California Arts Council announced it plans to award two two-year grants to Friends of Olympia Station, dba Tandy Beal & Company, for 2023-25 to produce ArtSmart concerts, residencies and mentorships for teaching-artists throughout schools in the Central Coast.
“Some people see art as a frill—but I see art as the fourth R. Using our imagination is the way we develop empathy and thus creativity can be central to our humanity,” said Artistic Director Tandy Beal. “Now is surely a time to enhance this avenue of learning. Our mission states, ‘we strive to unite the community through the wonders of art,’ and empathy ultimately is what brings people together.”
Residencies include:
- The award-winning 25-year program Dance Around the World. Sequential classes in kinetic and creative problem-solving—aligned with Visual and Performing Arts State Standards and PE culminates in a concert for the whole school. Lead teaching-artists are Micha Scott, Saki Tamao, Keith Cowans and Ali Daniels.
- Wide Wide World, which introduces students to artists from a range of cultures from around the world. Lead teaching-artists are from Bali, Mexico, Guinea-Bissou, Hawaii, Cuba, Congo, Ukraine and more.
- The Kindness Project to encourage empathy through writing and dance.
Concerts in circus, dance and music are performed by local and SF artists: Keith Terry, Jeff Raz, Corazon en Flor, SoVoSó, Sunshine Garcia, Matt Hartle, Calvin Kai Ku, Rhonda Benin, Bryan Dyer, Micha Scott, Keith Cowans, Coventry & Kaluza and others. There will be more than 70 concerts in 2023 in Pajaro alone.
“As we embark upon our 50th anniversary year, we give great gratitude to the CAC for helping us make dreams come true,” said Managing Director Rebecca Blair. “ArtSmart annually reaches 20,000 children and teachers in Santa Cruz, Watsonville, Monterey, Seaside, Hollister and King City. We choose artists skilled in reaching across cultural divides and who mirror the face of America.”
Recently the company opened its mentorship program, Expanding Horizons, to the public interested in learning how to teach arts in schools. Master teachers guiding newcomers include Paula Bliss, Jerry Falek, Saki Tamao, Salvador Benevides, Jane Real and Rebecca Blair.
For almost 50 years, Tandy Beal & Company (TBC) has created original projects in dance, theater, circus, music and education. A major regional arts organization, the company has worked in public schools throughout the county and the nation and was named a Master Teaching Company by the National Endowment of the Arts.
For more information on all TBC programs, visit tandybeal.com.
