The Buccola family and High Plateau Ventures recently donated $150,000 over three years to Arts Central. According to Arts Central Executive Director Cate O’Hagan, the funding will provide much needed support for Arts Central’s education programs, The Art Station, Artists in Schools, and VanGo.
“To say we are grateful is a complete understatement and simply cannot be adequately expressed in words,” OHagan said.
“The board is very appreciative… A gift to Arts Central ofthis magnitude is unprecedented,” states Arts Central Board President Bert Kronmiller. “$50,000 a year for three years is hugely significant for us.”
As a token of their appreciation, the Arts Central board of directors presented an original Cindy Briggs watercolor painting to the Buccolas in a small ceremony on January8.
Gene Buccola and his brother Jon are founder/partners at High Plateau Ventures.
Cande Buccola is CFO of Buccola Group, a Bend real estate firm affiliated with The Hasson Company. Ryan and Tim Buccola, are broker partners in the same firm.
“Our parents taught us early on that you have to give back, and be involved in your community,” Tim Buccola said. “This gift is another great example of that, and we intend to carry on that tradition of giving.”
The Buccolas are long-time supporters of the arts. “Our community needs organizations like Arts Central,” Gene Buccola said. “We’re firm believers in arts education and the creative thinking that it encourages. Our kids don’t get enough of that in school, so we’re happy to help any way we can.”
The Buccolas have also supported Special Olympics, ALS, Building Together and other charitable causes in Bend, Corvallis and Seattle.
As the Regional Arts and Culture Council for Central Oregon, Arts Central provides arts services to the communities, artists and arts organizations in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties. Their purpose is to inspire creativity through arts education and to advocate for integration of the arts in all aspects of community life in Central Oregon.
www.artscentral.org
