For more informaiton on Lahaina Arts Association visit
www.lahaina-arts.org

OUR MISSION
Lahaina Arts Association provides Maui County youth access to the creative arts through education and artistic opportunities.

OUR VISION
The vision of the Lahaina Arts Association is to inspire creative thinking and artistic expression.

Our History

Lahaina Arts Association (LAA), formerly Lahaina Arts Society (LAS), was established in 2008 as a 501(c)3 organization to continue and expand upon the LAS children’s art programs.  Historically, LAS provided free, on-site art classes and activities to low-income (at or below national poverty level), high-risk children that live in Maui County.  Classes began at the gallery in Lahaina in the 1970s with the intent of bringing art education and enriching cultural experiences to the Maui community.  When it was identified that disadvantaged youth had trouble accessing the classes, they were relocated to accessible sites in low-income housing, schools, community, and youth centers.

What We Do

Lahaina Arts Association provides nine weekly, two-hour, skills-based free art classes for children and families & Keiki Festival Activities (Art Outreach Program), a Hawaiian Youth Mentoring Program, and an Annual High School Art Competition, Exhibition and Scholarship Awards Program.  

With nine weekly class sites, LAA Children’s Art Classes have over 100 participants each week, providing over 50 contact hours per month.  Each Keiki Festival Activity serves an average of 75 to 150 participants.  In FY 2010, 42 Maui County High School Seniors participated in our Art Exhibition and Scholarship competition.

Click here to view our weekly class schedule.

Who We Serve

The target population for our Art Outreach Program and the Hawaiian Youth Mentoring Program is low-income youth. The Art Outreach program operates in low-income housing sites, Boys and Girls Clubs, and public schools with a high percentage of low-income students.

Addressing Community Needs

The need for LAA’s Art Outreach Program is great.  The Maui community has a large contingent of at-risk youth, with many children residing in our low income housing developments.  The youth that participate in our program often deal with burdens that can be overwhelming, such as domestic violence, parental incarceration, and poverty. LAA Art Outreach classes provide an engaging and safe after-school activity that encourages positive self-expression.

Lahaina Arts Association is the only organization that offers free art classes to children at or below the poverty level across Maui County (including Molokai).  LAA provides free supplies and a safe space to enjoy a variety of artistic activities including a focus on Hawaiian cultural arts. Historically and currently, LAA fills a gap in the education system for the children of Maui County to develop their creative skills, especially when the visual arts have all but left the classroom.  LAA also provides a safe and positive alternative to Furlough Fridays and a safe and positive after-school activity.

If you are interested in learning about giving opportunities or volunteer opportunities
please contact:

Priscilla Gonzales
Art Outreach & Grants Manager
priscilla@lahaina-arts.com
808-661-0111 Ext. 1

LAA would like to thank the following supporters:

 Atherton Family Foundation
Cooke Foundation
Hawaii State Foundation on Culture and the Arts
Julia Temple Davis Brown Foundation
Lahaina Arts Society
North Beach West Maui Benefit Fund