Our Arts Based Workforce Development programs have:
Created thousands of summer arts-based employment opportunities for poverty-threshold youth
Paid youth more than $2 million in wages
Hired and trained 160 chronically unemployed veterans to crew our productions, paying them more than $500,000 in wages, and providing 2,000 tickets to their families
We have received recognition from the National Youth Employment Coalition, National Summit for Arts Across the Military, U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice, the National Endowment for the Arts, Actors Equity Association, and NAACP-Los Angeles, among others.
Will Power After School
Our signature youth serving program Will Power After School will continue to provide at-risk youth ages 15-21 with full-time arts-based employment at partner school sites in underserved communities. Students study, create, produce, and perform adaptations of Shakespeare plays under the guidance of trained teaching artists and peer mentors who are program alumni.
We will partner with Title 1 schools, mostly located within a short distance of SCLA’s headquarters, one of California’s poorest census tracts. SCLA’s ability to pay these youth participants for their time creating art for and with us is extremely important. Without these financial resources, most of our youth would otherwise not be able to participate in our programming and would need to spend those after-school and weekend hours earning income.
Veterans in Art (ViA)
SCLA’s Veterans in Art (ViA) program provides paid vocational training in technical theater arts and life-skills development for high need, honorably discharged U.S. military veterans. Launched in 2013, the program is SCLA’s arts-based transitional employment opportunity for U.S. military veterans who work as venue and scenic crews, audio engineers, wardrobe assistants, ushers, parking attendants, site specific marketers, technical directors, and actors for SCLA’s mainstage professional productions.
SCLA’s 2018 production of Henry IV, featuring Tom Hanks, was built entirely by veterans in the Veterans in Art program.
A Celebration of Veterans in Art
November 12, 2025
6 pm - 8 pm
Bob Hope Patriotic Hall
1816 S Figueroa St, Los Angeles, CA 90015
Tickets $50
Veterans receive 50% off with code VETERAN
Join us for a “Celebration of Veterans in Art” as the Shakespeare Center honors current and past participants of our nationally recognized workforce training program Veterans in Art (ViA). Since 2012, the program has disseminated over $550,000 in wages and provided 200 chronically under-employed and honorably discharged Military Veterans with vocational training in the technical arts, workforce readiness skills, personal development, and healing.
Demand for the program from Veterans has never been higher, which means we need to secure new funding sources to ensure program sustainability. To meet our increased goal of serving 40 participants annually, we need to raise $100,000 in program contributions this year.
You can help us meet our goal by joining us for a fun and entertaining evening November 12, 2025 (the day after Veterans Day) at Bob Hope Patriotic Hall in Downtown LA. Tickets are only $50 and the evening includes:
Performances and testimonials from current and past ViA participants
A special screening of a Veterans in Art documentary currently being produced by Veterans Rob Ham and Mike Dowling
Light appetizers and refreshments
AND a very special performance by The New Directions Veterans Choir, an award winning a cappella group singing renditions of doo-wop, soul, traditional gospel and popular music.
40 for 40 Footlocker Campaign
In honor of the Shakespeare Center’s upcoming 40th Anniversary and our goal of serving 40 Veterans annually, we’ve launched the 40 for 40 Footlocker Campaign. You’ll have the opportunity to build a ViA Footlocker filled with gifts, program supplies, and employment resources along with a personalized note from you!
For a contribution of only $40, you’ll help ensure our Veterans in Art participants have what they need to succeed this year.
