Chuck Jones Center for Creativity
The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity is a gymnasium for the brain. Based on the unique philosophies of the legendary animator, Chuck Jones, we provide creativity experiences that exercise creative genius that exists in all of us.
"The only thing an adult can give a child is time." - Chuck Jones
The programs of the Chuck Jones Center for Creativity are designed to provide children (of all ages) the very opportunity that Chuck Jones had in mind when he founded the Center in 2000. With the nurturing guidance of our teaching artists, the Center provides the time for your child(ren) to discover their innate creativity.
We teach our students, both young and young of heart, to nurture the creative genius that exists in all of us. We connect both left and right sides of the brain in exercising creativity to solve problems, foster innovation and build mental health.
We build important skills for school age children, support healthy cognitive abilities for seniors, increase work performance in organizations who see the value of pumping up creativity in their ranks and enhance function for children on the autism spectrum.
Chuck Jones Center for Creativity is a 501(c)3 nonprofit public charity located in Orange County, California. Founded in 1999 by the four-time Academy Award recipient and legendary animation creator and director, Chuck Jones, the Center's vision is a world where creativity is known and experienced in every discipline, by the many, not just the few.
These are important goals, particularly in today's world, when arts education is practically non-existent; we are dedicated to re-invigorating the creative spirit and we are doing it through art classes, exhibitions, lectures, film festivals, and our online community, all of which spring from the material in the Chuck Jones archive. Jones was a determined saver and his writings, art, and other ephemera from a nine-decade life, along with his philosophy of guiding and nurturing instruction, form the basis of our programs.
Our growing creative community inspires joy and innovation in people of all ages, energizing them to transform their lives, their communities, and society as a whole.
The Chuck Jones Center for Creativity is a “gymnasium for the brain” that fosters creative thinking, the thinking behind problem solving, by inspiring people to exercise their unique creative genius through creativity exercises. Creativity is like a muscle in your brain that needs exercise to get and stay healthy. The stronger that muscle is, the better it works in engaging tasks and solving problems. Brain studies show that creative endeavors stimulate more parts of the brain than any other activity. But, for the first time in history, creativity is waning … the brain is not being sufficiently exercised. Creative activities at the Center address these issues.
Our programs build important life skills for school age children, support healthy cognitive abilities for seniors and enhance behavioral function for children on the autism spectrum. We offer both one-time programs and several different multiple-session workshops at our Center – along with schools and other community locations – across the four local counties of Los Angeles, Orange, Riverside and San Diego. While we sometimes charge a nominal fee to offset the direct expenses, we strive to minimize the cost and serve youth that might otherwise not be able to afford these meaningful experiences. Our long-term goal is to expand these enterprises outside southern California to communities around the country. The Center reached 8,000 participants in 2015 (an increase of 50% over 2014) and 12,000 in 2016 (another 50% increase). Through museum exhibitions and unique events, we reached over 35,000 additional participants over the last 3 years.