiting and retention rates for local higher education institutions (Dream Metric)
Describe in greater detail how you will make LA the best place to CREATE.
By expanding, PIECES will be filling the void there is of available places for young people to create. For young artists 18-25 years of age, who outgrow after-school programs, graduate or that drop out of school, a place like PIECES plays a vital role in whether or not they aspire to do greater things or settle for less in life.
Our experience with this overlooked age group has been that since they are no longer considered children and therefore lose various types of support, they can truly lose track of their dreams while trying to figure out how to live in their new roles as adults.
Through the community at PIECES, we all learn that we have the power to succeed in what we work hard for, if we continuously are open to learning, and that we have a stronger voice when we unite our creative minds.
PIECES creates opportunities, a support system, a community – what many of our current members call their second home. We would like to bring what we have to all of the young artists living in the West Los Angeles area and to those who travel from across L.A. County to participate in our programs. We will be providing enriching and fulfilling opportunities with a mission of sparking creativity, success, innovation and union.
Please explain how you will evaluate your work.
PIECES keeps track of membership and volunteer numbers by requiring all members and volunteers to complete a free application. We also keep track of attendance through sign-in sheets for every event, class, meeting and workshop.
We are able to track whether or not we have been able to reach and retain a larger number of young artists and volunteers through the count in application numbers and attendance names.
Most importantly, we focus each day on providing valuable experiences for the young people that we serve. Records of learning, paid and unpaid professional opportunities are kept to ensure that we are keeping true to our mission.
To better understand the experiences, needs and opinions of our volunteers, guests and members, we will be introducing an anonymous suggestion box and surveys.
How can the LA2050 community and other stakeholders help your proposal succeed
Money (financial capital)
Volunteers/staff (human capital)
Publicity/awareness (social capital)
Infrastructure (building/space/vehicles, etc.)
Education/training
Technical infrastructure (computers, etc.)
Community outreach
Network/relationship support