history
About CSMA
Simply put, the Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) provides Arts for All!
Since our founding in 1968, CSMA has grown to be the region's largest non-profit provider of arts education programs, reaching 40,000+ people of all ages, skill levels and economic means every year. In 2004, CSMA opened its first permanent home at Finn Center, an award-winning facility providing lessons, classes, camps and workshops in music, visual and new media arts, as well as free concerts, exhibitions and special cultural events. In the community, CSMA provides arts-in-the-schools programs to 7,500+ children at close to 30 schools throughout the region. CSMA is among the top 10 schools of its kind in the nation.
Over the Years
198419861987198819901991199219941995
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2005200620072008 200920102011
Download Our Fact Sheet | View A Short Video About CSMA
(Left) California St location in Mountain View. (Right) Our current home at 230 San Antonio Circle in Mountain View.
1968
Community School of Music and Arts (CSMA) founded by volunteers/music educators Natalie Werbner & Joan Van Stone.
Start-up Capital: $150
Students: 28
Faculty: 10 volunteer music teachers
Location: Old house on Bailey Ave. rented ($25/month) from City of Mountain View.
1969
Established as 401(c)3 non-profit organization.
Received Mtn. View Mayor's Award
for Service to the Community.
Budget: $7,426
Students: 150
1971
Purchased & moved to 60-year-old Victorian farmhouse at 1560 California St.
Faculty/Staff: 43
Students: 265
1979
Nancy Lawrence (Glaze) named Executive Director.
Private Lesson Tuition: $6/30 mins; $9/45mins; $12/60 mins
1981
Arts-in-the-schools program Arts in Action began in partnership with City of Mtn. View & Mtn. View School District.
1983
Financial hard times forced sale of 1560 California St. home (asking price: $135,000); moved to Klein School, 405 Ortega Ave., rented from Mtn. View School District.
Mary Bender named Executive Director.
1987
Moved to Huff School, 253 Martens Ave., rented from Mtn. View School District.
Became one of 200+ schools accredited by National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts.
Arts-in-the-schools programs reached elementary school children in 100 classrooms.
1988
STRETCH Financial Aid Program & ArtKids established.
Received Mtn. View Mayor's Award for Service to the Community.
Naming of Brunello Hall.
Budget: $575,000
Annual Fund: $33,690
Faculty: 65
Private Music Lessons: 400 per week
Arts in Action: 3,355 children/12 schools
Music in Action: 1,440 children/8 schools
Grace Huenemann named Executive Director.
1990
Merit Scholarship Program & Faculty Concert Series established.
Schools Served: 13 elementary schools/140 classrooms
Annual Fund: $27,223
1991
Named one of four founding Home Companies at new Mtn. View Center for the Performing Arts.
Held first city-wide children's art exhibit.
Honey Meir-Levi named Executive Director.
1993
First permanent endowment for financial aid established with $180,000 challenge grant from Lila Wallace-Reader's Digest Fund.
Received Mtn. View Mayor's Award for Service to the Community.
Warren Riley named Interim Executive Director.
1994
Arts in Action named exemplary Artists in Residence Multi-Residency Program by CAC.
Arts in Action & Music in Action named Mentor Programs by National Guild of Community Schools of the Arts.
People Reached Annually: 10,000
Communities Served: 35 cities in Santa Clara & San Mateo Counties
Budget: $1M
Andrea Temkin named Executive Director.
1995
First-time recipient of National Endowment for the Arts grant.
Recieved Mtn. View Mayor's Award for Service to the Community.
Board of Directors completed 5-year Strategic Plan with priority to investigate finding a permanent home.
1996
Provided Tween Time after-school middle school programs in partnership with City of Mtn. View.
1997
Hosted first Traditional Folk Artist in Residence.
Financial Aid Program awarded approx. $100,000.
Schools Served: 15 elementary/8,000 children
1998
Established Concert in Conversation with Stanford Lively Arts.
Huff School reopened; CSMA asked Mtn. View City Council to help identify new site.
Mtn. View City Council provided city-owned land at San Antonio Circle for CSMA to lease (90 yrs.) to build permanent home.
Hired architect-Mark Cavagnero Associates.
Budget: $1.5M
People Served: 15,000
Faculty: 75+
1999
Admin offices relocated to Grant Rd.; instructional area remained at Martens Ave.
Began "Quiet Phase" of Capital Campaign to build Silicon Valley's first Center for Music & Arts Education.
2000
CAC recognized CSMA for Exemplary Arts Education Programs, its highest-ranking award.
