About Arts Umbrella

Inspiring kids for life

Arts Umbrella provides the highest quality visual and performing arts education to Metro Vancouver children and youth ages 2-19, regardless of their financial circumstances.

Parents can enrol their children in Arts Umbrella classes held at the Granville Island facility throughout the year. They can also apply for bursary funding to offset the cost of participation. Children may also be able to take advantage of Arts Umbrella's free-of-charge outreach programs, organized through specific schools in Metro Vancouver and elsewhere in the province.

Accessible arts education
Arts Umbrella's classes are created for a wide range of ages and for every level, from "no previous experience required" to pre-professional. The array of topics in visual, digital and performing arts education is exceptionally diverse and includes, architecture, cartooning, computer and classical animation, dance, film making, media arts, painting and drawing, printmaking, photography, sculpture, theatre and video game design.

The Granville Island facility alone hosts more than 650 classes each week. In addition, Arts Umbrella's extensive, free-of-charge outreach programs offer arts experiences through schools and community centres in the surrounding community. An East Vancouver neighbourhood has also become home to a satellite location for Sarah McLachlan Music Outreach - An Arts Umbrella Project (SMMO).

All of this ensures that thousands of young people who otherwise might not be able to participate in or enjoy the arts get that chance.

Proven benefits
Arts Umbrella programs have a powerful impact on children. They help children learn to appreciate the arts and to develop their own creativity but even more valuable is the impact on the rest of their lives.

Scientific research confirms that early exposure to arts and early access to arts education have a dramatic, positive, lasting impact on children in many areas of their lives. In addition, children and youth involved in arts programs use up to 50% fewer social, justice and health services through the course of their lives.

Children who develop arts literacy (knowledge, skills and ability), will have the opportunity to:

• Learn to appreciate the arts as participants and spectators
• Learn technical skills
• Gain a wider view of themselves and their opportunities in the world
• Develop self-confidence and self-worth
• Explore and develop creativity and innovation
• Develop an ability to make decisions independently
• Learn how to work with others
• Develop discipline
• Learn to set and achieve goals
• Improve their odds of success in all areas of their lives

Community impact
Arts Umbrella reaches thousands of young people annually. It touches not just the children who participate in the classes on Granville Island and through outreach, but also their friends and peers, plus all the children who participate as audience and witness children just like them performing and enjoying themselves.

Children's participation in arts has a strong impact on the entire community. Arts Umbrella has created an incredible community of past and present students, parents, artists, instructors, volunteers, supporters, donors, sponsors, staff and friends - all inspired by the energy, joy and benefits that arts education brings to children.

In its first 30 years, Arts Umbrella has grown from a dream of a few young, artistic parents to a highly respected model for children's art organizations around the world.

The story of Arts Umbrella is a story of inspiration, determination, hard work, vision, community, generosity, professionalism and above all, magic. More.

"The hope for our world is in these young children who come to us, because they will make the future good and wonderful....That's what it is all about."
- Carol Henriquez, O.C., cofounder of Arts Umbrella, honorary chair of the Arts Umbrella board of directors.