Quick Facts
Printer-friendly version
Quick Facts
For more information about Arts Umbrella, contact Susan Smith: Director, Programming:
ssmith@artsumbrella.com, or 604-681-5268 x270
Arts Umbrella - Quick Facts
Arts Umbrella - A not-for-profit arts education centre for young people ages 2-19, Arts Umbrella reaches more than 24,000 children and youth annually through tuition-based and free-of-charge outreach programs.
Programming - For more than 32 years, Arts Umbrella has provided high-quality arts education in dance, theatre, music and visual and digital arts. More than 1,000 classes happen every year, catering to kids of all artistic interests and skill levels - from pre-school age to advanced pre-professional training.
Impactful - Numerous studies indicate that people who receive arts education early in life reap many tangible, long-term, life-changing benefits. From enhanced critical thinking, improved self-esteem and ability to collaborate, to improved scores in math and science, children gain skills that can help them well into adulthood.
High-quality - Nearly 170 professional arts instructors inspire and educate with the kind of passion and expertise generally found only at professional-level arts training institutes. With the best quality instruction and materials, Arts Umbrella classes balance rigour and discipline with fun and creative expression.
Accessibility - Arts Umbrella is dedicated to making arts education available to as many children and youth as possible in Metro Vancouver, regardless of their socio-economic circumstances. More than 12,000 children access programs annually free of charge or at a reduced rate through outreach programs and bursaries.
Outreach - Outreach programs harness the Arts Umbrella magic, experience and expertise, and provide free-of-charge, high-quality arts education to pre-school, elementary and high-school students.
Bursaries - Arts Umbrella's bursary fund assists families financially to help them provide arts education to their children. In the 2010/2011 programming year, the bursary fund assistance allowed 448 students to participate in tuition-based programs at a substantially reduced rate, or no cost.
Fundraising - A unique approach to funding provides reliable, "not-to-be-cancelled" programs to children whose lives may already be filled with uncertainties. The majority of funds are raised in the fiscal year prior to the year in which they are to be spent. This ensures that established and published programs are not at risk of cancellation due to lack of monetary resources.
Support - Arts Umbrella relies on community support to continue its mission to inspire kids for life through the arts. Tuition revenues cover 40% of the annual operating budget, with 5% coming from government. The remaining 55% comes from charity fundraising events, corporate support and donations from foundations and individuals that believe in the magic that happens at Arts Umbrella.
About Arts Umbrella
Arts Umbrella is a not-for-profit arts education centre for children and youth ages 2-19. Arts Umbrella is committed to delivering the highest quality visual and performing arts education to young people, regardless of their socio-economic circumstances.
Since its inception by five young artistic parents in 1979 with only 45 students, Arts Umbrella has maintained a trail-blazing, forward-looking and community-focused spirit. It has grown consistently and now reaches 24,000 children and youth annually through tuition-based and free-of-charge outreach programs. Demand for Arts Umbrella's programs continues to increase and, as funding permits, programming grows and evolves to meet this need.
Arts Umbrella relies on community support to continue its mission to inspire kids for life through the arts. Tuition revenues cover 40% of the organization's annual operating budget, with 5% coming from government. The remaining 55% comes from fund development, including corporate, individual and foundation donations, and fundraising events.
High-quality - Arts Umbrella caters to children of all artistic interests and skill levels- from Early Learning to advanced pre-professional training. More than 1,000 tuition-based classes and numerous free-of-charge outreach classes occur every year. Innovative and high-quality instruction in visual and digital arts, music, theatre and dance is provided by nearly 170 dedicated artists and arts educators. Using the best-quality instruction and materials, classes balance fun and creative expression with rigour and discipline.
Accessible - Arts Umbrella strives to ensure that arts education is accessible to as many children as possible. Each year, more than 12,000 young people who may face geographical, cultural or financial barriers to accessing arts education, participate in Arts Umbrella programs free of charge or at a reduced rate through bursaries, scholarships and outreach programs.
Outreach programs harness the Arts Umbrella magic, expertise and experience and deliver free-of-charge programs to students in communities across Metro Vancouver. Outreach classes, performances and workshops provide opportunities for young people to explore their creativity while overcoming barriers to their participation.
Impactful - Numerous studies indicate that people who receive arts education early in life reap many tangible, long-term, life-changing benefits. From enhanced critical thinking, improved self-esteem and ability to collaborate, to improved scores in math and science, children gain skills that can help them well into adulthood.
