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World Environment Day Festival

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Contributed by: John Paul Thornton on 5/31/2008

United Nations Environment Programme and City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs Join to Celebrate World Environment Day.

Canoga Park, CA-

Teen artist Wesley Bates carefully puts the finishing touches on his series of portraits depicting individuals who have made a stand for the environment. His colorfully vibrant painting of Wangari Maathai, the African Nobel Peace Prize winner who has fought for drought-plagued Kenya, is designed to remind people about their individual responsibility.

"We can all make a difference," says Wesley. "We must make a difference." Wesley is applying his talents in a way that would surprise many people. What is a self-proclaimed grafitti lover doing painting Nobel Peace Laureates? That transformation happens when the United Nations Environment Programme selects you to be an agent of change.

The studio around Wesley at the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center may look like a landfill now, but the many bags of trash stacked in the space are being used as art materials in an unexpected new exhibition. The United Nations Environment Programme has selected the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center, a facility of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, to host a World Environment Day Celebration.

On Saturday, June 14th 2008, a Free Family Arts Festival will launch the opening of this dynamic Installation of artwork by children envisioning environmental awareness at the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center. This is the first time The United Nations Environment Programme ( UNEP ) has joined with the resources of the Department of Cultural Affairs and the community of families and educators which make up the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center. The colorful Installation features a rich display of artwork created by children including sculpture made from recycled materials and an accompanying multi-media presentation. Artwork by students from the visionary "Full Circle Learning" program is included. The theme chosen this year by UNEP is "Kick the Carbon Habit."

Stuart Vaughan, the Director of the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center sees how facing the subject of environment change can add new dimensions to ways young people express creativity through art. "Kids are serious about their art making, and are more than capable of tackling this important subject," says Vaughan.

John Paul Thornton, Art Education Coordinator with the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center, sees the challenge of teaching global climate change. "If we expect our children to grow up to become positive agents for environmental healing," says Thornton, "then they must be empowered with hope and the ability to dream and take creative risks.

Teresa Langness, head of "Full Circle Learning" has played a great role in bringing the United Nations Environment Programme to Los Angeles. "Art can explore aspects of nature, balance and imbalance, visions of the future and ideas of individual voice," she explains.

Elisabeth Guilbaud-Cox, Deputy Director of UNEP and the regional Office for North America proudly supports the students, and looks forward to the impact on the Los Angeles .
"UNEP congratulates the Canoga Park Youth Arts Center and their effort to join the World Environment Day call to action."

The free Family Art Festival and Exhibition will be on Saturday, June 14th from 11am to 1PM. The Canoga Park Youth Arts Center is a facility of the City of Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs. The Center is located at 7222 Remmet Ave, in Canoga Park, Ca.91303. For further information please call 818 346-7099

UNEP is The United Nations Environmental Programme. Their mission is to provide leadership and encourage partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. Their selected theme this year is "Kick the Carbon Habit". www.unep.org
ABOUT DCA

The Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) serves as a leader to generate and support high quality arts and cultural experiences for Los Angeles residents and visitors. DCA also advances the social and economic impact of the arts and assures access to arts and cultural experiences through grant making, marketing, public and community arts programming, arts education, and creating partnerships with artists and arts and cultural organizations in every community in the City of Los Angeles.
DCA grants $3.4 million annually to over 300 artists and nonprofit arts organizations and awards the Artist-in-Residence (A.I.R.) and City of Los Angeles (C.O.L.A.) Individual Artist Fellowships. It provides arts and cultural programming in numerous Neighborhood Arts and Cultural Centers, theaters, and several arts and education programs for young people. The Department operates two historic monuments, directs public art projects, and manages the City's Arts Development Fee, Art Collection, and Murals Program. DCA markets the City's cultural events through development and collaboration with strategic partners, design and production of creative promotional materials, and management of the culturela.org website.

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