Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, in partnership with the National Association of Counties (NACo), presented the 2015 Public Leadership in the Arts Award for County Arts Leadership to Riverside County, California, on Sunday, July 12, 2015 at the NACo annual conference in Charlotte, North Carolina. 

 

Arts education is a key component of Riverside County’s youth employment system, which provides special services to youth between the ages of 15 and 25 to assist them in achieving their educational and vocational goals. The Worth Visual Arts Program, developed by Michele Worth, is offered at six, community-driven Youth Opportunity Centers in collaboration with Mt. San Jacinto Community College’s (MSJC) Fine Arts Program. In the program, at-risk youth are exposed to community engagement, the expression of fine arts, communication, hands-on workshops, peer mentoring, journaling, gallery youth exhibitions, and collaboration with MSJC’s Fine Art Gallery. Over 250 youth participate in the Worth Visual Arts Program annually, each developing individual art skills through the program. The program has created a successful model to serve youth engaged in Riverside County’s workforce development system. 

 

“Riverside County’s arts initiatives unite the community and encourage workforce development that is critical to sustaining the local economy,” remarked Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO, Americans for the Arts. “NACo joins with us in honoring Riverside’s county commissioners for understanding the significant impact that partnering arts with education can have on students, contributing to their success not only in school but also later in life as workers and community leaders.”

 

"The Youth Opportunity Centers' Visual Arts Program is a key component of the County of Riverside's Youth Employment System,” said Riverside County Chairman Marion Ashley. “We are proud to be recognized as the County Arts Leadership Award recipient and will continue to use Arts Education to develop the next generation of creative and innovative thinkers."

 

"We applaud Riverside County for embracing the arts to help young people become innovative, successful members of their communities," said Mathew Chase, NACo's executive director. "The arts can play a key role in building stronger counties and a stronger America."

 

The National Award for County Arts Leadership honors an elected county board or individual leader who has significantly advanced the arts in the communities they serve. Americans for the Arts established the award in 1999 to recognize the positive role county government leaders play in improving arts programs, increasing funding to the arts and making the arts accessible in their communities.

 

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.AmericansForTheArts.org