Center for the Arts Presents Spring 2021 ARTSreach Digital Education Resources

As part of its continued mission to present innovative, unique, entertaining, and diverse performances and museum exhibitions, the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts at Pepperdine University will be hosting its ARTSReach program online throughout the Spring 2021 semester. The ARTSReach program typically provides free performances and tours of the Weisman Museum of Art to more than 5,000 K–12 schoolchildren in Los Angeles and Ventura County each year. As a result of the closures caused by the coronavirus pandemic, the program transitioned to an online format for the 2020–2021 season.

Each month through May 2021, the Center for the Arts will share curated activities with participating ARTSReach teachers and schools. These resources will include performances, art criticism, and art analysis opportunities, and will consist of a combination of video and “screen off” activities for students, encouraging them to engage with and be inspired by art.

“This has been an incredibly challenging time for young people, their teachers, and their families. I selected these performances to bring some joy, wonder, and delight to the students and schools in our community,” shares Rebecca Carson, managing director for the Center for the Arts. “I am incredibly proud of the hard work and talent shown by our student team at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts. In the midst of their own struggles and challenges, our students turned to creativity and innovation. Years from now, I think our Pepperdine students will look back at this time and be proud that they took a challenging, difficult time and used it as an opportunity to inspire and help others.”

The diverse range of professional presentations in the spring ARTSReach series includes jazz singer Jazzy Ash, GRAMMY-nominated Latin singer Sonia de los Santos, hip-hop dance company Versa-Style Dance Company, and theatre and music alumni from Pepperdine University. Performances are pre-recorded, so teachers can share the content with their students at their convenience over a four-week period. Each performance will be paired with a live question-and-answer session with the artist, giving students the opportunity to engage with the artists.

Each professional presentation is paired with four or more arts education activities designed to inspire and educate students in visual art, music, theatre, and dance. Many of the arts education activities were created by Seaver College students under the direction of professional staff at the Center for the Arts.

Dates for the ARTSReach Spring 2021 monthly content are as follows:

• Jazzy Ash and Black History Month: Now–March 14, 2021
• Sonia de los Santos and Spotlight on Women Artists: March 15–April 11, 2021
• Versa-Style Dance Company and Spring into Dance: April 12–May 9, 2021
• Pepperdine Alumni and Travel and Adventure: May 10–June 6, 2021

To learn more about the ARTSreach program, visit the Center for the Arts website.