38 Monterey County GIVES! 2024 mcgives.com Arts & Culture DONate online mcgives.com special opportunities to meet the artists. “PacRep has been a staple of our community for over 42 years (a miracle in itself for live theater!). This has only been made possible by the many generous donors who believe in PacRep. Why do we believe in it? Easy. First are the casts—all ages, all backgrounds, coming together to make magic for their patrons. Then there’s the audience—enthralled with productions known to rival Broadway. I have had the privilege to serve PacRep for 24 years, first as ensemble actor, then as a volunteer (including ushering), and finally as a donor and board member. I’ve seen it all! What has moved me most is watching people file out of the theater after a performance, faces literally transformed, and I knew they had experienced to their core the magic of PacRep.” -Karyl Hall Palenke Arts Year Founded: 2018 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 19 paid, 50 volunteers Budget: $594,300 899-9909 palenkearts.com Big Idea: Palenke Arts continues to grow in its mission to provide high-quality and affordable arts classes and events for youth and families. With visual art, dance and music offerings, these programs foster creativity and celebrate diverse cultural traditions. Donations to this Big Idea support Palenke’s new Teen Arts Center in Seaside, a free-standing dedicated building that will feature a digital creativity lab and offer classes on audio production and culinary arts, host a Latin jazz combo, paid internships and a teen leadership program. “Palenke Arts feels like a second home to my son, and this sense of welcome has been extended to our entire family. The classes are taught by instructors who are professionals in their own right, so the caliber is top-notch. But it is more than that— it is a community filled with acceptance, trust and it really does feel like family. It has been a life-changing program for our family, and we hope to be a part of it for years to come.” -Anonymous SpectorDance Year Founded: 1997 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 1 paid, 26 volunteers Budget: $165,125 601-8510 spectordance.org Big Idea: From Feb. 26 to March 1, 2025, SpectorDance will present its newest Big Idea: King City Dance Week. This week of contemporary dance performances and movement workshops with visiting guest artists will expand opportunities to experience contemporary dance in King City. SpectorDance believes this Big Idea has the potential to become an annual event, putting this agricultural community and its state-of-the-art Robert Stanton Theater on the map as a dance destination. “At Sol Treasures, we recognize the importance of fostering partnerships with like-minded organizations such as SpectorDance. By joining forces, we can amplify our efforts in promoting appreciation of the diverse cultural tapestry of our communities. Fran Spector’s commitment to creating spaces where different cultures converge and thrive resonates deeply with our own objectives. In spring 2024, we had the privilege of presenting Ocean Trilogy to an audience of 900 youth. The overwhelming success of this program has inspired us to expand our efforts in 2025. We are very excited about our newest shared vision, King City Dance Week. We hope to inspire and engage residents of all ages and backgrounds.” -Jeff Hindersheid Sunset Cultural Center Year Founded: 2003 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 19 paid, 65 volunteers Budget: $3,000,000 620-2040 sunsetcenter.org Big Idea: Classroom Connections features a twoprong educational experience for local K‑12 students, offering first in-classroom workshops with Sunset Presents artists before students see them perform on the Sunset Cultural Center stage. This approach helps students make connections between Sol Treasures Year Founded: 2008 Paid Staff and Volunteers: 4 paid, 34 volunteers Budget: $441,622 386-1381 soltreasures.com Big Idea: Social Media Empowerment in Youth is a new Big Idea from Sol Treasures this year, seeking to inform families about social media literacy and balance. This nonprofit recognizes that a healthy relationship with technology begins at home, so this project is a multi-year effort. Parent-child classes and a podcast are already underway, but Sol Treasures has plans to expand the program over the next few years to include parent-focused lessons and Spanish translation. “So far, some of the topics we have talked about include cyberbullying and the effects a screen has on your mind and body. They are all very important topics because social media and screens are entangled in our everyday lives but we rarely see people, specifically teens, being properly educated on the dangers. Social media is not completely awful, but you need to know how to use it safely, and that is the education this podcast provides. I have enjoyed working on it! I have learned a lot from it and hopefully, people listening can too. It is crucial to bring awareness to the new problems that social media creates.” -Victoria J., 14 spotlight “Every student should have an equal opportunity to have a musical education.” -Julianna Ramirez, Youth Orchestra Salinas (YOSAL)
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