Allen Academy of the Arts Alta California Regional Center
Allen Academy of the Arts · Sacramento & Yolo

Everyone deserves a song. Everyone deserves the stage.

An arts-centered day program for adults with developmental disabilities. Real instruments, a recording studio, working Teaching Artists, and a Friday that happens out in the community.

Book a tour I’m a service coordinator

Mon–Fri · 9:00–3:00 Legacy Center, 2324 L Street, Sacramento

Alta California Regional CenterReferrals through your Alta California Regional Center service coordinator

Derek speaks to a room full of students and families in the studio.
The studios

Make something real.

Every day here is studio time. Pick up an instrument, step up to a mic, find your move.

Derek, a veteran bassist, leads a music lesson.

Music

Piano, guitar, percussion, voice, songwriting. You leave with a song that’s yours.

A Teaching Artist points to a waveform on a studio monitor while a student mixes.

Recording studio

Lay down vocals, build beats, mix your own track in our studio lab.

In a mirror, a hula instructor leads a movement class that includes wheelchair users.

Dance & movement

Hip-hop, hula, and movement classes that work for every body, seated or standing.

Leimomi sits with a slender amber ipu heke gourd on a mat.

Performance

Stage skills, show nights, and the thrill of an audience.

A supervisor in a paint apron guides a student’s painting of a yellow sun.

Visual arts

Paint, draw, and make something you’re proud to hang on the wall.

Charmen greets visitors at the doorway.

Wellness

Breath, movement, and calm, built into the day.

Your interests. Your voice. Your creativity.

The program

A week at Allen.

Mon

Music Foundations

Listening, rhythm games, and the basics, from notes and tempo to the roots of hip-hop.

Tue

Play the Music

Hands on the instruments: piano, guitar, and a jam that puts them together.

Wed

Create the Music

Songwriting day. Ideas, lyrics, hooks, and a beat built for your own song.

Thu

Bring It to Life

Studio day. Produce, record, mix, then rehearse for the stage.

Fri

Music in the Community

We take the show on the road, then write it up in our Music Passport.

See the full week →

Outcomes

What changes.

Your voice

Communication and self-direction

Saying what you want, making choices, and being heard in the room.

Your people

Independence and social participation

Doing more on your own terms, and making music with friends.

Your city

Community participation

Every Friday, out in Sacramento: venues, workshops, and places to belong.

We set a baseline when you start, measure against your own IPP/ISP goals, and report back to you and your service coordinator. Not a guarantee, a promise to look closely.

Who will be with them

The people.

  • Derek, founder, plays bass in a vintage studio.

    Derek Allen

    Founder & Program Director

    Built Allen on one belief: the arts are for everyone.

  • Ashley, program supervisor, smiling in a navy and teal hallway.

    Ashley Dutcher

    Program Supervisor

    Keeps every room warm, safe, and moving.

  • Leimomi, in a white suit, smiling in a professional portrait.

    Leimomi Mabanta

    People & Operations Manager

    Runs people and operations, and leads hula.

  • Charmen smiles warmly in a teal top.

    Charmen Goehring, MEd

    Education & Family Partnerships

    Guides families through intake and planning.

  • RJ, chief operating officer, sits on a stool with a clipboard in the dance studio.

    RJ Mabanta, MFA, MAEd

    Chief Operating Officer

    Builds the systems behind the studio.

Full bios coming soon. Meet the team →

Is it safe, and does it work?

Safe, supported, and heard.

  • Ratios from 1:2 to 1:6

    Support set at 1:2, 1:3, or 1:6, based on what each person needs.

  • Every staff member trained

    A 40-hour plan: personal care, adaptive equipment, communication devices, lift and transfers, infection control, and positive supports. And we all receive ongoing professional development.

  • Reports you can use

    Daily notes, a monthly review, and semi-annual and annual reports.

  • A real grievance process

    A written response within 5 business days, with ACRC advocates behind it. Your rights

A program supervisor with a clipboard turns to smile at a seated movement class.
An honest answer

Is Allen a good fit?

We welcome adults who are:

  • 18 with a diploma, or 22 and older
  • Referred through Alta California Regional Center (ACRC)
  • Excited to make art, music, and movement
  • Able to take part safely in groups and community outings, following basic safety directions

If someone needs close personal-care supervision, has medical needs we can’t yet accommodate, or has ongoing safety concerns, we’ll say so honestly and help you find the right place.

Questions? Call (916) 271-5462.

Send this to your service coordinator →

A family-partnership specialist smiles over coffee in a meeting with two parents.
Getting started

How it starts.

  1. Reach out

    Book a tour, or ask your service coordinator for a referral.

  2. We screen

    Within 5 business days of a complete referral.

  3. ACRC authorizes

    ACRC authorizes services on its own timeline.

  4. You start

    And your person-centered plan is written within 30 days.

Come hear it for yourself.

Book a tour Refer someone