Arts & Learning Conservatory
Confidence And Creativity For Life
Programs and results
What we aim to solve
The Arts & Learning Conservatory is a non-profit organization providing classes, camps and performances in band, orchestra, dance, voice and theater to local elementary and middle school students, regardless of race, ethnicity, income, disability or prior experience. With funding for the performing arts continuing to be reduced and/or eliminated, parents and schools need alternative resources that support and promote children's creative and social development. A&L utilizes teaching artists to make music and theater an important part of the childhood development process.
Our programs
What are the organization's current programs, how do they measure success, and who do the programs serve?
Arts Education Outreach Classes
Throughout the Southern California area, the Arts & Learning Conservatory brings arts enrichment classes to school sites during the day and after school hours. The Conservatory is dedicated to offering students dynamic instruction in theater, glee choir, orchestra, band and dance. Classes are aligned with the California Visual & Performing Arts Standards for grades K-12. These classes also serve schools as a solid arts component within the school's curriculum.
On-Site Programs
On-Site Performing Arts Programs are conducted at the Arts & Learning Conservatory (A&L) headquarters where students can enroll in beginning to advanced levels of voice, instrumental music, theater, acting, and dance. These courses are year-round programs with fundamental concepts introduced in the Fall sessions and further developed in the Winter/Spring sessions. Classes are divided among age-specific groups. Students have the opportunity to audition and participate in A&L’s technical productions, which the Conservatory presents as a professional show.
Where we work
Awards
External reviews
Photos
Our Sustainable Development Goals
Learn more about Sustainable Development Goals.
Goals & Strategy
Learn about the organization's key goals, strategies, capabilities, and progress.
Charting impact
Four powerful questions that require reflection about what really matters - results.
What is the organization aiming to accomplish?
Our goal is to promote a hands-on experience in the arts to all children regardless of race, age, income or level of experience. Students in the A&L program receive university-level concepts presented at age appropriate levels, allowing participants to achieve higher levels of excellence in their personal & artistic ability. Our core programs include the following:
In-Studio Performing Arts Classes: A Multi-Year program with comprehensive theater and music training held at the studio offices. Sessions include classes in voice, acting, and dance with a final performance for family and friends.
On-School Campus Instrumental Classes: A year-round program with training on string orchestra instruments (violin/viola/cello), band instruments, choir and dance.
Exploratory Theater Camps: Explore movement, drama and music through various Broadway selections.
Main Stage Productions: For focused students looking to learn advanced skills in theater and musical theater.
Literature to Life Theater: A program for underserved children and youth over 4 hours of instruction per week on Title I school campuses.
What are the organization's key strategies for making this happen?
The Arts & Learning Conservatory's dedication to promoting accessibility by providing superior instruction in music and theater for young people throughout Southern California will be accomplished by:
1) Expanding offerings and outreach to existing and new school partners.
2) Ensuring the continuity of high quality theater productions.
3) Developing a marketing program that brands the Arts & Learning Conservatory as a community resource.
4) Expanding fundraising efforts from foundations, corporations, and affluent parents.
5) Establishing internal processes and procedures to promote financial stability and establishing a strategic funding initiatives policy.
What are the organization's capabilities for doing this?
The largest income growth potential is with the After Schools Arts Program (ASAP). Adding K-3 programs is an untapped opportunity for outreach and access.
Redesign instructional materials so they can be used to provide online learning as well as traditional face to face instruction.
Program Reviews for the spring and summer camps as well as the private lessons are scheduled to be completed. While both of these offerings currently serve as recruitment tools, they each generate little income to cover the costs of providing the services. The Program Review processes promotes continuous improvement, ensures the Conservatory's activities align with the Strategic Plan, and ensures accountability with the Board of Directors and the community in which we serve.
Realign marketing efforts by expanding online social media presence and initiating targeted advertising via Facebook, Instagram, Twitter etc.
What have they accomplished so far and what's next?
Thanks to generous donor contributions, a new facility was purchased in early 2017. The facility is over 8,000 square feet hosts and two performing arts studios and now houses on-site classes in music, acting, dance and theater for children ages 3 and up.
Enrollment in the ASAP program increased by over 100% in 2019 compared to the prior year.
Operating revenue has increased by more than 100% over the past three fiscal years.
