In the Oxford English Dictionary, “encore” is defined as both a noun and an exclamation. As a noun, it refers to an extra performance given at the end of a show, often in response to audience demand. As an exclamation, “encore” is what the audience shouts to request another performance. It can also refer to the act of demanding such a performance. When my Innovations department requested the trademark for our SLO Partners Program, it was in response to the call for an encore of the training programs, pre-apprenticeships, and apprenticeships. During July, the SLO Career and Technical Education Foundation and the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education opened the Encore Center in Paso Robles as a shared venture that strengthens economic development and student success through innovative ideas and initiatives for San Luis Obispo County.
The Encore Center supports three proven initiatives: SLO Partners, The Arts, and K-12 Technical Education. Tourists and locals enjoy this beautiful slice of California we call home, located between the Bay Area and Los Angeles metropolitan communities. Our county spans over 70 miles along the Pacific Coast on the 101 Highway, extending inland through desert and mountains to Kern County, covering 3,616 square miles and boasting a population of just over 284,000. Agriculture, tourism, building & design construction, knowledge and innovation, advanced manufacturing, health services, and energy are some of our major economic drivers. What do each of these economic drivers have in common? “Arts-Based Leadership.” One driver is the San Luis Obispo Career and Technical Education Foundation (SLO CTE Foundation), a nonprofit organization dedicated to enhancing the lives and economy of our community by supporting and inspiring transformative educational opportunities within our county.
According to the Oxford Academic Community Development Journal, the arts are often considered peripheral to the community development process and play only a minor role in regenerating areas. Despite increasing globalization, communities are beginning to recognize their own identity, culture, traditional art forms, and the value of working together at the local level. Across San Luis Obispo County, numerous examples of local art can be found, often created in partnership with local community groups, nonprofits, schools, businesses, and professional artists. The inspiration for the creation of the Encore Center focused on the synergy between local transformative programs facilitated by SLO Partners, sponsored by the SLO CTE Foundation, and in partnership with the San Luis Obispo County Office of Education. The Encore Center is a sustainable, regional, and flexible space for collaboration, instruction, growth, and development.
Academics and business leaders understand that arts-based instruction is an interdisciplinary approach to learning. Multiple community and arts organizations with a focus on the arts are strengthening pre-apprenticeship and apprenticeship “Arts Partnerships” for local students. According to the most recent Arts and Economic Prosperity Survey, San Luis Obispo County’s arts and arts-related activities contribute over $30 million in funding and expenditures to our local economy. Art is one of the most popular CTE pathways selected by students in San Luis Obispo County. The most recent Central Coast Economic Forecast refers to the positive impact the arts have on our local economy. Our county thrives in cultural and artistic vibrancy because of the dedicated individuals who make the Central Coast their home. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience reports that scientists, humanists, and art lovers value art due to its social importance, communicative power, capacity to increase self-knowledge, ability to challenge preconceptions, and inherent beauty. We invite any interested arts organizations to partner with our local schools in building up our community. It is an honor to serve as your county superintendent, and I hope that this article will spark discussion about the power of collaborative efforts.
“Art is the concrete representation of our most subtle feelings.” — Agnes Martin
ATASCADERO NEWS MAGAZINE
Copies of Atascadero News Magazine are directly delivered to 11,500 readers in zip codes 93422, 93432, and 93453 and 1,500 dropped with support from advertisers and subscribers. Together, we are Making Communities Better Through Print.™
To subscribe or advertise, click here.
