Our Story

“Dreams pass into the reality of action. From the action stems the dream again;and this interdependence produces the highest form of living”

-Anais Nin

Standing on the stage, staring into the sea of people, I felt like I was the luckiest eight year-old in the world. The play was Oliver Twist and I was playing the young lead in a cast made up mostly of actors that were three times my age. The memory of my first experience performing in front of a packed audience is one that has stuck with me for my entire life. That one night taught me that with practice, guidance, and perseverance, I could succeed.

From a very young age, I knew that I wanted to be an artist. My parents were supportive of all my artistic endeavors. For them the arts represented a way to harness my energy and engage my imagination in a way that the typical school setting could not. When I had exhausted all the local art avenues and was unsure about my future as an actor, a man named Alex Urban changed my life. Alex, who was the head of a non-profit arts organization, suggested a theater and arts conservatory he thought would be a good fit. I enrolled in the school and for the next four years I was blessed with the opportunity to explore my imagination everyday. My mind was able to travel to places people only dream of and those that only existed in my mind came to life on paper and on the stage. I was living my life through art!

As I entered my adult life I continued to believe that every child should have access to the arts. The spark of art that started the wildfire of creation and imagination in my mind could help me keep the burning desire of art alive in others.

Several years ago, I was teaching children’s theater when a fourteen year old girl stood up and began to recite Shakespeare. She performed Shakespeare with such passion, fire, and uninhibited confidence that I was blown away. I encouraged her to think about attending an arts school and decided that I would do whatever I could to help her achieve her artistic dreams. She recently graduated from Interlochen Arts Academy and is now attending the Royal Scottish Academy of Dramatic Arts on scholarship. Several thousand dollars, countless bottles of aspirin, and a handful of incredible volunteers later, my quest to help one child has blossomed into a dream to introduce the arts and provide meaningful experiences in the arts to as many children as we can reach.

This foundation has become my way of giving back what was once given to me and I have been fortunate enough to find people who share this dream. Whether it is painting, photography, music, acting, or the culinary arts, our goal is to aid young people in both their development as artists and as individuals. With the recent cutbacks in funding for community and school art programs throughout the country, it is particularly important that we do as much as we can to promote and support arts education. I believe that the gift of imagination is the greatest gift of all. With your help we can expand these artists’ minds to spark a new generation of creativity. Thank you for helping me realize my dreams and for opening the door for so many others.

Live life and dream always,

Jeffery David Brooks
President / Co-Founder
Life Through Art Foundation