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Recreation staff outline performing arts participation, enrollment trends and new adult offerings
Summary
Staff reviewed youth and adult arts programming across seasons, noted classes that succeed or cancel based on enrollment, and highlighted instructors and new classes including adult cartooning, textiles and pottery offerings.
Shelley walked commissioners through the recreation department's performing arts enrollment data, covering the last cycle (fall 2023 through summer 2024) and explaining how some arts classes 'hit and miss' depending on season and interest. She called out long‑running offerings (youth music, ceramics) and instructors — "Katrina teaches. She's been doing that for a number of years." — and described how the department tracks gender and age ranges to shape offerings.
Staff and commissioners discussed outreach to middle‑ and high‑school age groups and whether on‑site school facilities might be used to run middle‑school specific arts offerings tied to existing electives. Shelley and commissioners said space constraints and school‑district availability are the primary limits on expanding programs to older youth. The presentation closed with an invitation for commissioners to send suggestions for new classes and for staff to continue monitoring enrollment patterns.
Why it matters: arts programs are a regular part of PRD's offerings but face recurring cancellation risk when enrollment is low; staff are using targeted scheduling and instructor partnerships to test new formats.
