CALIFORNIA LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS INC

SAN FRANCISCO, California, 94123 United States

Mission Statement

Mission Statement: California Lawyers for the Arts empowers the creative community by providing education, representation and dispute resolution. Our Vision: Artists and arts organizations serve as agents of civic involvement, innovation, and positive social change, and the growth of an empowered arts sector is essential to healthy communities. CLA’s leadership and services strengthen the arts for the benefit of communities throughout California and the nation.

About This Cause

California Lawyers for the Arts was incorporated as Bay Area Lawyers for the Arts in 1974. By joining forces with Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts - LA in 1987, the organization achieved statewide status, changed our name and began to provide direct services for the arts and entertainment communities in Southern California in addition to the Bay Area. We now maintain offices in San Francisco, Berkeley, Sacramento, Los Angeles and San Diego. With 22 employees, of whom 50% are people of color, CLA is committed to diversity, equity and inclusion in our hiring practices. CLA serves artists and organizations of all disciplines, as well as ethnic and cultural backgrounds, gender diversity and disabilities. We place special importance on supporting emerging artists and arts organizations, through legal support, educational programs and alternative dispute resolution services. Our advocacy and arts in community development programs include expansion of arts in corrections programs in California and nationwide. Based on our successful effort to expand state funding for arts programs through evidence-based demonstration prpojects in state prisons in California, we are now working with arts organizations in New York, Louisiana and Texas to expand arts programs in their prisons and jails. We have also developed successful workforce development programs for disadvantaged youth ("Spotlight on the Arts") as well as previously incarcerated persons (Designing Creative Futures") who need support to find meaningful employment and career development. Since 2022, we have placed more than 100 formerly incarcerated individuals in paid four-month internships with non-profit arts organizations and achieved an 82% completion rate.

CALIFORNIA LAWYERS FOR THE ARTS INC
2 Marina Blvd., Fort Mason Center Bldg C-265
SAN FRANCISCO, California 94123
United States
Phone 415-775-7200
Twitter @CLA
Unique Identifier 942301744