Art school partners with Water Authority on sustainability outreach

The Northern California School of the Arts (NorCal) and the Regional Water Authority (RWA), representing water providers throughout the Sacramento region, are thrilled to announce a new partnership that will bring together the worlds of art and sustainability on an interactive water efficiency campaign to empower children, families, and communities in Sacramento County and beyond.

Funded by a $300,000 grant from the Capital Region Creative Corps, the unique venture blends NorCal’s artistic expertise with RWA’s commitment to sustainable water use to create a dynamic program designed to educate and inspire the next generation to become advocates for water efficiency.

“This partnership represents the coming together of two vital elements—the arts and water efficiency,” said Nor Cal School of the Arts Executive Director Michele Hillen-Noufer. “A huge thank you to the Capital Region Creative Corps for investing in our vision.”

Amy Talbot, RWA Water Efficiency Program Manager, added, “By educating and empowering our youth, we are making an investment in a sustainable water future. This partnership between NorCal and RWA embodies the spirit of collaboration, innovation and vision.”

Program components include:

• Classroom Education and Learning: NorCal’s teaching artists are collaborating with RWA’s water efficiency experts to craft a two-person play and arts-integrated lesson plans to teach students and families about water efficiency.
• Community Engagement: Teaching artists will visit 400 classrooms and community gathering places to educate children, families, and community members about the importance of water efficiency.
• Regional Outreach Campaign: An Earth Day 2024 regional media campaign will highlight program participants taking water efficiency actions. A 30-second television and radio Public Service Announcement (PSA) featuring entertaining characters from the performance pieces will carry the water efficiency message to a wider audience.

The program is set to debut in classrooms in January 2024. The Northern California School of the Arts is currently accepting reservations from Sacramento County teachers wishing to bring this innovative program to their classrooms. To secure a spot for your classroom, please get in touch with Julia Flores at [email protected]