When the Community School of Music and Arts opened in Mountain View more than 50 years ago, it relied on community outreach and word of mouth to build up its reputation. Now, the creative studio is taking a similar approach in Belmont, engaging local residents, workers and students to expand its offerings in San Mateo County.
The new location is situated on the first floor of the relatively new Artisan Crossing, an expansive multiunit residential building on Old County Road, and it’s the product of an innovative approach between some of the area’s cities and developers, both of which seek more development in response to burgeoning demand.
As part of the approval conditions for Artisan Crossing — one of the largest of its kind in the city in decades — developers agreed to offer part of the space to a nonprofit, which would be open to both building residents and the general public.
“A couple years ago, we were in conversation with Belmont, and they were interested in having more concentrated art within the city,” Executive Director Adriana Marcial said. “Part of their negotiation with the city [and developer] was to have a nonprofit art space.”
The deal wasn’t just beneficial to CSMA’s expansion plans, Marcial said, but it’s also a critical message to send about the importance of creative spaces, especially at a time when funding for the arts constantly fluctuates, typically at the whim of budgetary pendulum swings. When finances get tight, arts support is typically one of the first items to see cuts.
And as more development growth becomes inevitable, Marcial said new and longtime residents need not only homes, but accompanying services.
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“Obviously, housing is an issue but, as more of that is being developed, it’s important to tie in the needs of the community,” she said.
The new studio comprises several soundproof areas for private lessons, as well as a classroom, and lessons ranging from oil painting to music fundamentals are offered regularly. While not as expansive as the Mountain View campus, Marcial said it still offers a robust schedule for both children and adults, with an upcoming Saturday, May 11, opening celebration as well.
Though many of the current students at the new location lean younger right now, Marcial reiterates that adults, ranging from beginners to trained musicians and artists, enjoy the lessons as well.
“We often approach art from the point of view that you’re either good at it or not. That’s not how art is supposed to be,” she said. “And especially when we live in an area where it’s hypercompetitive, where it’s about succeeding or not succeeding, this is purely for enjoyment and exploration.”
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