Fine arts school opens in Westlake




Mission: Renaissance Fine Art Classes, home of the awardwinning Gluck Method of fine art training, has moved. The ribbon cutting ceremony will take place at 11 a.m. Sun., Feb. 12 at 5776 Lindero Canyon Road, Ste. A1, Westlake Village.

Although it has been nearly 30 years since the passage of Proposition 13, which cut local tax revenues for public schools and virtually eliminated arts programs, schools are still struggling to provide arts training.

According to the California Department of Education, only 23 percent of the state’s 6.3 million students are taking school art classes. A 2001 L.A. County study found most school districts allocated less than 2 percent of their budget to arts education.

In 1970 art and music requirements for elementary teacher preparation was eliminated. As a result, the vast majority of today’s teachers have had little or no preparation to introduce their students to the visual arts.

“Mission: Renaissance has been filling that gap . . . teaching tens of thousands of students since 1975,” said Ted Prescott, president of Mission: Renaissance.

The studio invites the community to a free introductory art class in celebration of its new location in Westlake Village.

For more information, call (800) 430-4ART.



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