SATURDAY MORNING to Build Community Centre in LA
SATURDAY MORNING, the award-winning, mission-based creative collective that leverages the power of creativity to help shift the overall perception on racial bias and injustice, announced that it is building a community centre in Inglewood, CA.
The 'SATURDAY MORNING Community Center for Creativity' will serve as a hub of opportunity and empowerment for the Black community, offering a wide range of programmes for children and young adults that focus on the creative arts with opportunities to discover and learn fine arts, performing arts as well as design, creative technology and other creatively focused pursuits. The space will also serve as a meeting and events space.
“We have always seen our mission as bringing new ideas and solutions to impact culture,” explained SATURDAY MORNING co-founder Keith Cartwright. “We believe that creativity is one of the most important forces in the world, and helping young children learn to express and discover their own creative powers through the offerings the centre will provide will help ensure their future success. There are so many opportunities for children to explore their athletic prowess, but few that focus on the arts.”
The announcement marks the beginning of a $17 Million fundraising campaign by the organisation, aimed at supporting the development of the community centre. SATURDAY MORNING will hold the first of a series of fundraising events this fall. The organisation has also launched a GoFundMe campaign. Individuals, companies, and organisations worldwide are encouraged to contribute to this important cause.
“While we are a non-profit organisation, until now, we have not sought public funding,” explained Kwame Taylor-Hayford, co-founder of SATURDAY MORNING. “The work we have done on behalf of brands and companies has gone back into our organisation. But, in order to fund this vital space, we will be launching a series of fundraising events over the next year in stages to cover costs of construction, siting, design, permitting and more, as the project moves forward.”
SATURDAY MORNING has already completed phase one of a multi-phase building and design process with significant investment already made in the architectural design of the building. SATURDAY MORNING has contracted with award-winning architectural firm Pell Overton, designers of the Kennedy Child Study Center among others, and Shimenti Group Construction, who are donating part of their time and expertise in designing and building this meaningful initiative.
“Since our founding seven-years ago, we have made great strides in creating award-winning work that raises awareness and promotes conversation about Black representation and racism,” explained Jayanta Jenkins, co-founder of SM. “We are now progressing our agenda to create a space that builds equity and ownership, to further deliver on our goal for equality for all.”
The centre will cater primarily to children between the ages of five to 18, offering creative workshops and classes designed to educate and nurture the young community's talent and potential. It will offer a range of summer and after school programs that encompass a wide range of creative and artistic classes in fine art, music, dance, computer arts and more.
Groundbreaking for the 'SATURDAY MORNING Community Center' is anticipated to take place in 2025, signifying a significant step towards fostering positive change in the local community.
"We are excited about the potential impact of the Saturday Morning Community Center for the Arts and invite everyone to join us in this journey towards a more inclusive and supportive community," added SATURDAY MORNING co-founder Geoff Edwards. “Living in LA, I see first hand the need and opportunity for a space that values and supports creative skill development, paving the way for future leaders in fields in such diverse fields as advertising, entertainment, architects and designers.”
To learn more about the 'SATURDAY MORNING Community Center' and contribute to the fundraising campaign, please visit here.
