About US

Creating Opportunity Through the Arts

JDS Creative Academy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing education, workforce development, and creative opportunity through visual, performing, and digital arts.

For more than two decades, JDS Creative Academy has empowered individuals of all ages and abilities through innovative programs that build confidence,

develop real-world skills, and open doors to meaningful futures.

Who Are We?

JDS Creative Academy is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization whose mission is to advance education, training, and opportunities in visual, performing, and digital arts.

We provide students and participants with the expertise, experiences, and support needed to pursue higher arts education, develop workforce skills, and thrive in an increasingly creative and technology-driven world.

What began as a passion for arts education has grown into a multifaceted organization serving children, teens, adults, individuals with special needs, entrepreneurs, nonprofits, and the broader community.

Today, JDS Creative Academy offers arts classes, workforce development programs, media production opportunities, festivals, television and podcast programming, business coaching, and community events—all united by a belief that creativity can change lives.

Our Mission

To advance education, training, and opportunities in visual, performing, and digital arts. We provide students the expertise needed to advance to higher arts education and to enrich workforce development pathway opportunities in a competitive high-tech marketplace.

Through every class, production, program, and partnership, JDS Creative Academy works to make the arts accessible, inclusive, and transformational for every individual we serve.

Our Vision

We envision a world in which every individual—regardless of age, ability, background, or experience—has access to creative opportunities that inspire confidence, foster belonging, and prepare them for success.

We believe the arts are more than enrichment. They are a powerful tool for education, self-expression, workforce development, innovation, and community connection.

More Than an Arts Organization

JDS Creative Academy is unique because we do more than teach the arts. We create pathways.

Arts Education

We provide hands-on classes and workshops in filmmaking, theater, scriptwriting, digital media, and more, helping students build confidence, creativity, and real-world skills.

Workforce Development

Our day program supports adults with special needs and disabilities through vocational training, media production, communication skills, and career readiness.

Media and Storytelling

Through DigiFest®, Spirit of Innovation, podcasts, and student productions, we create opportunities for participants to share their voices and engage with the broader community.

Community Impact

We partner with businesses, nonprofits, schools, and community leaders to expand access to the arts and create meaningful opportunities for growth and connection.

Our Story

JDS Creative Academy was founded on the belief that the arts have the power to transform lives.

Over the years, the organization has evolved from arts education programming into a comprehensive nonprofit serving the community through classes, workforce development, media production, festivals, and business support.

As the needs of the community grew, so did the vision.

Today, JDS Creative Academy not only helps students discover their creative potential, but also provides adults with special needs opportunities to gain valuable job skills, helps entrepreneurs and nonprofits grow through Arts Across America, produces the internationally recognized DigiFest festival and competition, and shares inspiring stories through Spirit of Innovation and SOI Talk.

The result is one organization with many programs, all working together toward one purpose: helping individuals discover what they are capable of and creating opportunities for them to succeed.

A little bit like a very determined octopus with a heart of gold and an arts degree. Except significantly more organized.

Leadership

JDS Creative Academy is guided by a team of educators, creative professionals, community leaders, and advocates who are passionate about making the arts accessible to all.

Diane Strand

FOUNDER, Executive Producer

Scott Strand

CO-FOUNDER, Job Training Program Director

JDS Creative Academy was founded by Diane and Scott Strand, who believed that creativity, education, and opportunity should be accessible to everyone.

The name “JDS” is deeply personal. It represents the people at the heart of their family and the values that inspired the organization from the very beginning. The “J” stands for their children—Jasmine, Joshua, and Jordan Strand—while the “D” stands for Diane and the “S” stands for Scott.

What began as a family-centered dream grew into a mission-driven nonprofit dedicated to helping others discover their own potential.

Diane and Scott saw firsthand how the arts could transform confidence, communication, and lives. They believed that visual, performing, and digital arts could do more than teach creative skills—they could open doors, build futures, and create opportunities for people who may not otherwise have access to them.

With that vision, they founded JDS Creative Academy.

Over the years, the organization has grown from arts education classes into a multifaceted nonprofit serving children, teens, adults, entrepreneurs, and individuals with special needs. Today, JDS Creative Academy offers creative classes, workforce development programs, business coaching, media productions, television and podcast programming, and large-scale events such as DigiFest®.

At the center of every program is the same belief Diane and Scott started with: that every person deserves the opportunity to learn, create, grow, and discover what they are capable of.

What started as one family’s dream has become a community of thousands—and the story is still being written.