Oakland Fine Arts Summer School believes in the transformational power of visual and performing arts to inspire social change. We embrace equity, diversity and inclusion in our program and value everyone’s life experiences. We celebrate unique perspectives and contributions in hope that all people, regardless of race, ethnicity, sexual identity, culture, age, gender expression, background, ability, economic status, education, credentials, and experience are engaged in our programming.

We value creating a space where all children feel complete, heard, respected, understood, valued, and connected. We strive to create an environment that feels like home to our students, volunteers, artists, and our audience. Creating a genuinely inclusive environment where diverse voices are present and active in all aspects of our program, we believe, enhances our effectiveness, and makes all our lives richer, stronger, and more innovative. ​

Prejudice and privilege have created barriers that we must dismantle, systematically and strategically, until everyone in our community has equitable access to arts and culture. We continue to be a diverse group of artists and volunteers united by a passionate belief in the value of the performing arts.