Ryman Arts

2022 program highlights Ryman Arts successfully continued in-class instruction in 2022 that had resumed in fall 2021, still following strict covid mitigation protocols. Staff used The experience gained during The height of The pandemic to continue some virtual programs, including student and parent orientation, college preparatory workshops, career awareness programming and an online graduation celebration. This hybrid model allowed for better access and a safer environment for our students and their families.ryman Arts expanded its comprehensive services and special opportunities to help students transition to college and beyond. Over 800 students, alumni, and their families participated in The fall 2022 college preparation weekend, a virtual two-day event of 30 sessions, where representatives from 23 colleges and Arts schools from across The country met with Ryman Arts students, reviewed portfolios, and hosted financial aid and other workshops for students and parents. Additionally, over The course of The two semesters, students had The opportunity to learn from visiting guest artists, ranging from prominent mid-career artists to professionals in a variety of creative fields.we deepened our alumni relationships through working with Ryman Arts alumni who are in The creative workforce, adding a new layer to our career services as our alumni serve as role models and share their careers in The Arts with The next generation. During our spring 2022 career preparation series, we had 6 virtual sessions over The course of a month. Our session topics ranged from balancing a freelance career, to theme park design and entertainment licensing. 50% of these sessions were led by our alumni.drawing on our strong relationships with educators, community leaders, and high schools in low-income communities, Ryman Arts was able to provide application guidance and program access to more underserved youth and new communities through our outreach initiative. In 2022, we continued to provide in-person and virtual outreach presentations and workshops. This included virtual information sessions, where students and their families join us online to learn about The program and how to apply in english and spanish, and involvement in various virtual community events. Despite outreach limitations as we navigated The challenges of The post-pandemic environment, we made 24 presentations, reaching over 450 students. Ryman Arts' college acceptance rate continued to remain extremely high with 98% of students reporting on their post-high school plans confirming that they would be attending college, a real accomplishment in our communities. Students were accepted to colleges across The nation, including The following institutions: 10 university of California campuses, 12 California state universities, artcenter college of design, California institute of The Arts, carnegie mellon university, dartmouth college, otis college of art & design, rhode island school of design, school of The art institute of chicago, yale university, and many more.since 1990, Ryman Arts has taught foundational drawing and painting skills to talented high school students, providing outreach to youth across southern California, and The support and resources essential to pursuing and achieving higher education. In doing so, Ryman Arts furthers The talent and promise of an underserved population that would otherwise have few opportunities and plenty of road blocksto thrive artistically and academically at a critical time in their lives.for over 32 years, Ryman Arts has impacted over 38,000 students through its core program, outreach efforts, and community activities. During these challenging times, Ryman Arts' services are more crucial than ever as we continue to provide key Arts education access. As The only free, year-round, out-of-school Arts education program of this high caliber, consistency, duration, and impact in The southern California region, we reduce barriers and increase opportunity for underserved youth. Each year, approximately 500 students attend classes on sundays at otis college of art & design in los angeles or on saturdays at California state university, fullerton in orange county. Both campuses host Ryman Arts free of charge. Students complete this dynamic 1-year-long program as more self-confident and community-minded individuals, possessing life-transferable skills that translate into any field they choose to pursue. Art colleges and universities from across The country come to Ryman Arts' college day every fall for recruitment, and graduates are accepted to top colleges and universities, often with generous scholarships. While many students continue their studies in The visual Arts, others choose from a range of academic fields, such as history, economics, and computer sciences, often finding creative ways to intersect these with The Arts through dual or joint majors. During The program, students hone creative and critical thinking skills that are applicable regardless of their chosen degree or vocation. Approximately 1/3 of Ryman Arts alumni go on to pursue careers in creative industries throughout The state, in fields such as graphic design, illustration, Arts education/administration, fine Arts, animation, architecture, and industrial/automotive design. Students frequently stay involved for years as part of our robust alumni community and serve as role models for The young people in The program. Many continue to volunteerinstalling exhibitions, assisting in The office, conducting outreach presentations, and participating in community activitiesthus paying forward The gift they received.recognized for its enduring commitment to mentoring youth and The superior quality of its program, Ryman Arts was named a 2019 pasadena art alliance impact award recipient, 2015 socal pbs community champion, and national Arts and humanities youth program awards semifinalist from 2012-2014.ryman Arts classrooms reflect The cultural, social, and economic diversity of southern California. Students come from over 170 zip codes with The majority coming from los angeles, and others are from orange, riverside, san bernardino, and ventura counties. More than 82% of students come from public schools, and 44% attend title-1 designated schools. Anecdotally, we know most of our students come from immigrant families, and a majority have never visited a university campus or taken an art class outside of school before. The 2022-23 self-reported ethnicities of students were 4% african american; 50% asian/pacific islander; 13% caucasian; 22% hispanic or latino; and 11% multiple or other.since inception, Ryman Arts has been guided by a forward-looking board of directors. In 2018, The board and staff convened working sessions with community stakeholders to update The mission statement, and then created a diversity, equity and inclusion plan. An ambitious endowment campaign has been completed, bringing The endowment to $3m. The board created a reserve fund last year to help weather future economic crises.