“The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles is tremendously grateful for the on-going support of The Land of the Free Foundation. Their contributions and assistance has made a significant impact on the year round employment and training of veterans in technical theatre as well as the development of programs like Voices of the Warrior.”

Ben Donenberg
Executive Director
Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles

MISSION STATEMENT

The mission of the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles is to ignite personal and community transformation. By producing world-class Shakespeare-inspired plays, and offering best practices arts education and award-winning arts-based workforce development programs targeting under-served youth and veterans, the Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles demonstrates that high-quality accessible immersive arts engagement builds community and changes lives.

VETERANS IN ART

“And smooth the frowns of war with peaceful looks…”

-Henry VI, Part III by William Shakespeare

Veterans in Art (ViA) is The Shakespeare Center of Los Angeles’s (SCLA) signature arts-based transitional employment opportunity offering short-term paid on-the-job entry-level vocational training in technical theatre arts and life-skills development for chronically unemployed honorably discharged military veterans. Veterans work in all aspects of live performing arts production, as venue and scenic crews, audio engineers, wardrobe assistants, ushers, parking attendants, site specific marketers, technical director, and actors. Additionally, SCLA offers veterans, active military members, their family members, and caregivers free admission to professional theatrical productions and programs.

OVERVIEW

Over the first four pilot years, SCLA created transitional employment for 158 chronically unemployed veterans, 42 of whom report securing ongoing employment for the first time in more than four years. Additionally, if veterans are interested in furthering their theater craft skills through formal education, SCLA will underwrite enrollment and at Santa Monica College. The SMC technical theater classes go hand in hand with our program and help us expand the opportunities and positive life-changing experiences.