CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT : JO ANN EKBLAD ; COURTESY OF FESTIVAL OF ARTS ; BARBARA MCMURRAY
Clockwise from top left : Gallery Q winners at the Susi Q Senior Center ; a kids art class at Festival of Arts ; a Sally ’ s Fund outing for seniors
in the newly renovated Moulton Theatre at the entrance to Laguna Canyon . Over at the American Legion building downtown , No Square Theatre presents plays , musicals and “ Lagunatics ,” its popular annual roast of life on the coast . No Square , founded in 1997 , gives amateur actors , directors and technical staff — including children — an opportunity to take their skills to the stage . Two musicals are coming soon : “ Waiting in the Wings ” is set to run Jan . 20-29 while April auditions have been announced for “ Seussical .” No Square Theatre also offers Broadway master classes and youth workshops , including the new Access Excellence for those age 11 to 18 to receive expert advice on getting callbacks when auditioning for singing roles . In August , thanks to a grant from Festival of Arts , No Square also began presenting a special performance of each show with modifications like no loud noises or blinking lights to make it more comfortable for those on the autism spectrum — ensuring that the theater can be enjoyed by all . ( Laguna Playhouse : lagunaplayhouse . com ) ( No Square Theatre : nosquare . org )
SENIOR SERVICES Older residents have two nonprofit groups working on their behalf : the Laguna Beach Seniors , which operates the Susi Q Senior Center , and Sally ’ s Fund , which provides rides to medical appointments and stores for grocery shopping , among other services . Laguna Beach Seniors , started in 1975 , was one of the first OC nonprofits catering to older adults . Since 2009 , the organization has been based at the Susi Q , where more than 80 programs are presented annually from movie screenings to yoga and ukulele instruction , bingo games , writing workshops , current event discussions and support groups . Lunch is served at the Susi Q by another organization , Age Well Senior Services . Additionally , Laguna Beach Seniors runs the Lifelong Laguna program , connecting older adults with support needed to continue their quality of life ; during the pandemic , Lifelong Laguna distributed iPads to low-income seniors to take part in classes on Zoom and delivered handmade face coverings . Meanwhile , Sally ’ s Fund , established in 1982 , offers door-to-door , assisted transportation and other essential services to Laguna Beach seniors and disabled individuals . “ Sally ’ s Fund services are vital to keep seniors on the move , to maintain good health , to socialize with friends and attend cultural events ,” says Rachael Berger , executive director of Sally ’ s Fund . “ Our mission is to ensure seniors can remain in their homes living independently .” For doctor ’ s appointments , Sally ’ s Fund drivers will walk clients to the door and stay with them . For grocery shopping , the driver will push the cart and carry the bags for them . Sally ’ s Fund also provides rides to the Susi Q for lunch , classes and events as well as weekly outings to stores like Target and Trader Joe ’ s or cultural venues , plus home visits to offer companionship for those who are bedridden or homebound . ( Laguna Beach Seniors : thesusiq . org ) ( Sally ’ s Fund : sallysfund . org )
THE ART OF GIVING Laguna ’ s summer art festivals play a key role in showcasing local creativity , while also giving back to artists in need and helping underserved populations enjoy the arts . Sawdust Art Festival has the Artists ’ Benevolence Fund , which provides financial assistance to local working artists going through a crisis . An annual art auction raises money for the fund , which started in 1987 and has granted more than $ 100,000 in relief payments over the years . There ’ s also the Sawdust Art Enrichment Fund , which provides hands-on art workshops for at-risk youth and those in the armed forces and their families . Meanwhile , Festival of Arts has several programs that run independently from one another . The festival established the FOA Foundation in 1989 to create an endowment for student scholarships and grants to arts nonprofits and educational institutions in the Laguna area . In 2007 , the festival took over funding the scholarships , so the foundation ( a separate entity ) now focuses on the grants ; together , they have awarded more than $ 3 million in grants plus more than $ 3.5 million in scholarships . Additionally , the festival ’ s Masters at Giving program allows donors to purchase tickets to the Pageant of the Masters for charitable groups serving frontline responders , veterans , seniors and at-risk youth , giving the opportunity to see this “ living pictures ” show to those who couldn ’ t afford it . Through the Pageant Legacy Society , patrons may buy an Irvine Bowl seat ( and add a small plaque engraved with the name of a loved one or business ), helping the nonprofit make the arts more accessible to the community . Another nonprofit , The Artists Fund at the Festival of Arts , which was founded in 1999 and separated from the festival in 2007 , offers financial assistance to exhibitors suffering hardships like illness , injury or the effects of natural disasters . Many artists don ’ t make enough money to afford health care or set aside funds for an emergency , so the Artists Fund helps them through these crises ; it also awards enrichment grants to help further artists ’ careers . The fund benefits from the Art-To-Go exhibit and sale at Festival of Arts . ( Sawdust Art Festival , Artists ’ Benevolence Fund , Sawdust Art Enrichment Fund : sawdustartfestival . org ) ( Festival of Arts , Masters at Giving , Pageant Legacy Society : foapom . com ) ( FOA Foundation : foafoundation . net ) ( The Artists Fund at the Festival of Arts : theartistsfund-foa . org )
LAGUNA BEACH MAGAZINE 43