SPCB Receives California Arts Council Grant

San Pedro City Ballet (SPCB) is excited to announce that it is a recipient of the Artists in Schools grant from the California Arts Council.

The Artists in Schools (AIS) program supports projects that integrate community arts resources—artists and professional art organizations—into comprehensive, standards-based arts-learning at school sites. Long-term, in-depth arts education projects during school hours or in after-school programs underscore the critical role the arts play in the students’ development of creativity, overall well-being and academic achievement.

SPCB’s DancEd Steps Up has successfully provided dance education instruction (Ballet, Jazz, Contemporary, Modern, and Hip Hop) to children in public schools since 1995. Through dance instruction and performance, we have witnessed children excel not only in their physical and emotional development, but their grades also improve. Many school teachers often remark that students enrolled in our program perform better in school, are more focused and healthier. We currently provide dance instruction at eleven public schools with over 1,400 children served in the Greater Los Angeles area. Our goal is to expand our outreach to more school sites. Additionally, we are the only organization to provide dance instruction to children in need in the entire Los Angeles Harbor area. DancEd Steps Up also addresses the growing national concern regarding obesity in children and youth. Therefore, our program also encompasses healthy lifestyles, good nutrition habits and exercise in addition to teaching dance education and instruction.

The California Arts Council is a state agency based in Sacramento, USA. Its eleven council members are appointed by the Governor and the state Legislature. The agency’s mission is to advance California through the arts and creativity.