ACLA/ARTScorpsLA

In 1992 Ward founded the non-profit organization ARTScorpsLA, later renamed ACLA, through which she produced numerous socially-engaged and environmental art projects across Los Angeles County. With the support of major grants from organizations such as the National Endowment for the Arts, the Getty Trust, the Rockefeller Foundation, and the California Arts Council, ACLA and its neighborhood partners were responsible for creating the ArtParks La Tierra de la Culebra, Spiraling Orchard, and Francis Avenue Garden. Other initiatives included a citywide mural and graffiti-abatement program with students from the Los Angeles Unified School District, quarterly neighborhood celebrations, and the creation of Chinatown Studio, a neighborhood learning center and performance space. In 1999 ARTScorpsLA was the recipient of a Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence, which included publication in "Commitment to Place: Urban Excellence and Community," ed. Robert Shibley. In 2001, Ward and her partners renamed the organization ACLA to stand for art..community..land..activism.

Read Commitment to Place: Urban Excellence and Community published by the Bruner Foundation, Inc. 

“ACLA/ARTScorpsLA reveals the link between a healthy environment and healthy humanity through community revitalization projects that incorporate community building, arts and arts education, and the development of life skills.” -Mission Statement

Chinatown Studio: A performative Headquarters

Chinatown Studio was a neighborhood learning center and performance space founded in 1996 that served as ACLA/ARTScorpLA's headquarters. Ward was invited by the Los Angeles Community Redevelopment Agency to establish a creative studio and performance space with the stated goal of "invigorating the desolate neighborhood with youthful, artistic energy." Located between the ArtParks Spiraling Orchard and La Culebra, the studio provided a platform for teams of local and international artists to design murals, develop site programming and lead neighborhood workshops that took place in the communal courtyard. One of the most engaging programs was Enter the Dragon, a bi-weekly spoken word and video performance, which spurred local businesses to create their own companion events. Chinatown Studio was also host to an early college development program in partnership with Los Angeles Community College (LACC), serving as an educational hub for teenagers from across LA county. It was through Ward and ACLA's pioneering initiatives and artistic programming that the Chinatown neighborhood of Los Angeles developed into a destination for arts organizations both commercial and not-for-profit. 

mural projects: Walls of Reclamation

Walls of Reclamation was a commission from the County of Los Angeles to create murals for 28 schools within the LAUSD system. ACLA developed curricula in conjunction with classroom teachers to design images that reflected the student's current studies. Participating schools included Belmont High, whose earth-science class helped design and create a 500ft long mural titled "Earth Memories" that depicts the evolution of the earth. ACLA brought in lead artists for the various sites, including Eva Cockcroft, VYAL, MAN ONE, ASYLUM, Margaret Garcia, Frank Romero, and many more.