About
The Theatre Of Hearts/Youth First Artist-In-Residence Program offers visual arts, creative writing and poetry, dance, theatre and storytelling, and music activities led by teaching artists. The program also includes meet-the-artist and career day presentations that focus on careers in the arts. Each Youth First Artist-In-Residence Program is custom-designed to fit the needs and population of each school or community site, and each residency follows the California Visual and Performing Arts Framework and the Common Core State Standards. TOHYF programming is focused on tolerance and intercultural understanding, and participants work on life skills such as positive expression, active listening, public speaking, creative problem solving, teamwork, and cooperation.
• Schedule: Programs are provided throughout Los Angeles County
Since 1987, Theatre Of Hearts/Youth First has provided standards-based arts education programs to at-promise youth throughout Los Angeles County. The mission of the Youth First Artist-In-Residence Program is to prevent and intervene in youth violence through ongoing, high quality, standards-based, multidisciplinary arts education. The organization focuses on increasing student understanding of career opportunities in the arts and believes in the transformative power of the arts as an agent of significant change in the lives of youth. Theatre Of Hearts Youth First has received a Certificate of Recognition from the City of Los Angeles and 1st District Council Member Gilberto A. Cedillo. Community partners and funders include organizations such as the Annenberg Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, Los Angeles County Office of Education, City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Office Gang Reduction and Youth Development, several school districts, and numerous foundations and corporations.
Testimonials from participants and educators describe the program’s impact on students’ artistic process, teamwork, and exposure to the arts. One student shared that the program showed the process of how to put ideas on paper, a teacher noted that students developed teamwork and stronger friendships by doing things together, and a principal observed that the displayed art, acting, and dancing showed skills gained by students with less exposure to the arts.
Last updated August 4, 2026.
• Schedule: Programs are provided throughout Los Angeles County
Since 1987, Theatre Of Hearts/Youth First has provided standards-based arts education programs to at-promise youth throughout Los Angeles County. The mission of the Youth First Artist-In-Residence Program is to prevent and intervene in youth violence through ongoing, high quality, standards-based, multidisciplinary arts education. The organization focuses on increasing student understanding of career opportunities in the arts and believes in the transformative power of the arts as an agent of significant change in the lives of youth. Theatre Of Hearts Youth First has received a Certificate of Recognition from the City of Los Angeles and 1st District Council Member Gilberto A. Cedillo. Community partners and funders include organizations such as the Annenberg Foundation, National Endowment for the Arts, California Arts Council, Los Angeles County Office of Education, City of Los Angeles Mayor’s Office Gang Reduction and Youth Development, several school districts, and numerous foundations and corporations.
Testimonials from participants and educators describe the program’s impact on students’ artistic process, teamwork, and exposure to the arts. One student shared that the program showed the process of how to put ideas on paper, a teacher noted that students developed teamwork and stronger friendships by doing things together, and a principal observed that the displayed art, acting, and dancing showed skills gained by students with less exposure to the arts.
Last updated August 4, 2026.
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