Overview
The Friends of Arts Education at the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts (FAE) is a non-profit organization dedicated to enhancing education through high quality performing arts experiences. Founded in 1993 on the idea that the arts are a vital and indispensable part of a child’s education, FAE began positively impacting the community by subsidizing 800 tickets for students to attend performances presented by the Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Over the past 17 years, our roster of programs has grown in quality and scope to serve more than 40,000 teachers, students, and families throughout Los Angeles and Orange Counties each year.
Our core program consists of three interconnected components designed for K–12 students and their teachers: 1) Professional Development Workshop for Teachers; 2) Educational Performances; 3) Creative Expressions. This program centers around the student experience of outstanding Educational Performances presented at the world-class Cerritos Center for the Performing Arts. Prior to the performance, teachers attend Professional Development Workshops tailored to address the arts discpline(s), content and curriculum connections specific to the performance they will attend with their students. Following the performance, teachers and their students embark on a journey called Creative Expressions designed for students to develop their own unique creative abilities and affirm their learning with a hands-on exploration into the arts and connections between the arts and other disciplines. The FAE core education program encourages creativity, celebrates diversity, brings learning to life, and engages children in the discovery of new ways to see themselves and understand the world around them.
Another important FAE program is our Performing Arts Scholarships for high school seniors. For twelve years, this program has supported talented students who wished to pursue a career in the performing arts—whether on stage, as a teacher, or therapist.
Every June, FAE in partnership with the City of Cerritos, gives children and adults the opportunity to discover the arts together at our Family Arts Festival – free of charge and open to the public. The Family Arts Festival features more than 20 performances representing a variety of cultures, visual and performing arts workshops for all ages, and food!
Our goal is to ensure that all children in our community have the opportunity to experience the educational power and transformative beauty of the performing arts.