The Epicenter founder, Allison Paradise, has been featured in Growing Up in Santa Cruz's May edition. In the article she talks about how The Epicenter came to be and what drives her each day. The article can be accessed on Growing Up in Santa Cruz's website.

We had a great time at Kids Day in downtown Santa Cruz! We had mirrors all over the tent and below are some of the responses people wrote to the questions, 'What do you see in yourself when you look in the mirror?'

The Epicenter will be at Kids Day in downtown Santa Cruz on 4/23! Come see yourself as you are at our booth, and enjoy the free activities from over 20 different organizations around town as well as special offers from many of the local businesses. The event will run from 12-4. For more information, and a complete list of participating organizations, visit the Downtown Association of Santa Cruz.

We're excited to announce that The Epicenter is collaborating with the Santa Cruz Children's Museum of Discovery (MOD). The Epicenter will be at the MOD every Thursday through the end of May from 2:30 - 4:30. Each week we will explore a different topic through art, movement, scientific inquiry, and awareness. Each week we will be transforming the art room through mindfulness and an experience of empowerment. We hope to see you there!

The Epicenter's CEO, Allison Paradise, has published her first book. The Mistake presents a new way of understanding how social conditioning can limit us from a very young age, and it provides a clue for how we can break free of the boxes we are in. Intended for children ages 8 - 11, but appreciated by people of all ages, The Mistake is unique in blending storytelling with opportunities for artistic expression in response to the story.

We're so excited to be partnering with Berani Designs to offer a portrait photo pop-up at the London Nelson Community Center in December!

Portrait photography invites us to explore the question 'Who am I?' in a unique way. Our professional photographer will take multiple photos - some portrait, some at close range - so that you can see yourself from multiple perspectives.

All ages are welcome at this event. The cost is $20 per session plus one photo. All photos will be made available to you after the session so that you can choose your favorite. Additional photos may be purchased for $10 each.

Further details for the event are below. If you have any questions please email us at info@be-the-epicenter.org.

Details

Dates: December 3rd, 10th, and 17th

Time: 3 - 6pm

Location: London Nelson Community Center, Santa Cruz

Cost: $20 for the session + one photo

RSVP: not necessary - stop in at any time!

Reminder: Masks are required inside the London Nelson at all times except when being photographed.

The Epicenter's Founder and CEO, Allison Paradise, was interviewed this evening by Len Beyea of KSQD. In the interview, she shares her vision for The Epicenter and discusses with Len the importance of understanding the our connection with ourselves, each other, and the planet.

The press release on Entanglement that was published today highlights the contributions of our incredible team and further explains our vision for the art installation.  

To experience 'Entanglement' visit us at the Museum of Art and History in Santa Cruz, California Sept 16 - 19, 2021. We appreciate all support and contributions to our work!

Welcome to The Epicenter! We're so glad you're here.

The Epicenter provides an experience of empowerment to students ages 7 -22. We just launched our website, but this project has been 20 years in the making.

As our classes begin, our artwork is installed, and our online community continues to grow, please check back here for the latest news.

We're known for asking open-ended questions that provoke meaningful reflection, so we'll end each post with a question (or two) to explore. For our first post, we'll start with the question that inspired the Open Spaces, Open Minds video series:

What sound does a rock make?