Meet the Volunteers
Classroom Volunteers
20th Annual Pinot & Paella Festival
20th Annual Pinot & Paella Festival Paso Robles, CA
Youth Art Center- 5-19-25
Listen In as we chat with Barby Wunsch about the 20th annaum Pinot & Paella Fest happening the first Sunday of June, it’s time to raise a glass and fire up the pans at the Pinot & Paella Festival in beautiful Templeton! 🍇🔥
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Join us for an unforgettable afternoon of:
✨ Sipping world-class Pinot Noir from passionate Paso producers
🍽️ Sampling one-of-a-kind Paella creations from talented local chefs
🎵 Enjoying live music and good vibes with friends old and new
🌿 Mingle with winemakers, soak in the Central Coast sunshine, and taste why the North County is a legend—not just for wine, but for its warm hospitality and incredible cuisine made from farm-fresh, locally grown ingredients.
Come experience the flavors, aromas, and friendly faces that make this event a true local favorite.
🎟️ Get your tickets now at: www.pinotandpaella.com
Don’t wait—this event sells out fast!
KSBY Justin Vineyards Grant
Arts Grant
Justin Vineyards
Thirteen North County organizations are receiving a total of $300,000 in grants from JUSTIN Vineyards and Winery.
Molly Scott, Senior Director of Grower and Community Relations at JUSTIN, says the committee awarding the grants saw an increased need to support local youth during the application process at the start of the year.
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“Our efforts were focused on the health and wellness of the youth through the culinary program at Paso Robles Youth Arts, and then Studios on the Park continue to provide amazing art lessons and field trip opportunities,” Scott said of two of the recipients.
The Paso Robles Youth Art Center is using the money to renovate the dated multipurpose room used for its culinary arts program.
“They’re teaching them the actual skills of cooking,” Executive Director Barby Wunsch said. “So they’re learning how to saute, they’re learning how to chop vegetables and learning what makes a meal nourishing, learning the nutritional ingredients that they can use.”
“We have a Michelin-starred, remarkable culinary team here, and it felt like a natural fit to provide an opportunity for our chefs and our staff to engage locally,” Scott added. “So we hope to do some collaboration with the staff there at the Paso Youth Arts and do some cross-culinary classes.”
Wunsch says the money also helps the center offer more classes to more students.
“Our classes are offered at a very low cost, and often we can discount those costs for students that actually can’t afford that,” Wunsch said. “So we really want to get the kids in here to learn the skills, build their confidence and really thrive here in a safe, wholesome environment.”
Over at Studios on the Park, the Kids Art Smart Program relies solely on private donations and program manager Michelle Rollins says the JUSTIN grant goes a long way.
“The parents are so grateful for this,” Rollins said. “I get emails, I get thank you letters. They’re so grateful that we provide this to their kid.”
The program serves North County schools with classes being held daily starting in September.
“We try really hard to make the space for the underserved schools to come every year because we know that they’re exposed to art less in their school because they just don’t have the funding,” Rollins said.
“Our mission is to enrich lives through the arts,” Wunsch said. “We are helping communities learn new skills, build their confidence and thrive here, and you know, who wouldn’t love that?”
Central Coast Voices
Central Coast Voices
Paso Robles Youth Arts Center
Join host Kris Kington-Barker as she visits with Barby Wunsch – Executive Director and Jamie Dietze – Program Director for the Paso Robles Youth Arts Center, a nonprofit organization founded in 1998 to provide community youth, ages 5-18, with accessible after-school classes in the visual/performing arts and creative enrichment.
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Kris Kington-Barker is co-host of Central Coast Voices, heard every Thursday on KCBX from 1:00—12:00 p.m. Kris has worked in healthcare fields ranging from mental health to hospital administration, and has served as a volunteer and board member for many Central Coast non-profit organizations.
Youth Arts Promo
founded in 1998
Donna Berg
The Paso Robles Youth Arts Center (Youth Arts) is a non-profit organization founded in 1998 by artist and philanthropist, Donna Berg. Her vision was to provide all children in Paso Robles and surrounding areas, a safe place to learn about and participate in the arts, regardless of their socio-economic status.
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By encouraging the arts and creativity, the Youth Arts is a venue where children can remain children. The arts provide a creative outlet and a positive way to deal with the pressures of the world. In this way, it has helped over 10,000 students find their voices, strive for higher education, and avoid gangs and trouble. Programs are open to all students who wish to enroll. Our classes encompass offerings such as art, dance, music, theatre, and creative enrichment which includes unique opportunities like video production, digital music creation, and culinary arts!
Through your contribution, you are helping to share the wondrous possibilities that an arts education contributes to the well-being of our community’s youth. To sponsor a Paso Robles Youth Arts Center student today, visit pryoutharts.org/support to give a gift of any amount. A gift of $500 sponsors 1 student for an entire year of classes! The Youth Arts has provided children ages 5 to 18 with FREE classes in the visual and performing arts for 24 years! The Youth Arts offers 32+ classes per week, fills approximately 3,000 student seats, and serves 600 individual students per year. They rely entirely on donations, private and public funding, grants, and scholarships. For information regarding donating, volunteering, attending performances, fundraisers, or classes, please contact the Youth Arts office at 805-238-5825 or visit pryoutharts.org.
John Spalding 2
John Spalding – Ukulele Classromm Assistant
Started at the Youth Arts in: 2025
I have lived in Paso Robles and have taught 6th grade in Templeton for 25 years. After retiring two years ago, I promised myself that I would still stay involved with one of my favorite parts of teaching, and that is encouraging students to learn to play the ukulele. The gift of music is something that I received during my elementary school years, and it is something that I love to pass on to students today.