Arts education in San Diego will take on a brand-new look thanks to a landmark $1 million grant awarded to the VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) Foundation. In March, the VAPA Foundation was selected as the winner of the inaugural Prebys Sparx, a challenge launched by Prebys Foundation to support innovative arts, culture, and nature programs that empower and uplift San Diego’s youth. The VAPA Foundation’s winning concept started as a simple idea – to address the social and emotional needs of students through the arts – but it promises to have huge ripple effects throughout the entire community.
The groundbreaking new concept will connect thousands of students with impactful arts programs to improve youth mental health and well-being in school. In partnership with the Expressive Arts Institute and San Diego Unified School District, The VAPA Foundation will bring in-classroom arts programs to 25 schools with limited arts offerings, impacting more than 4,700 students across 135 classrooms – all thanks to the massive influx of funding from the Prebys Sparx grant. The initiative redefines mental health support in schools, creating a scalable curriculum for arts-based social-emotional learning (SEL).
Doreen Schonbrun, longtime board member and founder of the VAPA Foundation was instrumental in connecting the organization with key grant partner Expressive Arts Institute. “We felt that there was a tremendous need in the public school system to have fine arts programs for these kids,” said Schonbrun whose time as a teaching artist highlighted the challenges of many students who simply did not have the most basic materials at home to make art. “The joy of having arts is essential to the well-being of all human beings.”
Through the Expressive Arts Institute’s 60-hour certificated training, teaching artists are equipped with evidence-based practices that blend visual art, music, movement, drama, and writing into dynamic social-emotional learning experiences in the classroom. The VAPA Foundation is the catalyst organization that facilitates bringing arts programs to schools through partnerships with teaching artists and community arts organizations.
“This program expands access to arts education but also empowers teaching artists and arts organizations with the tools to create meaningful, lasting change,” said Katelyn Woodside, Executive Director of the VAPA Foundation. “By strengthening the connection between the arts and mental health, we hope this initiative becomes a model for how creative expression can shape healthier, more resilient communities for years to come.”
World Health Organization studies show that engaging in the arts improves mental health, and Expressive Arts is designed to cultivate self-awareness, self-reflection, and empathy. By actively engaging the senses and imagination, this curriculum facilitates a deeper understanding and connection to oneself and others. This accessible approach empowers students to effectively navigate challenges, build resilience, and foster sustained emotional well-being.
The Prebys Sparx grant is the seed fund for this pilot program of the social-emotional arts education, but the need for ongoing funding continues. To learn more about the VAPA Foundation and all the work it does in the community, visit www.vapafoundation.org.
