Diablo Ballet Awarded California Arts Council 'JUMP StArts' Grant

The California Arts Council announced its plan to award $24,608 to Diablo Ballet as part of its JUMP StArts program. JUMP StArts supports high-quality arts education and artists-in-residence programs for youth engaged in the juvenile justice system. Activities may take place in classroom, after-school, social services, or incarceration settings. The proposed project must be designed and developed in partnership between an arts organization and a juvenile justice/social services entity. The project should demonstrate significant planning and should reflect a collaborative relationship between the partnering organizations.

With support from the California Arts Council for the fourth consecutive year, Diablo Ballet, through its PEEK Extension Program, will serve 45 incarcerated girls (ages 15-18) at John A. Davis Juvenile Hall in Martinez. PEEK Extension is an arts education curriculum designed to teach students to express their feelings through movement and teamwork which is advantageous to students while detained, and when reintegrated into society. This grant will provide Diablo Ballet with the funds needed to implement PEEK Extension curriculum at Mt. McKinley Court School for weekly sessions for ten months (July 2018-May 2019) and enable Diablo Ballet to hire a VAPA Curriculum Specialist, who will further refine the curriculum. "We have seen such wonderful results with this program, which has proven to make a difference in the recidivism rate among this demographic", states Artistic Director, Lauren Jonas.

Diablo Ballet is one of 46 grantees chosen for this program. The award was featured as part of a larger announcement from the California Arts Council.

"The California Arts Council believes in the potential of the arts to enrich the lives of all our state's residents, especially our young people," said Nashormeh Lindo, California Arts Council Chair. "That belief does not change with our system-engaged youth; it grows stronger. The world we create for our young people today determines our world tomorrow. We are proud to support the work of Diablo Ballet."

For 24 years, Diablo Ballet has been the award-winning, professional dance company for Contra Costa County. Presenting acclaimed classical and contemporary ballets, the company is committed to exposing youth to the arts through its renowned PEEK Outreach Program, reaching over 68,000 underserved school children in Alameda and Contra Costa Counties since 1995. In addition, Diablo Ballet has served at-risk teenage girls incarcerated within the Juvenile Justice system since 2015. Learn more about Diablo Ballet at www.diabloballet.org.

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