Download the newspaper article

Since 1953, McGroarty Arts Center has been the center of arts and culture in Sunland-Tujunga, loyally serving the Foothills through classes, exhibitions and community events.  Best known for its children’s classes and annual ceramics show, McGroarty has been quietly expanding the reach of its programs to some of the most underserved residents of our community.

Two years ago, Executive Director Claire Knowlton received a letter from a 98 year old student.  Her health was failing, she could no longer drive at night, and the uneven surfaces of the historic McGroarty Arts Center were too much for her to handle.  After countless years of faithful attendance to her weekly art class, she sadly explained in the hand-written letter that she could not return to the center.  “That letter was a wake up call for us,” explains Executive Director, Claire Knowlton.  “We have a lot of seniors attending our classes.  We give out $10,000 each year in scholarship awards and a good percentage of that goes to seniors on fixed incomes.  But there was a whole other population of seniors that we weren’t reaching.”  Knowlton began working with her staff and board of directors to develop a program that would reach those seniors who were unable to travel to the center due to physical ailments or financial difficulties.

The most direct, affordable, and simple option was to bring the art to the seniors where they reside, eliminating the need for transportation.

In September, McGroarty launched the first phase of Art Reach: Art for Senior Citizens, an innovative new program designed to reach the low-income, non-mobile senior community.  The program provides highly trained instructors, teaching assistants and art materials for arts classes that take place at senior centers. Classes are offered free of charge to the participants and the host organization.  The program provides seniors with personalized, artist-designed instruction in drawing and painting, and gives each participant a positive, hands-on experience in creating thoughtful artwork. The in-depth fine art classes help seniors increase intellectual and physical activity levels, build an ongoing rapport with professional artists, and provide an outlet for personal expression. Works created in the senior art classes will also be displayed in residences following culminating exhibitions.  Pilot classes are being offered at the Alicia Broadus-Duncan Multipurpose Senior Center in Pacoima.

While the program has gained little attention in Sunland-Tujunga, it has managed to garner the support of some notable foundation funders.  Thanks to new strategic approaches led by the organization’s dynamic Executive Director, Claire Knowlton, McGroarty Arts Center has been successfully secured new sources of funding to reach out to the senior citizens in our community.  In the last 8 months, the program has received grant support from The California Community Foundation, The James Irvine Foundation, The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation, and the Department of Cultural Affairs, City of Los Angeles.

McGroarty Arts Center is currently identifying additional adult day care centers and assisted living facilities interested in hosting the next phase of Art Reach: Art for Senior Citizens program in 2010 and 2011.  Qualified sites must be located in Sunland-Tujunga or the North-East San Fernando Valley and serve low-income seniors who lack personal transportation.  Interested sites should contact McGroarty’s Program Director, Leslie Fischer, by emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

McGroarty Arts Center is a 501(c)3 nonprofit run in partnership with the City of Los Angeles, Department of Cultural Affairs.  Programs at McGroarty Arts Center are funded in part by the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, the California Community Foundation, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, The Annenberg Foundation, the James Irvine Foundation, and The Ralph M. Parsons Foundation.
For further information contact McGroarty Arts Center at (818) 352-5285 or visit www.mcgroartyartscenter.org.