The largest priority is an ongoing commitment to seek external funding through various state and local grants to expand partnerships with local school districts by offering more productions at area Title I schools, increasing arts exposure and access through an Arts Exposure grant, and a Youth Action grant to subsidize the delivery of arts enrichment classes at ten Title I elementary and middle schools in Orange and San Bernardino counties.
How we listen
Seeking feedback from people served makes programs more responsive and effective. Here’s how this organization is listening.
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How is your organization using feedback from the people you serve?
To identify and remedy poor client service experiences, To identify bright spots and enhance positive service experiences, To make fundamental changes to our programs and/or operations, To inform the development of new programs/projects, To identify where we are less inclusive or equitable across demographic groups, To strengthen relationships with the people we serve
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Which of the following feedback practices does your organization routinely carry out?
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What challenges does the organization face when collecting feedback?
It is difficult to get the people we serve to respond to requests for feedback, We don’t have the right technology to collect and aggregate feedback efficiently
Financials
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Operations
The people, governance practices, and partners that make the organization tick.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
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- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Connect with nonprofit leaders
SubscribeBuild relationships with key people who manage and lead nonprofit organizations with GuideStar Pro. Try a low commitment monthly plan today.
- Analyze a variety of pre-calculated financial metrics
- Access beautifully interactive analysis and comparison tools
- Compare nonprofit financials to similar organizations
Want to see how you can enhance your nonprofit research and unlock more insights? Learn More about GuideStar Pro.
Arts & Learning Conservatory
Board of directorsas of 07/14/2022
Ed Westbrook
Vanguard University
Term: 2019 - 2022
Ruth DeNault
DeNault Hardware. Concordia University.
Chris Baiocchi
Project Access
Carol Sudbeck
Pacific Life Insurance
Patrice Holloway
Regional Health Net of California
Board leadership practices
GuideStar worked with BoardSource, the national leader in nonprofit board leadership and governance, to create this section.
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Board orientation and education
Does the board conduct a formal orientation for new board members and require all board members to sign a written agreement regarding their roles, responsibilities, and expectations? Yes -
CEO oversight
Has the board conducted a formal, written assessment of the chief executive within the past year ? Yes -
Ethics and transparency
Have the board and senior staff reviewed the conflict-of-interest policy and completed and signed disclosure statements in the past year? Yes -
Board composition
Does the board ensure an inclusive board member recruitment process that results in diversity of thought and leadership? Yes -
Board performance
Has the board conducted a formal, written self-assessment of its performance within the past three years? Yes
Organizational demographics
Who works and leads organizations that serve our diverse communities? Candid partnered with CHANGE Philanthropy on this demographic section.
Leadership
The organization's leader identifies as:
Race & ethnicity
Gender identity
Transgender Identity
Sexual orientation
Disability
Equity strategies
Last updated: 06/09/2020GuideStar partnered with Equity in the Center - an organization that works to shift mindsets, practices, and systems to increase racial equity - to create this section. Learn more
- We review compensation data across the organization (and by staff levels) to identify disparities by race.
- We ask team members to identify racial disparities in their programs and / or portfolios.
- We analyze disaggregated data and root causes of race disparities that impact the organization's programs, portfolios, and the populations served.
- We disaggregate data to adjust programming goals to keep pace with changing needs of the communities we support.
- We employ non-traditional ways of gathering feedback on programs and trainings, which may include interviews, roundtables, and external reviews with/by community stakeholders.
- We disaggregate data by demographics, including race, in every policy and program measured.
- We have long-term strategic plans and measurable goals for creating a culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.
- We use a vetting process to identify vendors and partners that share our commitment to race equity.
- We have a promotion process that anticipates and mitigates implicit and explicit biases about people of color serving in leadership positions.
- We seek individuals from various race backgrounds for board and executive director/CEO positions within our organization.
- We have community representation at the board level, either on the board itself or through a community advisory board.
- We help senior leadership understand how to be inclusive leaders with learning approaches that emphasize reflection, iteration, and adaptability.
- We measure and then disaggregate job satisfaction and retention data by race, function, level, and/or team.
- We engage everyone, from the board to staff levels of the organization, in race equity work and ensure that individuals understand their roles in creating culture such that one’s race identity has no influence on how they fare within the organization.