ABOUT YAC
Youth Arts Collective (YAC) is a nonprofit, after school art studio and mentorship program for high school and college artists - brilliant and struggling, confident and fringe, multi-ethnic, multi-tempered, and over 30% financially challenged. They learn art, job, and life skills, and gain a healthy dose of self-esteem and gratitude along the way. YACsters learn to believe in themselves, take creative risk, and give back. 100% graduate from high school. 95% of YACsters go on to university, college, and art college - many on scholarships. YAC is an incubator for some of our community’s future creatives, whether they end up in the arts, education, business, or science. YAC provides supplies, studio space, art training, exhibition and commission opportunities, individual mentoring, and a community unlike any other.
Mission
Our mission is to inspire creativity, kindness, and confidence in our youth through artistic expression and mutual respect. Do art. Be kind.
Vision
YAC is a creative and social experiment that is clearly working. Our intention is to continue to grow and enrich our core program, while enhancing the surrounding community with a visual arts center based on the courage and innovation of youth. We also hope to share how to do this with other communities. In Congressman Sam Farr’s words: “I think there should be a YAC in every city in America”