TAAC Brings Community Arts Center to Altadena

The long deferred dream of the Altadena Arts Council (“TAAC”) to provide Altadena with a community arts facility where the creative abilities and aspirations of children, youth and adults can be developed and encouraged will soon be a reality.  According to Mary Ann Stevenson, Executive Director, “The Altadena Community Arts Center is about to happen after two years of intensive effort on the part of members of the Arts Council to identify possible facilities at various closed school sites and gain approval of the Pasadena Unified School District Board for their use.” 

And, at the board’s June 28 meeting, they did just that in approving the Art Council’s request to establish the center at the Loma Alta School site on a one-year basis, with the potential for renewal. The district’s arrangement with TAAC is not unique and is similar to one enjoyed for a number of years by the old Pasadena Art Workshop, which later evolved into the Armory Center for the Arts.

Borrowing lines from the Fort Worth Community Arts Center, Stevenson wants the community to "Imagine a place where children, youth and adults can immerse themselves in creativity - creating and exhibiting art, participating in music, dance and theatre workshops, participating in spoken word events, visiting galleries/museums and other cultural institutions, while gaining an appreciation of themselves and others.

That’s the vision she has for the Altadena Community Arts Center and says, “As Altadena’s local arts agency, it’s all in line with the Council’s mission of serving as Altadena’s advocate for the arts.”

Stevenson anticipates the center being open for business late September/early October and looks forward to hearing from artists (coordinators and instructors for the art, music and dance disciplines are sought) as well as community volunteers interested in becoming a part of the Altadena Community Arts Center. "This will be a community arts center and we want the community to be involved", said Stevenson. 

The Arts Council can be contacted at 626-797-5798 and info@altadenaartscouncil.org.