The California State Summer School for the Arts is a California state agency funded through public-private partnerships. The School’s goal is to provide a training ground for future artists who wish to pursue careers in the arts and entertainment industries in California. CSSSA courses in visual and performing arts, creative writing, animation and film are available to students in grades 9-12 (See student reel here). Participants contributed Ode to 2020, a student-produced video, to the HFPA’s Grants Celebration Special. 

Artists’ statement:

“High school and college students in the CSSSA Foundation’s first virtual interdisciplinary course explored themes of virality, life, and art-making during COVID-19. The course was taught by long-time CSSSA guest artist Sonja Bruzauskas. Filmmakers, actors, animators, visual artists, musicians, and creative writers collaborated for four weeks on Zoom, culminating in their final project, “An Ode to 2020.” The short film is written, acted, directed, edited, and produced entirely virtually by CSSSA students and alumni.”