DreamWorks Animation Charitable Foundation Pledges Continued Commitment To Animation Academy At Inner-City Arts

LOS ANGELES, July 30, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- Inner-City Arts, an arts education provider based in downtown Los Angeles, today announced The DreamWorks Animation Charitable Foundation, Inc. has donated a grant in the amount of $250,000 over five years in continued support of the DreamWorks Animation Academy at Inner-City Arts, which provides instruction in digital media, film-making and graphic design to Los Angeles area students.

Non-profit Inner-City Arts, now in its twenty-third year of operation, uses arts education to positively affect the lives of inner-city children, improving their chances to lead productive and successful lives by developing creativity, improving learning skills and building self-confidence.

In 2008, an initial gift of $500,000 from The DreamWorks Animation Charitable Foundation, the philanthropic affiliate of DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc. (Nasdaq: DWA), established the DreamWorks Animation Academy at Inner-City Arts.  Thanks to this support, Inner-City Arts expanded its offerings in animation and other art forms to middle and high school students throughout Los Angeles city and county, providing state-of-the-art equipment, additional staff, visiting artists, and a more robust Saturday program for its students.

"The most recent gift from The DreamWorks Animation Charitable Foundation will help Inner-City Arts expand its career-readiness programs, providing more opportunities for students to explore their creativity, build portfolios, and learn skills that are valued in the 21^st Century workforce," said Joseph Collins, President and CEO of Inner-City Arts.

"Since the animation program's inception sixteen years ago, 100% of the participating high school students have graduated from high school (compared to the LAUSD graduation rate of 62%), more than 90% of the students have enrolled in college or post-secondary training, and at least 40 students have embarked on careers in film, television, teaching and the social sciences."

The affiliation with DreamWorks Animation also provides Inner-City Arts students with media arts field trips and includes future plans for internship opportunities with DreamWorks Animation.  One such field trip took place on July 27, 2012, when more than 40 middle and high school students visited DreamWorks Animation in Glendale, CA to tour the facilities, view animation demos and footage, and meet with DreamWorks Animation Chief Executive Officer Jeffrey Katzenberg.

"DreamWorks Animation remains deeply committed to continuing the important work done by Inner-City Arts every day: to help talented young people achieve their potential and reach their dreams," Katzenberg commented.

In the DreamWorks Animation program, elementary to high school-aged students learn the fundamentals of basic animation, including Zoetropes, Flipbooks, hand and puppet animation, drawing on film and optical printing.  Each class creates a collaborative animated film, which is screened at culminating festivals held at Inner-City Arts, the students' own schools and local theater and other venues throughout the city.

"This experience has encouraged me to work at something I love," Raquel, a 17 year-old high school student with Inner-City Arts said, after touring DreamWorks Animation Studios on Friday. "I learned that there are so many different little parts of an industry that you can work in. DreamWorks has opened my eyes to finding something in animation that I could really find interesting."  

About Inner-City Arts
Inner-City Arts is a learning oasis in the heart of Los Angeles' Skid Row where professional artists teach students in a real studio environment. Since its inception, Inner-City Arts has served 150,000 of the city's most at-risk children at no cost to the students. Founded in 1989, Inner-City Arts works in partnership with the Los Angeles Unified School District to bring elementary and middle school students to the campus during the school day for instruction in the visual and performing arts. High school students participate in after-school and Saturday programs.  National, long-term research proves that students who attend Inner-City Arts' classes show dramatic increases in statewide standardized test scores: 25% in math, 17% in reading, 8% in English proficiency. They also learn skills that are highly valued in the 21st century workforce such as collaboration, and creative and conceptual thinking. Most importantly, students who receive education in the arts are able to create a whole new vision of self—a new world of hope that includes accomplishment and belonging. 

About DreamWorks Animation
DreamWorks Animation creates high-quality entertainment, including CG animated feature films, television specials and series, live entertainment properties and online virtual worlds, meant for audiences around the world. The Company has world-class creative talent, a strong and experienced management team and advanced filmmaking technology and techniques. DreamWorks Animation has been named one of the "100 Best Companies to Work For" by FORTUNE^® Magazine for four consecutive years. In 2012, DreamWorks Animation ranks #14 on the list. All of DreamWorks Animation's feature films are now being produced in 3D. The Company has theatrically released a total of 24 animated feature films, including the franchise properties of Shrek, Madagascar, Kung Fu Panda and How to Train Your Dragon. The Company's theatrical releases for the current year are Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted on June 8, 2012 and Rise of the Guardians on November 21, 2012.

SOURCE DreamWorks Animation SKG, Inc.

WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM?

440k+
Newsrooms &
Influencers

9k+
Digital Media
Outlets

270k+
Journalists
Opted In

GET STARTED