Apple is launching Today at Apple Creative Studios in Los Angeles and Beijing, it announced Tuesday. As well as learning from figures within the company itself, the idea is to provide young participants with hands-on experience and mentorship from renowned artists and nonprofit community partners. Further such settings will open in Bangkok, London, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. later in 2021.
Apple Launching Today at Apple Creative Studios
Today at Apple Creative Studios will focus on the likes of music, film, photography, and art and design. The program will be available to young people facing barriers to artistic education. Each program lasts between eight and 12 weeks. Mentors collaborating with Apple and community partners will lead hands-on sessions, offering insider industry knowledge and ongoing feedback. Apple will showcase participants’ final works in their local Apple Store location or community.
Deirdre O’Brien, Apple’s senior vice president of Retail + People, said:
Creativity and access to education are core values for Apple, so we are absolutely thrilled to kick off Today at Apple Creative Studios in Los Angeles and Beijing and to bring this meaningful program to several more cities this year. Building on our long history of using stores as a venue to host local artists to educate and inspire, Creative Studios is one more way we’re providing free arts education to those who need it most.
From Los Angeles to Beijing
In Los Angeles, to celebrate the opening of Apple Tower Theatre, Apple Creative Studios focuses on young musicians. The company is collaborating with the Music Forward Foundation and Inner-City Arts and Social Justice Learning Institute. Participants will create a visual album called LA Love Letter. They will learn skills on the iPad, Apple Pencil, Beats headphones, iPhone, GarageBand, Procreate, Notes, and the Camera app. They will share their story through music, design, and imagery. Those at Creative Studios LA will also get access to key Apple Music Figures, including Zane Lowe. Larrance “Rance” Dopson (pictured above), documentary photographer and filmmaker Bethany Mollenkof, and Apple Music’s Global Editorial Head of Hip-Hop and R&B Ebro Darden are also mentors. Those interested can sign up here.
In Beijing, Apple is partnering with the China Foundation for Poverty Alleviation and China Social Entrepreneur Foundation. Participants will explore photography and videography, music, and app design using iPad, Apple Pencil, Beats headphones, and iPhone. On the software side, they will again learn GarageBand, iMovie, and Procreate. iPhone photographer Eric Zhang, drummer Shi Lu, and app designer Sun Yong are amongst those serving as mentors.