Who We Are

The Friends of Civic Arts Education (CAE) Foundation is an organization of volunteers dedicated to promoting arts education in the greater Diablo Valley area.

 

Experts now consider arts education to be the "Fourth R," as essential to learning as reading, writing, and arithmetic – and, in fact, integral to the learning of these subjects. The arts are basic to a child's biological, emotional, and educational development.

 

It’s a well know fact, cities and counties throughout the nation are wrestling with budget shortfalls and the first cuts usually made are the arts education programs. Unfortunately, the city of Walnut Creek is not immune to financial difficulty. Civic Arts Program class registration fees barely cover staff, instructor and material costs. CAE facilities are old and in a state of disrepair and operational costs are increasing. A new first-class arts education structure at the Shadelands Campus will not become reality without the support and assistance from our community and individuals who value quality arts education programs.

 

After an extensive, comprehensive evaluation of all the City of Walnut Creek’s arts programs in 2004, the Arts Vision Task Force recommended that the civic arts education program become more self sufficient. This recommendation, along with the current financial climate, compelled the Civic Arts Education Advisory Council to lay the groundwork for a separate organization dedicated to preserving our reputation as an arts learning community by: sponsoring Civic Arts Education capital planning initiatives; retaining and attracting outstanding art instructors; ensuring that our arts education programs are not jeopardized; and that our children are culturally well nourished with endless, quality artistic opportunities.

 

Currently, the Friends of Civic Arts Education Foundation consists of approximately 12 to 15 enthusiastic Board Members and over 50 volunteers; however, organizing and sustaining an organization requires the talents of many individuals with different life experiences and viewpoints.