"It was a dream to instil in all children the love of the arts, inspiring them to become healthy, confident, productive, creative citizens. A dream to build a centre that would awaken the artistic potential of young people in a way that hadn't been done before. It was a dream to make a difference."
— Carol Henriquez, O.C., honorary chair of the Arts Umbrella board of directors, co-founder of Arts Umbrella
Impact of an Arts Education
Arts Umbrella is founded on the principle that arts education can positively and profoundly impact a person's life, especially when received early in life. From enhanced critical thinking, improved self-esteem and ability to collaborate, to improved scores in math and science, children gain skills that can help them well into adulthood.
Free-of-charge and subsidized programs demonstrate Arts Umbrella's commitment to helping Metro Vancouver's vulnerable children overcome barriers to success. A highly vulnerable child is one who, without additional support and care, may experience future challenges in school and society.
Overcoming vulnerability factors in the lives of children involves helping them gain skills in five areas of life development: physical health and well-being, social competence, emotional maturity, language and cognitive development, communication skills and general knowledge.
Engagement in arts education provides children with the skills they need to lead a successful life, including:
- Enhanced innovative thinking skills and ability to make decisions
- A broader view of themselves and the opportunities available to them
- Greater self-confidence and self-worth
- An appreciation of how to work well with others
By exposing children to the joys of creating and learning, arts education can reduce vulnerability factors in their lives. With decreased vulnerability, children are better equipped to determine a positive and fulfilling life path. Through activities that are challenging, meaningful, and based on strong arts education principles, Arts Umbrella can have a positive impact on the lives of the children it serves now and into their future.
Arts Umbrella Surrey
Arts Umbrella was founded on the belief that arts education can profoundly and positively impact a child's life. From increased self-confidence to ability to work with others, the benefits of arts education resonate beyond the development of well-rounded children, and play an integral role in building strong, healthy and dynamic communities.
Arts Umbrella began with a dream to provide high quality arts education to children in the community. The original Granville Island location opened in 1979 with 45 students, and has grown to reach more than 24,000 children every year through tuition-based programs, as well as free-of-charge outreach programs. By collaborating with community partners, Arts Umbrella has been able to reach out and ensure children and youth have access to arts education, regardless of any socio-economic barriers they may encounter.
To continue to reach as many children as possible, Arts Umbrella's strategic plan indicates a need to expand beyond Granville Island. Establishing more permanent locations will ensure young people across Metro Vancouver have the opportunity to access the lifelong benefits arts education can bring, in the communities they live in. With this in mind, Arts Umbrella's board of directors, identified Surrey as an ideal location for expansion.
Surrey is the second largest city in British Columbia, and one of the fastest growing cities in Canada. With birth rates and immigration levels above Vancouver's in recent years, demographers predict that Surrey's population will soon exceed that of Vancouver. With 26% of Surrey's population 19 years and under, the local school system serves more students than any other in the province.
The leadership of Surrey demonstrates a clear commitment to children and the arts. The City of Surrey's "Child and Youth Friendly City Strategy" will identify how the community can best promote the healthy development of young people from early childhood through to adolescence. Arts Umbrella is poised to play an important role in helping Surrey achieve its goal to ensure "services are inclusive and accessible to children and youth, including children from a diversity of families" as well as "providing services and programs that specifically respond to the developmental needs of early childhood, middle years and youth".
A programming plan has been created in line with the greater needs of the residents of Surrey,
maintaining the high standard for arts programs Arts Umbrella is known for. Programs begin in 2011, in two locations (Central Surrey and South Surrey). A mix of free-of-charge outreach programs, as well as tuition-based programs will be available for hundreds of students in the first year, with plans for sustainable growth in subsequent years.
Through the establishment of accessible arts education programs in more communities, Arts Umbrella's founding mission of positively impacting as many children through exposure to the arts will be continued. Arts Umbrella hopes to bring opportunities for skills development and personal growth to Surrey's children and youth, while contributing to creating a cohesive, economically vibrant community.
Arts Umbrella Outreach
Outreach programs harness the Arts Umbrella magic, expertise and experience and deliver free-of-charge programs to students in communities across Metro Vancouver. Outreach classes, workshops and performances remove geographic, cultural and financial barriers to children's participation and provide them with opportunities to explore their creativity, and provide access to the life-long benefits of arts education.
Of the more than 24,000 children that access Arts Umbrella programs annually, more than 12,000 access them free-of-charge or at a reduced rate through outreach programs.