Adopted Arts for All! as tagline & brand.
Budget: $1.75M
People Served: 18,000
2001
Received capital campaign gifts of $3.7M, including lead gift of $2M from Stephen Finn & $1.2M from Packard Foundation.
PRI executed (Program-Related Investment).
Angela McConnell named Interim Executive Director.
Budget: $2M
People Served: 20,000
2002
Capital Campaign "Public Phase" launched - $6.5M raised.
Angela McConnell named Executive Director.
CSMA presented 19 free concerts.
Aug. - Moved to interim site at 220 View St.
Annual Fund: $640,000
2003
Received $750,000 Kresge Challenge Grant.
Drafted 5-yr strategic plan to be regional arts education center.
Dec. 19 - Moved to first permanent home at San Antonio Circle, 25,000-sq-ft., state-of-the-art facility.
Completed $11.7M Capital Campaign with $12M raised.
2004
Jan. - Doors opened to first students from Summit Charter High School, Redwood City, enrolled in new program to fulfill fine arts grad credit requirements for UC/CA state systems.
Announced building name-Finn Center.
Received $1M donation for naming of Tateuchi Hall.
Launched five A&E series (concerts & arts lectures).
Naming of Mohr Gallery.
Received international design excellence awards from Business Week/Architectural Record.
March-Gala Grand Opening & Community Days
Paula Johanson named Interim Executive Director during Angela McConnell's pregnancy leave.
Budget: $3M
2005
Began free bi-lingual pre-school program at Castro School
CSMA partners for first time with San Jose Mercury News "Education in the Classroom" to bring 10 weeks of arts education lessons to thousands of children, classrooms & general public throughout Silicon Valley.
2006
CSMA purchased adjacent property ("The Annex") at 250 San Antonio Rd. for parking & future expansion.
Began partnership with Abilities United (formerly C.A.R.) to provide art classes at Finn Center for developmentally disabled students.
Gala Tribute to outgoing ED Angela McConnell.
Established General Operating Endowment Fund.
By-laws rewritten to expand Board to 30 members.
Presented 30+ free concerts, exhibitions, etc.
Susan McInnis named Interim Exec. Director.
Private Music Lesson Units: 1,006 per week
Schools Served: 23
Faculty/Staff: 141
People Reached: 35,000
Budget: $4.3M
Annual Fund: $1.4M
2007
Jeffry Walker named Exec. Director.
CSMA raises nearly $1.2 million dollars for 40th Anniversary Challenge from Steve Finn. Funds to be used for development of Annex property.
CSMA establishes new position: Assistant Music School Director.
CSMA and KMVT15 Productions produce award-winning video, What's Inside Me.
Financial Aid & Program Subsidies: $275,000
People Reached: 40,000+
Schools Served: 29
2008
CSMA Celebrates its 40th Anniversary Year!
CSMA launches new website.
Began partnership with Morgan Autism Center, Pacific Autism Center for Education (P.A.C.E.) and AchieveKids to provide music and art classes at Finn Center for autistic students. Program is called "Artistic Intelligence."
2009
Received $35,000 matching grant from Morgan Family Foundation.
Doubled Finn Center enrollment in "Artistic Intelligence" program serving autistic students.
Completed 5-year strategic plan.
2010
CSMA publishes three booklets ("Why Music & Arts Education?"; messaging/advocacy; student success stories) as part of campaign to raise visibility for the importance of music and arts education for all ages. Website upgraded to showcase students and faculty and to focus on being an advocacy resource ("speakup4arts").
Dr. Nicholas Isaacs named CSMA's first-ever Music School Director, Emeritus, upon resigning after serving as director for 25 years. Assistant Director Mary Holmes appointed Music School Director.
Executive Director Jeffry Walker leaves. Kathy Thibodeaux named Interim Executive Director.
In-school program rebranding from Arts in Action and Music in Action to Art4Schools and Music4Schools.
CSMA partners with Oriki Theater to present first-ever Silicon Valley African Film Festival.
2011
Moy Eng appointed Executive Director.
CSMA receives $100,000 grant from the Knight Foundation to support its Art4Schools program in Title I schools in Palo Alto and East San Jose.
Schools Served: 30+
Students: 7,500+
CSMA, Los Altos Mountain View PTA Council, Shoreline Amphitheatre and MVEF present the 10th Choral Fest at Shoreline Amphitheatre.
Private Music Lesson Units: 1,070 per week.
Music School Library catalogues 10,000 pieces of music available for faculty & students.