OXNARD — OPAC, the Oxnard Performing Arts Center Corporation, is honored to announce that it was recently awarded $152,000 in arts programming support from the California Arts Council. OPAC was the only nonprofit organization in Ventura County to receive all (3) grants during this grantmaking cycle.
This coming year, 2023-2024, with support from the California Arts Council, OPAC will present:
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Artist-in-the-Schools: A two-year pilot program at Oxnard Union High Schools, providing arts enrichment to introductory visual art students. Esteemed visual artists across a variety of artistic disciplines will participate in 10-week residencies. Unlike local elementary and middle schools, there is no active AIS program serving Grades 9-12. Most students entering 9th grade will not have had an art class since 4th grade.
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Arts Exposure: Two seasons of multilingual, high-quality dance and music performances, residencies and engagement opportunities by professional touring artists for Grades 6-12. In March 2023, students will get to see and learn from Kombilesa Mi, an Afro-Colombian group from San Basilio de Palenque that performs an electrifying fusion of traditional music and urban rap, with lyrics in both their indigenous palenque language and Spanish.
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Creative Youth Development: “Nardcore Academy,” an Oxnard-inspired music program teaching youth and young adults the basics of presenting concerts with an emphasis on audio engineering, lighting design and stage management. Graduates will be able to access equipment and host their own concerts at OPAC.
“This is an unprecedented opportunity to grow OPAC’s programming and community connections,” reflects OPAC Executive Director Carolyn Merino Mullin. “We’re excited to work more closely with local schools, engage students, provide meaningful employment to working artists, and strengthen our field through creative career exploration.”
These new programs are in addition to the incredible roster of events taking place annually, including Native Plant Fest, Rescuecon, Los Fest (a local music festival), PACC the Arts Fest, and Dia de los Muertos, and weekly classes through OPAC’s Teen Art Program, Children’s Art Program and DJ Program.
While the grant funding is significant, it does not fully cover all the costs associated with increasing the organization’s capacity to administer these programs. OPAC welcomes over 350,000 visitors annually to over 1,500 events. Donations are needed to ensure that this new programming and these community events remain free, accessible and open to the public.
Investing in the arts and programs presented by OPAC is a gift to Oxnard and Ventura County residents of all ages. Tax deductible donations can be made online at oxnardperformingarts.com, by texting “OPAC” to 44-321 or by mailing a check to the address below.