Courtesy photo
By Emilie St. John
Contributing Writer
COMPTON — The Compton Unified School District has announced a multi-year partnership with the world renowned Julliard School.
Founded in 1905, the Juilliard School is a world leader in performing arts education. The school’s mission is to provide the highest caliber of artistic education for gifted musicians, dancers and actors, composers, choreographers and playwrights from around the world so that they may achieve their fullest potential as artists, leaders and global citizens.
The partnership expands Juilliard’s longstanding commitment to working with partners to build new pathways into the performing arts. The two-way learning relationship for both education institutions also showcases the excellence and dedication of Compton’s dance, drama and music educators.
The four-year program is broken into two areas with professional learning for performance arts educators and student mentorship and professional engagement.
“In Compton, we recognize that the arts are not just an enrichment — they are essential to a student’s growth, building confidence, discipline and creativity,” said district Superintendent Darin Brawley. “Our partnership with Juilliard is more than an opportunity; it is a game-changer — elevating our scholars to the same level of excellence and world-class instruction as the most elite programs in the world.”
The news comes on the heels of the district putting the finishing touches on its state of the art $200 million Compton High School which features the Andre ‘Dr. Dre’ Young Performing Arts Center, which was made possible with a $10 million donation from Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine.
“We are absolutely ecstatic to be partnering with an arts organization of such unparalleled caliber as Juilliard,” said school board President Micah Ali. “They indeed are the gold standard in arts education, synonymous with excellence, creativity and achievement at the highest level,”
“For Compton Unified to partner with such a prestigious institution is emblematic of our commitment to providing world-class arts education. We are setting the stage for our scholars to thrive artistically, academically, and beyond.”
The program will launch in 24 schools and plans to expand district wide in the future. The initiative kicks off in mid-April and runs through June 2028 and serves Compton students from kindergarten through grade 12, supporting the creativity and artistic development of every scholar.
“We see this partnership with Compton Unified not just as a program, but as a shared commitment to making artistic excellence accessible to all students,” says Richard Mannoia, Juilliard’s senior director of education and strategy, programs and initiatives. “Together, we’re building a sustainable model that nurtures creativity and helps activate every child’s intrinsic artistic potential.”
Emilie St. John is a freelance journalist covering the areas of Carson, Compton, Inglewood and Willowbrook. Send tips to her at emiliesaintjohn@gmail.com.
