Outreach Programs
Our mission is to provide positive art experiences for all people despite age, ability or financial condition. Our commitment to make art available and accessible to members of our community is the reason for the Outreach Programs.
Thanks to generous donations, grants and partnerships, our Mobile Mission Art Program brings art adventures all over the Coachella Valley, at little to no cost to the student. Our Mobile Art Vans, fully stocked with tools and supplies for creativity, allow us to take our vision on the road, delivering art programs to our friends in need. The roving work room offers instructor-led art classes, and travel as far as Mecca, Thermal and Desert Hot Springs.
MOBILE ART PROGRAMS
Driving our mission forward and delivering hands-on art experiences!
YOUTH
Art programs are often the first to be cut from school budgets, which is why Old Town Artisan Studios is dedicated to partnering with schools and local youth organizations—such as YMCA of the Desert, Boys and Girls Clubs of Coachella Valley, and the Expanded Learning Opportunities Program (ELOP)—to ensure students still have access to creative and enriching experiences. Through these partnerships, we serve over 6,000 elementary and middle school children each year. We also host memorable field trips that include guided tours of our art campus, hands-on art lessons, and lunch in the courtyard. Research consistently shows that art education positively impacts both academic and social development, with studies linking it to improved reading skills and higher math scores among elementary students.
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SENIORS
For senior citizens, art classes provide immeasurable outcomes in terms of mental focus, social engagement and overall wellness. Research from the National Endowment for the Arts and University of Michigan have notes that: “Older adults who have both created art and attended art events reported higher cognitive functioning and lower rates of hypertension than adults who did not attend such events.
ON-CAMPUS PROGRAMS
ALZHEIMER’S
Our Alzheimer’s Art Program unfolded organically in 2010, when two young ladies signed-up for a semi-private clay class and were accompanied by their uncle who suffered from Alzheimer’s. While working with clay, his face immediately lit up with a vibrant smile. At that moment, our founder intuitively saw that something special was happening and knew this would be a segment of our mission. Lots of research confirms that the artistic process helps bypass the debilitating effects of brain disease. The International Journal of Geriatric Psychiatry demonstrates “improved cognitive functioning and increased ability of daily living and a decrease of behavioral and psychological symptoms of elders with dementia.”
Through our partnership with the Alzheimer’s Association of Coachella Valley and the generous grants from the Auen Foundation, we have created a distinct program for Alzheimer’s patients and their caregivers, free of charge.
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VETERANS
For veterans who have experienced physical, mental, and emotional trauma, creating can be a way to process complex emotions. Creative interventions such as art therapy can make a difference in people’s lives that medicine alone cannot do. Traumatic memories are often unlocked in images and other sensations rather than words. As far back as 1997, the Journal of Traumatic Stress found that art therapy was the top component among to produce the greatest benefits for veterans with PTSD.
With nearly 7,000 veterans residing in the Coachella Valley, we proudly serve our nation’s heroes by providing healing and expression through art. Thanks to grants from the H. N. & Frances Berger Foundation, qualified veterans can take art classes at a 50% discount.
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SPECIAL NEEDS
One of the first groups to participate in art classes at our studio was a Girl Scout troop made up of individuals with disabilities—a meaningful partnership that highlighted our commitment to serving underrepresented communities. This early experience helped shape the foundation of our outreach work. Today, that mission continues through collaborations with organizations like Desert Arc, Angel View, and Variety of the Desert. Our classes are intentionally designed to be inclusive and flexible, ensuring individuals of all abilities can enjoy the creative and expressive power of art.
