OUR HISTORY
Founder Matt D’Arrigo first conceived of A Reason To Survive (ARTS) in 1992 while his mother and sister both battled cancer. Painting and music were Matt’s refuge, giving him “a reason to survive,” especially after the passing of his mother. Just as the arts helped Matt through one of the most difficult times of his life, he aspired to provide that same opportunity to other youth working through their own personal crises.
In 2001, Matt founded ARTS on the philosophy that arts can heal and transform lives. ARTS initially began as a therapeutic arts organization, conducting outreach at The Ronald McDonald House and Rady’s Children’s Hospital. In 2007, ARTS opened a 7,000-sq. ft. Pat D’Arrigo ARTS Center in Liberty Station, and expanded its programs and mission to heal, inspire, and empower youth facing life challenges through therapeutic arts, formal arts education, and college & career preparation.
In 2012, ARTS moved to National City and opened a 20,000-sq. ft. ARTS Center in one of San Diego County’s most health-challenged and economically depressed communities. At the same time, ARTS garnered national recognition and attention: Inocente, a documentary on one of ARTS’ students, won an Oscar; ARTS was a case study in the NY Times best-selling book Decisive; and ARTS was featured on The Today Show. As a result of the move and entry onto the national stage, ARTS grew from serving youth through a therapeutic model to a more comprehensive Creative Youth Development model.
20 YEARS OF ARTS
2001
ARTS launches as an outreach program, working with the Ronald McDonald House & Rady Children’s Hospital, where the focus was providing therapeutic arts to youth facing severe health challenges.
2002 - 2006
ARTS expands its outreach program to 20 sites, expanding its population to youth facing various forms of trauma; domestic violence shelters, homeless shelters, foster care agencies, group homes, and military bases.
2007 - 2012
ARTS shifts to a facility-based model and opens the Pat D'Arrigo ARTS Center at Liberty Station. Programming also deepens and expands to a more holistic and long-term model, meeting young people where they are on their healing, developmental, and artistic journey: Therapeutic Arts programs, formal arts education, and workforce development. The introduction of support services for mental health and college & career readiness start. ARTS serves youth 6-18 years old.
2012 - 2017
ARTS moves into the 20,000 sq. ft. building in National city where we reside today and shifts to a full Creative Youth Development model. ARTS programs and services greatly deepen and expand to serve the new community. A new Maker Space is established offering an array carpentry, welding, 3-D printing, and design-build opportunities. A Media Arts Lab is also established offering graphic design, photography, film and video, and podcasting. Paid internships and jobs program is established, building a pathway for older students and alumni to become paid teaching assistants, teaching artists, designers/fabricators in the Maker Space, and community artists/civic leaders. “Creating Vibrant Neighborhoods” a community-engagement public arts program is launched in partnership with the City of National City and Pomegranate Center. ARTS Serves youth 6-24 years old.
A full-time social work department is established to meet the growing mental health needs of the students and to provide an array of social service supports to students and their families.
2021
ARTS reopens after more than a year of the pandemic. We're excited to have been able to celebrate our 20th anniversary with YOU!