Palenke Arts

Palenke Arts offers Guitar 1, Guitar II, Ballet Folklórico Beginning, Ballet Folklórico Advanced, Club de libros en español / Spanish Book Club, Beginning Piano Class, Afro Caribbean Percussion, Ballet Folklórico Intermedio, Ballet Folklórico para adultos, Individual Piano Class, Ballet Folklórico MLKSOA students, and Visual Arts. The Teen Arts Center program is open to Seaside and MPUSD teens and pre-teens ages 12-19 and includes weekly classes, Creative Labs, Music Collective, Podcasts, and workshops.

Programs

• Guitar 1 — Mondays 3:00-4:00 pm; Wednesdays 4:30-5:30 pm
• Guitar II — Mondays 4:00-5:00 pm; Wednesdays 5:30-6:30 pm
• Ballet Folklórico Beginning — Mondays 6:30-7:30 pm
• Ballet Folklórico Advanced — Mondays 7:30-8:30 pm
• Club de libros en español / Spanish Book Club — Mondays 6:30-8:00 pm
• Beginning Piano Class — Tuesdays 2:30-6:30 pm
• Afro Caribbean Percussion — Wednesdays 3:30-4:30 pm
• Ballet Folklórico Intermedio — Wednesdays 6:30-7:30 pm
• Ballet Folklórico para adultos — Wednesdays 7:15-8:30 pm
• Individual Piano Class — Thursdays 3:00-6:30 pm
• Ballet Folklórico MLKSOA students — Fridays 12:45-1:45 pm
• Visual Arts — Fridays 2:30-4:00 pm; Fridays 4:30-6:00 pm

At a glance

• Ages: 12–18 years old
• General schedule: 2026-27 class schedules are listed for the Martin Luther King School of the Arts site and the Palenke Teen Arts Center. The Teen Arts Center is open to Seaside and MPUSD teens and pre-teens ages 12-19 and includes weekly classes, Creative Labs, Music Collective, Podcasts, and workshops.

About the provider

Palenke Arts was founded in 2015 and started offering classes and events in October 2016. It opened a second site in June 2024. The organization’s mission is to educate, inspire and transform the community of Seaside through the arts. In 2019, it received the Nonprofit of Year in Arts and Culture award from the Nonprofit Alliance of Monterey County, and in 2022 Executive Director Juan L. Sánchez received the Champion of the Arts Award from the Arts Council of Monterey County. Palenke Arts offers low and no-cost weekly classes, youth ensembles, and community events, including the annual Palenke Arts Festival, Moonflower Festival, Family Arts Workshops, Art Against Bullying, and Día de los Muertos Celebrations.

Follow the MPUSD school calendar for holidays and vacation periods unless otherwise noted. Registration is required for classes, workshops, or using the digital labs as a drop-in student. Students are expected to attend regularly and punctually with a positive and respectful attitude.

What families say

“Palenke Arts means community. In today's culture, I feel like we all can retreat into their own digital bubble, disassociated from people and the arts, and Palenke brings community and the arts into our lives, with others to share it with. I feel like this connection is what our society needs more than ever.” — Anonymous Parent

Last updated September 13, 2026.