“Making an impact” seems to be firmly in the cultural zeitgeist. Everyone seems to want change, structural change, political change, or educational change. What exactly is impact? On what? On who? In the arts, this type of vague, feel good language is evident. Impact is the dash of seasoning on top of some unclear social media campaign. However, “impact” is just empty calories without the specifics of clear concrete goals.  As I have graduated college and been working fulltime in the arts for a year, I have quickly understood how good intentions are completely worthless without attainable, measurable goals. 

As I walked across the stage and left my collegiate career behind, I continued to ponder about how I can change the world (I know, I am not immune to naïve thinking). I want to make a more musical America. I want to work in the arts. I want to change public policy regarding the arts. I wanted to make my presence known in the Los Angeles area. But I didn’t know what that meant. I ended up landing a job at the Colburn School, one of the premiere music education establishments on the West Coast. The work is incredibly rewarding but I still desired to be involved in the workings of arts and cultural policy.

Youth Advisory Council

In Spring of 2019, I discovered a brand new program, the Youth Advisory Council. It was going to be my “impact.” I was already signed up for the newsletter for the Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture. In a certain issue, I saw those words Youth Advisory Council. Now, maybe it’s because I essentially act as a 54-year-old, but I immediately thought I would be too old. However, it was for ages 18-24. I thought “Yes, that is exactly what I need, another commitment along with my full-time job and private students.” But however busy/tired I was, I knew this was the opportunity I was looking for. 

What is the Youth Advisory Council?

Coordinated by the LA County Arts Commission, The Los Angeles County Arts Ed Collective is pleased to announce the formation of a Youth Advisory Council, which will offer young leaders a voice in shaping a new LA County Regional Plan for Arts Education. The Regional Plan will set forth strategies for advancing arts education across Los Angeles County, both in schools and in communities, with a focus on scale, equity and inclusion.

(Los Angeles County Department of Arts and Culture)

This opportunity checked all the boxes. It was policy work involving arts in Los Angeles. Music and arts education is a passion of mine. My life has been devoted to the arts and even though I am not performing as much, working in the field and creating more artistic and musical opportunities for people of all ages is a major focus in my life. I have done much soul searching in the past 2-3 years about my path forward. After I decided not to pursue performance, I have been trying to find the perfect pathway. I have been focused on creating larger changes to the community here in Los Angeles. That is why I applied for the Youth Advisory Council. 

In April 2019, I finished my essays, checked in my amazing recommender Darius Epps, and submitted my application for the advisory council. After a couple of weeks of tortuous waiting, I finally heard about my result. 

I was selected. 

In all 25 applicants were selected, all of whom were between 18-24 and have a passion for the arts and civic action. On the day of orientation, I walked in to the building in Downtown Los Angeles. I saw other excited young people and I knew I found the right place. In our conversations, I found true colleagues in the arts. They knew the field, were passionate about the arts, and were prepared for hard work. I was blown away by the quality of leaders selected. The Arts Ed Collective was not messing around in their choices. They wanted young people who could change the world. They wanted people who were not afraid. They chose leaders.

After orientation, we were required to attend at least two of the Community Forums. These meetings were to gather community members, arts professionals, educators, and anyone else that might want to give their feedback on the Regional Plan for Arts Education.

Santa Clarita Forum

The forum was efficient and well-run. The Soluna group, a consulting group hired to run the event, created a welcoming environment for conversations and engagement. Although I was initially uncomfortable with the visual art that participants engaged in at the beginning, I soon found the process a useful stimulant in developing conversations. I was impressed with the level of detail that the people at my table spoke about the arts. They were from the City, County, and a charter school. They addressed specific concerns about providing arts education for all. 

As we moved through the various questions, we arrived at the time to discuss creative pathways for young people. This was the time that my expertise and experience was most helpful. I explained my pathway and how young people need support to find creative careers. As someone who transitioned from a purely performance career goal to a creative field in the arts, I understood the challenges of finding help and support to guide the transition. We talked about having career resources and mentors helping in this process. I brought up the point about including non-arts businesses reaching out to creative students. This is something that is lacking in the conversation around creative pathways.

The space for young people is incredibly important. Not just that we are tokens in the plan, but that we are listened to and taken seriously. There are serious challenges to pursuing a career in the arts as a young person: student debt, turbulent job market, unpaid work pressure, instability, and lack of support. I am proud to bring light to these challenges. 

I also got the chance to talk to the local newspaper, the Signal. I explained my role in the Youth Advisory Council and the amazing opportunity to influence policy in Los Angeles County. You can read the Signal’s article on their website.

Long Beach Forum 

Soon after the Santa Clarita Forum, I made the long trek to Long Beach for the next forum. I braved the traffic, construction, and about 50 miles of treacherous freeways to attend my second forum for the Arts Ed Collective. Overall, my experience was similar to the one in SCV. I was welcomed into conversations, the LA County Dept. of Arts and Culture staff were generous and kind, and I engaged in deep conversations about arts education in the Los Angeles Area. The biggest difference was the group of people. While the group of people in Santa Clarita mostly agreed and collaborated with each other, my table at Long Beach consisted of differing opinions, mainly due to the generational difference. 

Differences of opinion

After the event started and I chose a table, the forum was on. We painted, talked, discussed, and debated our ideas of an ideal arts education in Los Angeles. One person was especially strong in her opinions and lacked the insight to see other perspectives. She was not aware of the support, programs, and organizations that existed in the area to create meaningful arts education experiences. 

At one point, we were talking about pathways to the creative fields, she blurted out that students need to volunteer. I simply replied, “As someone who could not afford to take off a whole summer or semester to work for free, students know about these opportunities but do not have the luxury of experimenting in a different field.” She didn’t have a response. I don’t think she has ever heard someone say this. 

She also commented that millennials should skip college and just take online courses to gain knowledge. I replied by saying that without a college degree most employers will not even look at your resume. Until that is changed, students are sort of forced to go to university. 

This is exactly why myself and the other members of the Youth Council were chosen to be part of these conversations. Leaders in the arts, education, and government need to realize the pressures put on young people, especially those pursuing creative careers and the arts. 

I took all my observations, wrote everything down, and prepared for…

The Youth Advisory Council Meetings

So what happens when you assemble 25 young artists and arts leaders in a room together. Chaos. No. Well, kind of. At first. 

Ok, let me qualify my statement. I am a fastidious organizer. I plan. I create to-do lists and spreadsheets. So, as soon as I am thrust into a position of spontaneity, I am a bit uncomfortable. There was definitely a learning curve to our group. The first meeting was about learning how we work, how the group functions, our strengths, and our common goals. It was not chaos, it was just not my style or what I am used, which is ok.  

By our second meeting, most of the communication issues were resolved and we began to work. We broke down our goals for the group, discussed the previous regional plan, and planned how to tackle the rest of our time together. 

Although this was only the first part of my participation in the Youth Advisory Council, I know that it was the right use of my time. I found true companions in the other members. They loved the arts and wanted to see a better environment for all students in Los Angeles County. I found a place where my opinions are welcomed and needed. I found my impact. Real, tangible impact. This Regional Plan for Arts Education will make Los Angeles a more welcoming place for the arts. It will emphasize the creative career pathways and support students pursuing artistic careers. This is impact. 

I am proud to be part of the council. I am looking forward to our next meetings and working more on the plan. More updates to come!