Los Angeles Arts High School Marks 40 Years With Fundraising Concert

The event, called LACHSAPalooza, is also a fundraiser seeking $2.5 million for the tuition-free public school. Alumni including Anthony Anderson, Taran Killam, and Zoey Deutch spoke about the school's role in their careers. Anderson, a member of the school's first graduating class in 1985, said the school helped him become an artist.

Killam, who graduated in 2000, recalled taking improv and stand-up classes there.

The school offers programs in dance, cinematic arts, music, theater, and visual arts alongside standard academic courses. It receives half its funding from the state of California and relies on donations for the remaining half. Trena Pitchford, executive director of the LACHSA Foundation, said public education in California has not been fully funded in 50 years.

She noted recent challenges including the pandemic and last year's wildfires have affected donor support.

Deutch, who attended in the 2010s, said the school provided validation for young artists. Anderson said the school created a space where students could pursue artistic careers together rather than in isolation. Pitchford said the school aims to secure funding for the next 40 years despite donor fatigue. She added that programs like LACHSA impact both local culture and broader society.