Following thorough research and consultation, Arts Umbrella partners with neighbourhoods, schools and community centres located in areas demonstrating a high ‘vulnerability index' to deliver programs where it is needed the most, and will provide the greatest positive impact to children and youth.
Metro Vancouver Outreach
Art Start For Parents: This program provides visual art and creative movement training to parents enrolled in Ray-Cam's Child Care Training program. Arts Umbrella assists in providing specialist training skills and resources to parents who are mostly new to Canada and parenthood or those training to become employed as child-care workers.
Arts Outreach At The Focus Foundation of BC: The Focus Foundation of BC offers a variety of support services for youth, city-wide. This weekly drop-in program provides a fun and safe environment for youth to develop skills and expertise in the fine and performing arts.
Arts Outreach At The Immigration Services Society (ISS): Arts Umbrella offers young people going through a settlement program at ISS a chance to develop their own creative expression, build self-confidence and learn new skills through play, movement, music and art making in a safe and supportive environment. Open to those participating in a refugee settlement program.
Dance Outreach At Henderson Annex: Fun and exciting dance instruction in a variety of styles is provided for K-Grade 5 students. Through basic dance movements and vocabulary, group dances, games and choreography, the program fosters balance, coordination, fitness and creative expression.
Headstart: HeadStart programs aim to "level the playing field" for children ages 2-6 living in Vancouver's inner city by providing a stimulating arts-based learning experience. The programs serve children of families from a wide range of cultural and socio-economic backgrounds. Programs run at the following locations: Ray-Cam Cooperative Centre, Grandview Terrace Pre-school, Eagles-in-the-Sky Daycare, Strathcona Pre-school, Britannia Pre-school and Hastings Street Early Learning Centre.
Music & Theatre Fundamentals at Florence Nightingale Elementary School: Students participate in two back-to-back classes, exploring the basics of music and theatre learning. Musical Expressions introduces the general elements of rhythm, melody, form and timbre, while the Theatre component explores the basics of improvisation, mime and movement.
Surrey Arts Outreach At Lena Shaw Elementary - School Stars Academy: This multi-discipline program offers after-school instruction in theatre, visual arts and photography to Grades 9-12 students. Classes are designed to help students of the Stars Academy program build self-confidence, develop positive peer connections, and learn problem solving skills while exploring their own creative expression and process.
Theatre Arts Outreach At Britannia: This program offers after-school instruction in improvisation, mask making, clowning, script development and puppetry for students ages 12-18 at Britannia Secondary School. Students are provided with a nutritional snack each week. A final public performance is held at the end of each program year.
Theatre Arts Outreach At Kiwassa Neighborhood House: Kiwassa provides programming for people living in the Hastings Sunrise and Grandview Woodlands areas. These classes provide mentorship and encourage self-esteem through games, improvisation, scene work and performance.
Theatre Arts Outreach At Strathcona: This eight-month program includes improvisation, mask making, clowning, script development and puppetry. Students ages 7-12 are provided with a nutritional snack each week. A final public performance is held at the end of each program year.
Waterside Child Development Centre: Through movement, music and art making, young participants are encouraged to develop imaginative forms of expression in a creative environment that supports the child's social and personal development.
Westminster Savings Arts Umbrella After-School Program: This program delivers engaging arts programming for young people living in the Central Surrey community. The four-day per week program provides a fun and safe environment for youth to develop skills and expertise in the fine and performing arts.
Metro Vancouver School Outreach
HSBC Arts Umbrella Environmental Education Program: This program helps children develop critical thinking skills and an awareness of environmental issues through arts-based projects. Each year, children from elementary schools in Metro Vancouver visit Arts Umbrella to participate in movement and visual arts workshops. Students respond artistically to an environmental topic and explore their impact on the planet.
Rio Tinto Alcan Van Go & Stage Coach: Free theatre and visual arts programs are delivered by Arts Umbrella instructors to select inner city elementary schools throughout the Metro Vancouver area. Students learn to sketch, draw, paint and act in response to a particular topic. Participating schools are defined by consultation with school boards. Preference is given to schools that would normally not have access to programs.
School Performances: Thousands of Metro Vancouver students from select inner city schools experience performances by the Arts Umbrella Dance Company and the Junior, Senior and Musical Theatre Troupes. After each show, students can further their learning experience through a discussion with the dancers and actors. For some students, these performances are their first introduction to the arts, and for others a performance by their peers can foster a life-long appreciation of the arts. Performances are geared towards both younger and older audiences.