Friends of Levitt Pavilion—City of Angels

Levitt Pavilions envisions a LA 2050 in which the community as a whole—parents, children, young adults, seniors—comes together in welcoming outdoor settings to experience the joy of arts experiences open to all. We believe that access to high quality arts experiences shouldn’t be reserved for those who can afford to buy tickets—but should be made available to everyone. We have already made tremendous strides to achieve our vision—each summer over 100,000 Angelenos of all ages and backgrounds enjoy 100+ free concerts at Levitt Los Angeles in MacArthur Park (www.levittla.org) and Levitt Pasadena in Memorial Park (www.levittpavilionpasadena.org), adding vitality to public spaces that were once neglected and nurturing an appreciation for the arts in this great city we call home.

However, in the wake of drastic funding cuts to arts education in Los Angeles-area public schools, Levitt believes we could – and must – do more. Tens of thousands of youth are missing out on opportunities to engage more deeply with the arts—compromising an invaluable part of their overall growth as individuals and members of society. Levitt Pavilions proposes to help fill this void by greatly enhancing Levitt L.A. and Levitt Pasadena’s popular free children’s series. Through the introduction of a hands-on arts learning experience before each children’s show, consisting of free, interactive workshops taught by highly skilled teaching artists in a welcoming and supportive environment, children will gain a deeper appreciation of that day’s performance inspiring their overall interest in the arts.

Both Levitt L.A. and Levitt Pasadena have had amazing success with the children’s series presented as part of the overall Levitt concert seasons, reaching 20,000 children every summer. The beauty of Levitt’s children’s series is that it encourages active participation. Because each Levitt performance venue is located in a welcoming, outdoor setting featuring a grassy lawn, children run freely, dance and express themselves. Every Levitt concert is a reason to celebrate community and to appreciate the rich culture of music that thrives within greater Los Angeles. Our mission of “community through music” is most often on display at Levitt L.A. and Levitt Pasadena’s children’s concerts. It’s heartwarming to witness the sheer joy of children as they run up to the stage to be closer to Levitt artists.

The My LA 2050 grant will give Levitt Pavilions the opportunity to extend and deepen children’s Levitt experiences through weekly pre-concert workshops from late June through August 2013—on Wednesday nights in Pasadena and Sunday afternoons in MacArthur Park. These hour-long workshops will offer a fun and hands-on way for children to learn about music and opportunities for self-expression. Teaching artists will present interactive programs that are in sync with the program being presented on the stage that day. We envision that the 20 children’s concerts (10 concerts at each venue) will represent moments in a child’s life when they begin to foster a sense of appreciation for music and experience the joy of creating and experiencing music in a communal setting. Through making an instrument, trying out cultural dances, creating murals, learning a new song and singing along with others, this supplemental interactive experience will add a rich new dimension to children’s lives. Based upon the attendance at the children’s programs in previous years, we anticipate that approximately 20,000 Los Angeles children will benefit from this program in 2013.

Our project best fits in the Arts and Cultural Vitality indicator, yet we also heavily impact the area of Social Connectedness and even Environmental Quality. Each Levitt venue is located in a city park, enlivening the communities the Levitt program serves by transforming neglected outdoor spaces into cherished destinations. We recognize that live music has always been a social connector, and that free, live music in welcoming, outdoor settings possesses the unique power to break social and economic barriers. By providing hands-on arts experiences for children and their families, Levitt will foster an appreciation for the arts and demonstrate the value of the arts as an integral component of vibrant cities. These experiences will inspire future generations to ensure the arts remain a vital part of Los Angeles.