Mission

Our Mission:

We started Coffee for the Arts to combine two passions: Roast the freshest specialty-grade coffee while funding arts education programs.

A portion of all sales supports arts education.

We also partner with cafés, restaurants, and museums through wholesale, and with nonprofits through fundraisers that support the arts.

Studies have shown that arts education levels the learning field across socio-economic boundaries, improves student retention, and reduces the achievement gap. The problem is that students who attend schools with high levels of poverty have the least access to arts instruction and education.

Together, we can make an impact on these kids' lives and all we have to do is drink high-quality coffee or tea.

- Rob 

Rob & Sujei:

I'm Rob Casillas. I grew up in a rough part of Long Beach. Money was tight growing up and for a long time I felt pretty lost. 

What turned things around was art. My teacher, Ms. Charvet, saw an artistic spark in me, and that belief led to a full scholarship at The Art Institute. Today, I'm an Executive Creative Director in advertising, and I’ll never forget how much art has contributed to my life.

Coffee for the Arts is my way of combining my love of coffee while giving back to kids who need art the way I did. None of this happens without my wife, Sujei. Sujei brings our mission to life by working as an art docent at our sons’ school and running our partnerships, fundraisers, and wholesale. I roast the coffee. Sujei makes sure it means something.