What is DSTL Arts?DSTL Arts is a 501c3 nonprofit arts mentorship organization that inspires, teaches, and hires emerging artists from underserved communities.
Based in Los Angeles, CA, we achieve our mission through multiple programs and services that inspire people of all ages in our community, and we empower them to be the artists they know themselves to be. The acronym in our name stands for Develop Skills and Transcend Limits, which we believe can be done through the Arts. Our vision is to replace the idea of the starving artist, with the reality of the working artist in the minds of all our program participants. |
Learn about our programs supporting emerging artists
Experience our E-ZineFind out about the latest happenings with DSTL Arts, and view some new, original artwork created by our program participants, all curated by our Art Block Zine–Editorial Board. It's updated frequently, so check back often.
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Shop our WebstoreSupport the emerging artists we serve, and purchase a copy of one of our various zines, poetry chapbooks, comics, art prints, and more. All proceeds help us keep our many workshops free for our community.
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Reasons to support or get involved with DSTL Arts
Los Angeles County is considered one of the cultural capitals of the world. In our local economy, 1 out of 6 jobs is part of the Creative Economy, with approximately half of those jobs requiring less than a bachelor's degree. For the community we serve, this awareness is crucial for goal setting and career planning, especially because, too often, our community sees the Arts as merely a pastime or a hobby.
However, beyond the economic impact of the Arts in our everyday lives, there are many other reasons to get involved in, and support, our arts-based programs.
However, beyond the economic impact of the Arts in our everyday lives, there are many other reasons to get involved in, and support, our arts-based programs.
Mentorship FocusedOur programs provide one-on-one and small group attention to participants, with a strong emphasis on building trust and community. With an average of 1.5 hours of attention provided to each participant on a weekly basis, our programs truly develop a sense of family. We are the #ArtsFam we all need.
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Academic and Career GuidanceThrough frequent mentorship, we work with our participants to help them build a plan for not only developing new artistic skills, but also for academic success. From completion of high school, to postsecondary training programs or college courses, we guide our participants through the process of transcending the challenges they may face in pursuit of a creative career. To date, 100% of youth in our Arts Mentorship Program have either completed their high school diploma and moved on to college, or have stayed in college after being at risk of dropping out.
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Job Skill BuildingWe believe in the working artist, and that means teaching the skills needed to be one. To date, approximately 60% of participants in our Arts Mentorship Program have found employment in the arts or education fields, but all of our program participants, including the adults we serve, benefit from our sharing of entrepreneurial skills through our workshops. From DIY publishing and marketing, to consignment agreements and business plan development, we believe our community is capable of being the creative entrepreneurs we know them to be.
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How your donations support our emerging artistsDSTL Arts invests a great amount of time and attention in each one of our program participants. This results in a truly empowered community of emerging artists and future leaders in our field. For every dollar invested in our programs, we are able to ensure the sustainability, and diversity, of our local creative economy.
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DSTL Arts – a nonprofit arts mentorship organization that inspires, teaches, and hires emerging artists from underserved communities.