The mission of Palenke Arts is to educate, inspire and transform the community through the arts
Palenke Arts is celebrating its 10th year as a safe, vibrant and inclusive multicultural arts center in the city of Seaside that benefits all of the Monterey Peninsula. We uplift youth voices, inspire creativity and transform our community into a place where everyone feels seen, valued and welcomed through the healing power of the arts.
This last year alone, we hosted 26 weekly multicultural arts classes, 24 concerts/festivals and launched our second site: the Palenke Teen Arts Center, a space that offers activities such as free leadership training, paid internship opportunities, audio production classes, mural projects, Latin jazz classes, and poetry workshops.
This upcoming year we'll be launching the next phase of our capital project: a state‑of‑the‑arts multicultural arts center to be built at the Seaside High School campus, in partnership with MPUSD. This visionary project will inspire our community to gather, celebrate our diversity and thrive through the arts!
Palenke Arts provides a space that does not exist elsewhere in Seaside or in many areas in Monterey County: a dedicated multicultural arts org offering high quality free and low cost arts-based classes and performing arts events to many families who would not be able to afford them.
Our activities take place in Seaside, but our presenting program is enjoyed by the larger Monterey Bay Area, and our students live in Seaside, Del Rey Oaks, Salinas, Monterey, Carmel Valley, Marina, Pebble Beach, Carmel, Pacific Grove, Prunedale, and Castroville and they attend Ocean Grove Charter, Bayview Academy, Seaside High, Seaside Middle, Monterey High, Pacific Grove High, Learning for Life, Santa Catalina, Washington Middle, Open Door Charter, Del Rey Woods, Martin Luther King SOA, Dual Language Academy, Pacific Grove Middle, International School of Monterey, La Mesa Elementary, Marina High, Marina Vista, Monterey Bay Charter, Ord Terrace Elementary, Tularcitos Elementary, among others.
Palenke Arts has brought a world of music, dance and art that is vibrant, diverse and filled with the sounds and rhythms our son never experienced before. Classes are taught by exceptional teachers and are made affordable so any person can participate. This is especially helpful for our family as our son is able to participate in classes which we ordinarily couldn’t afford. Feeling part of this community that has welcomed him and being involved in the arts through these classes has enriched his life immeasurably. Thank you, Palenke Staff, for all you do to bring joy, friendship, and culture to our community!!
- Anonymous Parent, Seaside
