Performing Arts Workshop
33
3
"Up" is the number of experts who agree that the nonprofit has had the most impact in the
field. "Down" is the number of experts who disagree that the nonprofit has had the most impact in field.
Headquarters Location: San Francisco, CA
Founded: 1965
Mission: Performing Arts Workshop is a nonprofit organization dedicated to helping young people develop critical thinking, creative expression, and basic learning skills through the arts.
Tags:
bay area, arts & culture, arts programming, advocacy, disadvantaged youth, arts education, world dance, creative movement, world music, theatre, creative writing, residency programs, youth engagement
Summary
Stories
Expert Reviews
Leadership
From the Nonprofit
Leadership
Jessica Mele.
Jessica Mele joined the Workshop in April 2006, where she combines her love of the performing arts with her interests in education and community building. Under her leadership, its programs have increased the number of youth served by 15 percent. In the community, she currently serves as the Advocacy Co-Chair for the Arts Provider’s Alliance of San Francisco and as… See full bio.
Financial Data
Overhead Ratio:
22.23%
Total Revenue:
$1,474,284
From the Nonprofit
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Contact Info
E-Mail:
info AT PerformingArtsWorkshop.org
Phone:
415-673-2634
Facebook:
Address:
1661 Tennessee Street
San Francisco, CA 94107, USA
Story:
Performing Arts Workshop helps young people develop critical thinking, creative expression and learning skills through the arts. Hear what Brooke Gessay a Performing Arts Workshop Artist Mentor has to say about her experience with working with her students:
“I remember the day I realized what a difference I was making in the lives of the young people I was teaching through Performing Arts Workshop. One student, Andrew, had given me the most resistance of any of my students. He was aggressive to the point of yelling names at his regular teacher when she urged him to participate. We’d had about eight classes, so I knew to be prepared for Andrew’s reactions; I knew how to ‘manage’ him, but had yet to see him thrive.
One morning, I taught the class a dance, with an energetic song to match. We worked on the dance for a while before adding the music. Andrew’s focus shifted immediately when there wasn’t verbal conversation; just the direct experience of moving to music changed his attitude. His eyes locked with mine, and he did the dance in full three times until he was smiling and class ended. As the kids lined up to go, I told him, ‘Andrew, that was fantastic! Your concentration was on. I want you to remember that. You are an incredible dancer.’ He didn’t say anything, but his eyes shone as he walked out.
On my next break, I looked over and saw his head peeping in the door. He’d come back during recess. I told him again what a great job he’d done, and he said, ‘I’m not playing anymore, Miss Brooke.’ He was a leader in class for the rest of the residency, and a year later, he always gives me a hug when I see him.”
(Read more about what Performing Arts Workshop has accomplished recently at: http://www.performingartsworkshop.org/pages/pdf/mhPerformingArtsWorkshopAR2009.pdf)
Expert Reviews of Performing Arts Workshop
Evidence of Impact Summary:
Performing Arts Workshop is one of the very best arts education programs in the Bay Area. They produce very high quality dance, theater, and multidisciplinary arts programs that serve many San Francisco public schools. PAW has developed particular expertise in working with at-risk youth and children with learning differences. They have competed for and been awarded prestigious federal grants that have enabled them to evaluate their work. PAW produces a high-quality program while remaining self-critical and reflective.See expert comments.
Organization Strengths Summary:
Experts praise PAW mostly for their outstanding founding leader and current leader. The founding leader helped build the program's credibility within the arts education community and schools. The current leader collaborates well, is sensitive to the organization's past, and is making the organization current and relevant for youth today. And, they have great financial management.See expert comments.
Areas for Improvement Summary:
Some experts think this organization should grow to serve more of the community because of their unique place in the arts education arena. They should also diversify their funding sources, be even more collaborative, and offer professional development opportunities to their teaching artists.See expert comments.
