Organizational Longevity & Stability
OYES is Ojai's ONLY year-round K-12 theater with generational impact already underway.
- Celebrating 25 years of Theatre 150 and 15 years of OYES youth programming, demonstrating long-term sustainability, community trust, and consistent delivery of high-quality arts education.
- The only K–12 arts organization in the region to operate year-round, providing uninterrupted training, mentorship, and creative development for children at every stage of growth.
- Demonstrates generational impact, with families returning to OYES across multiple siblings and cohorts, and alumni coming back as teen leaders, volunteers, and teaching artists—creating a self-sustaining artistic ecosystem rooted in the community.
Expanded Access & Equity
- Maintained a “no child turned away” philosophy through scholarships, sliding-scale tuition, and targeted fundraising campaigns (including Help a Child), ensuring access regardless of financial circumstance.
- Served hundreds of youth annually, including K–2 beginners, teens, and advanced performers, with clear pathways for growth and leadership.
- Offered bilingual and culturally responsive instruction through a diverse teaching artist team.
Program Excellence
- Developed a year-round, progressive arts education model, including:
- Elementary musical theater programs
- Teen performance companies Shakespeare intensives
- Voice, movement, and radio-play curricula
- Produced high-quality, professionally designed productions that honor youth artistry through full lighting, sound, costumes, and intentional stage design.
- Introduced advanced performance formats (arena-style, three-quarter-round staging) that challenge students and elevate educational outcomes.
Youth Development & Leadership
- Created leadership pathways for teens as assistant directors, technicians, stage managers, and mentors, supporting workforce readiness and creative confidence.
- Fostered social-emotional growth through ensemble-based training that emphasizes collaboration, accountability, and creative risk-taking.
Facilities & Infrastructure Adaptability
- Successfully navigated a major facility transition, relocating from a long-term site to a smaller downtown campus while:
- Preserving year-round programming Maintaining production quality Adapting staging, rehearsal, and technical systems
- Designed temporary theater builds that meet safety, ADA, and educational needs despite limited space.
- Invested in portable infrastructure (risers, lighting, sound) to ensure continuity and flexibility.
Financial Growth & Fundraising Innovation
- Launched a multi-year umbrella campaign (Hear Us Roar) to support both program sustainability and long-term organizational growth.
- Secured matching gifts from private foundations, increasing donor leverage and institutional credibility.
- Diversified revenue streams beyond tuition to include:
- Individual giving
- Business sponsorships
- Benefit events and screenings
- Community partnership programs
- Strengthened donor stewardship through improved online fundraising portals, acknowledgements, and segmentation.
Community Partnerships
- Built and sustained strong partnerships with:
- Ojai Unified School District
- Local theaters and arts organizations (NHS Drama Department)
- Downtown businesses and hospitality partners (The Dutchess, Topa Topa Brewery)
- Collaborated with schools and community venues to expand arts access beyond OYES families and into the broader Ojai community.
Professional Artistic Team
- Assembled a consistent, professional team of directors, designers, educators, and technicians with regional and national experience.
- Prioritized continuity of teaching artists to ensure pedagogical depth and long-term student relationships.
Operational & Administrative Strengthening
- Implemented improved systems for:
- Scheduling and multi-cast coordination
- Volunteer management
- Ticketing and audience flow
- Donor tracking and reporting
- Strengthened board engagement and advisory support to guide long-term vision, fiscal responsibility, and community accountability.