This video introduces Living Dream Arts by weaving together breathtaking clips from Dreamtime Circus tours in India and Peru with jaw-dropping footage of performances in the Bay Area and heartwarming moments from VAGABOOM's after-school art programs.

Welcome to the VAGABOOM! website

Living Dream Arts is a 501c 3 Non-Profit Organization which represents the collaborative efforts of VAGABOOM! and Dreamtime Circus. Living Dream Arts brings a variety of arts programs and performances to disadvantaged youth in the US and around the world. Through the sharing and teaching of different art forms, we inspire youth with a sense of confidence, cross-cultural awareness, and self-expression.

Living Dream Arts envisions a world where creativity flourishes, hope overcomes fear, and everyone may dream their life and live their dreams. We provide an artistic, integrative outlet for youth and a positive step toward a better world.  

VAGABOOM! is our US branch,  a collective of teachers, artists and volunteers that provides free and low-cost Arts education to both public schools and Community Clubs and Centers. 

VAGABOOM!  aims to increase its workforce for their expanded programs, providing work to many skilled teachers and artists.
Currently VAGABOOM! is running two circus/theater after-school programs in Bay Area Public schools.

Since our founding in 2007, VAGABOOM! has worked with over 1,200 youth in the Bay Area.

Our goal is to continue to offer this unique program for free, particularly to schools and neighborhoods that are worst effected by the budget cuts.

Did You Know?

According to the California Department of Education, in 2010 Governor Schwarzenegger proposed $1.5 billion dollars in education budget cuts to which 48% of school administrators cut their Art, Music & Drama programs. Since California schools have experienced over $17 billion in budget cuts in the last two years – it is time for non-profits organizations to step up and fill in the education gaps. LDA is inspired to ensure that all children experience arts education through providing innovative, interactive arts programs for discounted prices so that schools can afford investing in arts education.

Numerous studies assert that participation in the arts promotes positive outcomes in academics, social development, and overall cognitive capacity. Arts education helps shape motivation, self-discipline, confidence and perseverance. For example, the "Living the Arts through Language Learning: A Report on Community-based Youth Organizations," study by Shirley Brice Heath at Stanford University found that young people who participated in consistent arts education were:

• 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement 

• 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools

• 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair

• 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance

• 4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem
  

Young artists, as compared with their peers, are likely to:

• Attend music, art, and dance classes nearly three times as frequently

• Participate in youth groups nearly four times as frequently

• Read for pleasure nearly twice as often

• Perform community service more than four times as often
  

Despite these drastic budget cuts, all children deserve the opportunity to grow to their greatest potential. LDA’s art programs spark an inner fire of self-worth and motivation that will inspire them to become successful, compassionate youth.

Our work locally and internationally constantly reaffirms that circus arts spark wonder in the hearts of children, and that this wonder inspires children to dream of possibilities for themselves they never thought were achievable. Without this dream, how can they work towards a goal they can’t even visualize? LDA shows undeserved youth how to dream new possibilities for themselves and the world around them.

To achieve these dreams, LDA also teaches youth to apply concrete steps towards accomplishing goals. Through experiential art, we give youth challenges that they overcome through either self-reliance or teamwork. Youth emerge more confident and more open to peaceful cooperation. Our comprehensive programs provide this much needed character development through the playful exploration of interactive art forms.