Palos Verdes Art Center / Beverly G. Alpay Center for Arts Education, a nonprofit community visual arts school and gallery, inspires individuals to create, appreciate and celebrate art. Founded on May 11, 1931, PVAC’s exhibition, education and outreach programs have grown to make the visual arts available, accessible and affordable.
Palos Verdes Art Center provides an economically and ethnically diverse community with:
- Free art exhibitions, bringing significant art in all media to our community and annual juried exhibitions for local artists. Related educational programming includes lectures and workshops.
- The Studio School offers art classes for all ages and skill levels in drawing, painting, ceramics, textiles, digital design, glassblowing, and printmaking.
- Awards and scholarships. In its 18 years, the Beverly G. Alpay Memorial Education Fund has given over $200,000 to student artists.
- Art experiences for differently-abled youth and adults. Special Mornings works with students in special education classes in Los Angeles County.
- School-based art education for more than 7,000 Palos Verdes Peninsula students each year through Art at Your Fingertips.
- Standards-based art programs for schools through artist residencies.
- Attractive rental space for weddings, parties and meetings.
- Opportunities to network with other artists in classes, exhibitions, and through PVAC Artists Groups.
Mission Statement:
Palos Verdes Art Center / Beverly G. Alpay Center for Arts Education is dedicated to educating, enriching and building community through equal and inclusive access to the visual arts. Located at the southernmost tip of Los Angeles County, we strive to be a catalyst for the advancement of LA art, culture and its global impact.
Founded in 1931, PVAC continues to make art accessible through free exhibitions, affordable classes in all media, scholarships, elementary school-based art education and artist residencies, special education for low income and at-risk youth, outreach partnerships in the community, and support for our artist groups.
Vision Statement:
We believe in the power of art to spark the imagination, be an agent for change, and unlock unlimited possibilities for community engagement and personal empowerment.
Values Statement:
- We provide a safe and welcoming space for artists, students, members, and visitors.
- We support artistic voices regardless of differences in age, color, ethnicity, gender identity, social or economic status; and seek to amplify those voices that are less heard.
- We challenge our audience by exposing them to a wide variety of art-making processes, historical and contemporary styles, and narratives that explore social justice and identity.
- The Studio School cultivates a student-centered environment that nurtures artistic growth, is culturally responsive and free of discrimination of any kind.
- We embrace new technologies that increase accessibility and expand opportunities for engagement through distance learning and online exhibitions.
- We remain a vital and relevant educational resource by maintaining high standards of artistic excellence, integrity, respect, open communication and accountability.
CULTURAL EQUITY AND INCLUSION POLICY
Palos Verdes Art Center / Beverly G. Alpay Center for Arts Education, a nonprofit visual arts school and gallery, inspires individuals to create, appreciate and celebrate art. Since it was founded in 1931, PVAC’s exhibition, education, and outreach programs have made the visual arts available and accessible to all residents and visitors of Los Angeles County with a commitment to providing a welcoming environment free from discrimination on the basis of race, color, creed, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, or ability. Our aim is to provide equal and inclusive access to arts for all through equal opportunity employment, as well as free admission and exhibition programming.
The Palos Verdes Art Center believes in the power of art to ignite the imagination and be an agent for change. To that end, PVAC’s board of trustees and staff stand united with our artists, educators, students and visitors in support of an institution that celebrates diversity, promotes understanding, exhibits compassion and nurtures the creative spirit of our community without artistic censorship. Our goal to remain a relevant and vital educational resource in a rapidly changing, global society will be reflected in a commitment to exhibitions and education programs that showcase diverse cultures, populations and viewpoints that challenge visitors to think more inclusively about the world around them. The measure of our success will be increased engagement from our local community and growth into the greater Los Angeles community, with the understanding that a strong support base and growing constituency will assure the future of our institution for generations to come.
