Congratulations to artist and educator Mai Ryuno, the founder of Play Full Ground, who has been awarded a Vela Grant to support her continuing work offering meaningful, creative learning experiences for youth in Monterey.

VELA is a nonprofit organization that invests in community-driven, creative education projects, trusting educators and learners to design learning that meets their communities’ needs. The VELA grant will help Mai continue to explore how art, education, and community can come together to create meaningful learning experiences.

At Play Full Ground, this work happens in collaboration with both young learners and adult community members - blending art, education, and community building. For example, Mai and Emily Gottlieb (an environmental education consultant, artist, and ecologist) are developing an Earth Day Inquiry and Ecology Workshop, to be offered this April, exploring environmental themes through creative, hands-on experiences. (Stay tuned for more info!)

Each project at Play Full Ground is an opportunity to explore how art can become a medium for learning, reflection, and connection. The studio, located at 550 Lighthouse Avenue, Suite E in Monterey, also offers after-school programs for middle school and high school students and one-on-one creative mentorship for adults.