Expert Comments: Evidence of Impact
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Impact |
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They produce very high quality dance, theater, and multidisciplinary arts programs that serve many San Francisco public schools. PAW has developed particular expertise in working with at-risk youth and children with learning differences. They have competed for and been awarded prestigious federal grants that have enabled them to evaluate their work. PAW produces a high-quality program while remaining self-critical and reflective. | ||
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This pioneer arts education organization has an outstanding history and record of accomplishment that goes back 50 years or so. It is a learning organization that keeps current with the latest research. PAW has a clear and solid mission and develops pedagogically sound and innovative programs that serve large numbers of Bay Area youth annually. They have a strong professional development program and work to build leadership within the organization--cultivating a new generation of arts administrators and teaching artists. | ||
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This is one of the very best arts education programs in the Bay Area--it attracts talented artists and reaches a very diverse range of children, the majority of whom come from low-income and otherwise disadvantaged backgrounds. | ||
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They have made advocacy a priority, benefiting the field as a whole. | ||
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They have had a big impact through advocacy. | ||
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Their public school programs are of great value. | ||
Expert Comments: Organization Strengths
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Well-Balanced Board and Strong Financial Management |
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PAW has a dynamic, young executive director and a great staff. Its board appears to be balanced and well-suited to its needs. It has retained a cash reserve even in hard times. The organization's management is as solid as its program. | ||
Great, Collaborative Leadership |
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They have outstanding young leadership that understands the history of the organization and the field and works to build alliances across generations while offering new ideas and vital programming relevant to today's youth. The organization's leaders participate in larger alliances around advocacy and policy development to advance the field while fostering collaborative efforts. | ||
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Their strengths are longevity, leadership, and they do well in theater education. This organization has done a good job of succession planning beyond the founders' tenure and they have stable financial resources. | ||
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They have great leadership, staff, and marketing. | ||
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Their leadership is outstanding. | ||
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They have excellent administrative leadership and high quality in-school artists. | ||
Credibility in Arts Education Community |
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Their founder and longtime leader (now retired) Gloria Unti was a major force in arts education in San Francisco. She was instrumental in keeping the arts alive in San Francisco schools. The organization is very sophisticated in its understanding of the politics of the public school system: its sustained programs over a long period of time are a testament to its adaptability and credibility in the arts education community. | ||
Incorporate a Lot |
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Performing Arts Workshop involves so many players, sets, costumes, lighting, etc. in their productions they could easily incorporate additional funds. | ||
Expert Comments: Areas for Improvement
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Diversify Funding |
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It may be too dependent on a small number of large grants and school contracts. | ||
Professional Development for Teaching Artists |
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In addition to providing their own performing arts professional development for teaching artists honed over the years, they could expand their resources by participating in other strong professional development programs and thinking about how to integrate a variety of approaches. | ||
Grow Bigger to Serve More |
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Fundraising is always a challenge. Because of its important place in the arts education arena, it would benefit the community if it were to grow significantly larger. | ||
More Collaboration |
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I would like to see arts education organizations move beyond the short residency model paid to independent contractor teachers and help the field develop professionals. At the same time, I've watched this organization sometimes take on jobs and projects that were beyond their areas of expertise and strength--partnerships and collaborations might serve them. | ||
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They could build even more collaborative programs with other community organizations. | ||
Improve Marketing |
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They could improve the marketing of their juvenile justice programs. | ||
Leadership
Jessica Mele
Executive Director
Executive Director
In the community, she currently serves as the Advocacy Co-Chair for the Arts Provider’s Alliance of San Francisco and as a member of the steering committees of Teaching Artists Organized and the Alameda County Office of Education’s Alliance for Arts Learning Leadership.
From 2002-2005, Jessica managed the academic research projects of Marshall Ganz at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She also developed her own negotiation and community building skills as an organizer for the Harvard Union of Clerical and Technical Workers (AFSCME, AFL-CIO).
She holds a B.A. in Anthropology and French Studies from Smith College and an Ed. M.in Education Policy and Management from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
From the Nonprofit
The nonprofit has not added any comments yet. If you are a representative of this nonprofit and would like to leave a comment, please email us at
feedback@myphilanthropedia.org
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