THE GOAL:
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To create a non-profit center in Los Angeles, providing a place for the exploration of creativity in its many forms.
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THE PLACE:
Turbine Arts Collective will be a working performance space and education center, built on the idea that everyone can benefit from creative study, and that participation in the arts as a practitioner or audience member has wide application to our growth as a community. We will strive to help members of the Los Angeles community connect with the best version of themselves, unlock joy, and experience transformation, in a supportive atmosphere of play, spontaneity, and respect.
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THE MISSION:
Our mission is to provide a place in Los Angeles for the exploration of creativity: where artists will find an incubator in which to develop projects, perform, and exhibit, and in turn will share their skills with the public through workshops, seminars, and educational outreach. And community members who want to apply creative principles to their lives, jobs, and careers will find a safe place with low-cost workshops in a wide variety of creative arts, providing a cross-disciplinary opportunity to meet, engage, and experience transformation.
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We strive to create a community where all are welcome: professional and beginning actors can develop their craft; writers, directors, choreographers and other performing artists can find a place to workshop and explore; filmmakers, painters, and visual artists can show work and get feedback; and people who want to apply creative principles to their jobs, careers, and lives outside of the arts will find a willing group of experienced professionals, all teaching under one roof, and a safe atmosphere in which to learn and grow.
We believe in creative inclusion - we are committed to reflecting the wide cultural tapestry that is Los Angeles. It is our belief that we learn most when interacting with people from varied backgrounds and experiences, and that different approaches to the creative arts feed the creative processes of all. We are committed to occupying space in a centrally-located area of Los Angeles.
On any given day, night, or weekend, something creative and inspiring is going on here: Performances and exhibitions; workshops, lectures, demonstrations, screenings, and presentations by creative minds and thinkers. We are all part of this cultural community, and we learn from each other, inspired by a sense of wonder, play, and the human joy of creating.
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THE NEED:
According to a recent study by Adobe®, 76% of Americans believe that creativity is valuable to society -- and 85% believe that creativity is key to driving economic growth. And yet 3 out of 5 Americans believe they are NOT living up to their creative potential. According to the study's summary:
"Creativity defines a person and enables them to make a difference in their lives and the lives of others... People need more time, training, and an environment where they can think creatively." And from the study's press release:
“One of the myths of creativity is that very few people are really creative,” said Sir Ken Robinson, Ph.D., an internationally recognized leader in the development of education, creativity and innovation. “The truth is that everyone has great capacities but not everyone develops them.... The result is that we're draining people of their creative possibilities and, as this study reveals, producing a workforce that's conditioned to prioritize conformity over creativity.”
And the study concluded that people everywhere want more time, training, and an environment where they can think creatively -- so, what stops us? We believe it could be the lack of affordable options, under one roof, in an inspiring environment of creative exchange.
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We believe that there is an underserved population in Los Angeles: adults who are post-college or high school and in the workforce, and are looking for a place to meet and develop a creative practice, without having to take out a loan to pay for it.
Los Angeles is a global center of creativity. Why shouldn't there be a place where members of our community gather to practice and develop their creative spark, inspired by creative arts professionals sharing their expertise and practicing what they do in that community setting?
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WHY "TURBINE ARTS COLLECTIVE":
A turbine is an engine that creates energy through use of the elements, such as wind, water, or air. There are "reaction" turbines, and "impulse" turbines -- and even some which combine both reaction and impulse.
Similarly, when we creatively explore, we are in reaction to the world around us, and we follow our impulses toward the joy we derive from the process. This is a benefit to anyone who chooses to participate, from the writer or actor in a supportive workshop, to the doctor, IT technician, or childcare worker taking his/her first painting class. And it enriches anyone who joins as an audience member, because through the arts we have a constant reminder of the capabilities of the human race.
At Turbine Arts Collective, we will approach the creative process in a stripped-down, elemental way. Organic. No frills. We envision professional creative artists using our flexible performance and exhibition space to explore new work and in turn, sharing their creativity with a wide variety of students of all ages.
And we will ask these artists to give back, with workshops which offer the opportunity to engage in myriad arts from acting and improvisation, to writing, music, and the visual arts —the common thread being an elemental exploration of what it is to be human, to connect, to express, to explore, to find joy and purpose, meaning and community.
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THE PLAN:
We acknowledge the size and scope of this idea is big! We are a California 501(c)3 nonprofit (working with the For Purpose Law Group), and we are seeking assistance in creating a business plan and budget focused on gradual growth. We have already sponsored nearly 150 evenings of creative artists presentations -- always with donate-what-you-want admission, in small Los Angeles spaces. Before we became a nonprofit, we raised over $20,000 for other charities. Eventually, we hope to inhabit an eclectic building, which will include a flexible performance and exhibition space, several workshop studios, and a lobby cafe/meeting area.
Our goal will always be to include enough fundraising, community, and corporate support to make our workshops and performances the most affordable in the city.
We are also assembling our Advisory Board, and expanding our Board of Directors, and we're seeking members of the Los Angeles artistic and business communities who will advise and participate in our growth. Thank you, and we look forward to speaking with you about Turbine!
Sincerely,
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BOARD OF DIRECTORS:
Rob Watzke, Founder/President
Elvia Gaitan, Treasurer
Helen Slater, Secretary
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ADVISORS:
James Singleton
Terry Franklin