Explore Our Exciting Sessions!

At the Mexican Heritage Plaza, we offer a wide range of sessions designed to inspire creativity, enhance skills, and celebrate cultural heritage. Whether you're looking to develop your artistic talents, explore new hobbies, or connect with the vibrant community, we have something for everyone. Check out our current sessions.

ARTS EDUCATION PROGRAM

SOAC’s Arts Education Program (AEP) enhances the education of underserved, low-income children and youth in East San José through culturally specific arts engagement activities and instruction.

Annually, SOAC serves 900 students (ages 6-18) through their AEP who would not otherwise have access to high-quality arts education, helping them to not only learn about a craft or instrument, but to also connect them to their peers, their families, their neighborhood, and their heritage.

AEP implements two channels of delivery: Summer Camp and the School-Year Program. In alignment with best practices outlined by the California Department of Education, SOAC has evolved its Arts Education Program to include a “developmental pathway” to learning approach.

1. The Summer Program includes two, 4-week Summer Camps. Summer Camp provides 9 daily hours of arts engagement opportunities for youth ages 6 to 12 over a four-week period. Students explore offerings across the arts spectrum.

2. The School-Year Program aligns with the academic year, and is divided into Fall, Winter, and Spring quarters. Classes meet weekly over the course of ten consecutive weeks and engage students in a longer-term progressive skill-building experience, culminating in a demonstration at the close of each quarter. Courses include instruction in violin, trumpet, guitar, percussion, and traditional mariachi instruments such as vihuela and guitarron. Classes in Mexican folkloric dance includes a long-term partnership with Cashion Cultural Legacy (CCL).