Through our School and Neighborhood Partnerships Program, we aim to:
East Bay Center’s programs in schools promote equitable access to the arts in West Contra Costa Unified School District by partnering with high need schools to provide foundational hands-on experiences for 3,500 students in culturally diverse art forms for children and youth. Through exposing students to world traditions in music, dance, theatre, and 21st century digital arts, we provide consistent, sequential instruction, working with school staff and faculty to reach the whole child’s development.
Throughout the pandemic East Bay Center continues to partner with WCCUSD schools and the district office to provide virtual learning in the arts. Our in-school and after school programs continue to provide both synchronous and asynchronous lessons for our 3,500 participating students
In School Music Program
Every student in our participating schools receives standards aligned weekly music instruction throughout the school year, designed to facilitate long-term positive impact on student learning and school culture. All students perform twice a year at school gatherings, celebrating their accomplishments and developing confidence and pride in their work. These performances are especially designed to support whole families’ experiences, strengthen familiarity with school site resources and develop a sense of shared community.
After School and Summer School Classes
By arrangement, we offer a wide range of intensive, fun, and skill building classes during the school year and summer for some of the highest need schools and community centers in Richmond. Participating students receive weekly instruction in all the art forms of the Center’s DEEP ROOTS WIDE WORLD curriculum, from Afro-Brazilian Capoeira to beginning filmmaking, Mexican Son, hip hop dance and introduction to theater. East Bay Center also works in an after school capacity with the district’s Mafanikio program, aiming to address the achievement gap for African American youth, and build historical and cultural knowledge as well as provide social and artistic skill development.
Intermediate Secondary and High School Instrumental Support
We support existing band and orchestra programs at the middle and high school levels by sending Center music specialists to work with ensembles at local schools. For example, Teaching Artists conduct wind, brass, strings, and percussion sectionals, as well as work with small groups or individual students on improving their instrumental technique. Center jazz faculty also visits schools to conduct workshops and master classes, as well as perform for students.
Preschool Arts Program
East Bay Center’s Preschool Arts Program supports young children and their families through a play-based, culturally relevant, curriculum. The program runs only during selected years. For more information, please contact Andrea Landin (contact information below).
East Bay Center for the Performing Arts offers an annual selection of assemblies for elementary and middle schools in the East Bay. During the pandemic, our assemblies have moved to an online platform. All interactive assemblies feature some of the Center's top faculty artists.
Professional artists from East Bay Center present intimate or school wide interactive performances for students, highlighting the core art forms of our DEEP ROOTS WIDE WORLD curriculum: from hard driving Bebop Jazz, to Classical West African Dance and Drumming, to regional Mexican Music and Dance, Spoken Word Poetry and Voices from Spanish Language and African American Theater, to Urban Ballet, Chamber Music, and Contemporary Vocal ensembles.
Over the past several years, the Center has developed and refined Learning Without Borders, a professional development program for classroom teachers in arts integration. This program builds on the interests and skills of district teachers to strengthen their hands-on work integrating music, dance, theater and digital arts into common core standards within their classrooms. During distance learning we are offering a series of workshops for WCCUSD classroom teachers, that provide arts integrated model lessons and curriculum. For more information please contact Andrea Landin, Director of School and Neighborhood Partnerships.