$30,000 Gift from the Richard B. Siegel Foundation Supports Arts Outreach at UCI

Irvine, Calif., June 21, 2022 — The UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts (CTSA) outreach unit was recently awarded a $30,000 gift from the Richard B. Siegel Foundation to support the School's community engagement programs.

The CTSA's outreach program partners with local schools and community organizations to share the talents and knowledge of the students, faculty, and staff with people of all ages. The team introduces children to the arts, prepares middle and high school students for the next step in their arts education, and provides adults with active, experiential immersion in the arts to help enrich lives.

This gift will provide K12 students access to workshops, tours, information sessions, exhibitions, and performances. It will support the School's partnership with Santa Ana High School's arts programs, provide scholarships to the Summer Academies in the Arts, and support the Creative Connections program.

"The Richard B. Siegel Foundation gift is a wonderful affirmation of the work Megan Belmonte and her team of staff and students are doing to bring the arts to young people in the area," lauded Stephen Barker, dean of the UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts. "As one of the most meaningful and valuable programs at CTSA, this critical arts outreach work enriches young lives and awakens them to the infinite possibilities of creative activity."

Over the past several years, CTSA has enhanced its social and community engagement through various outreach programs, serving approximately 5,000 people annually. This work cultivates engaged citizen artists, building awareness of the opportunities and the creative capital that abounds at CTSA. It supports the mission of CTSA as conduits for community engagement, fostering leadership both in the young artists who participate in them and in the CTSA students and faculty who facilitate them.

"We see our work as a catalyst, as the first ripple of inspiration for someone. Some people find their love for the arts, others for teaching, and others for engaging in their community," said Megan Belmonte, director of outreach programs. "We connect with our community inside and outside the university through the arts. That connection changes lives. The support of the Richard B. Siegel Foundation is instrumental to our ability to be intentional about our work, providing as many ways as possible for people to access the creativity within CTSA." 

Studies, including those conducted by the National Endowment for the Arts, show that adults and young people who are deeply engaged in the arts are more likely to volunteer, vote, and are more civic-minded than those who do not actively participate in the arts. Additionally, students who have intensive arts experiences show better academic achievement than their peers.

The School and unit would like to thank the Richard B. Siegel Foundation, whose support demonstrates a belief in the value of this work.

About the Claire Trevor School of the Arts

The Claire Trevor School of the Arts is UCI’s creative laboratory, exploring and presenting the arts as the essence of human experience and expression through art forms ranging from the most traditional to the radically new. CTSA has proven itself to be a national leader in training emerging artists and performers since its establishment in 1965. In 2000, the school was named in honor of Academy Award-winning actress Claire Trevor and her involvement with the school and its students.

CTSA is home to the departments of art, dance, drama and music. Undergraduate and graduate degree courses include extensive studio, workshop and performance experiences; theoretical and historical studies; and arts and technology practices.

Boasting an acclaimed, international faculty who work across a wide variety of disciplines and partner with others across campus, CTSA also provides excellent facilities to support artistic development and research. These include four theaters; a concert hall; three art galleries; the Beall Center for Art + Technology; electronic music studios; cutting-edge costume, lighting and scenic design studios; a stage production shop; digital arts labs; and a video production studio.