Organization Receives Major Donation For Arts Education Initiative

Arts Central, in collaboration with the Buccola Group at the Hasson Company Realtors and Greenpoint Technologies Inc., announces the launch of the Adopt a School initiative to bring arts education to underserved schools throughout the Bend LaPine School District.

Research shows that while low income and at-risk students are the ones who benefit most from arts education, they are generally the ones who are least likely to receive it due to school budget constraints and a lack of resources.

Arts Central operates Central Oregon’s largest arts education programs and has a core purpose of providing every child with access to a high quality arts education. Arts Central is currently working in 32 schools, via its Artists in Schools program, throughout a five-county area. To ensure all students have the opportunity to develop their talents and academic skills, Arts Central, in partnership with the Buccola Group at the Hasson Company Realtors, has created an innovative Adopt a School initiative.

Adopt a School is designed to bring a dynamic arts education program into 17 schools throughout the Bend LaPine School District, each selected because at least 50 percent of the student population is utilizing the district’s free or reduced-cost meal programs. Arts Central’s Executive Director Cate O’Hagan states, “Arts education varies dramatically from school to school, with little or no continuity in continued arts development as students get older. We are excited about this initiative because it will close the gaps in access to arts education and complement what schools are already doing in the classroom. And, we are extremely grateful to the Buccolas for making this important initiative a reality.”

A generous $50,000 donation from the the Buccola Family, the Buccola Group at the Hasson Company Realtors and Greenpoint Technologies, Inc.  launched the Adopt a School initiative with the ongoing success of the program relying on local companies and donors adopting one or more of the schools. Gene Buccola, the Buccola Group leader, is a long-time Bend resident and, along with his brother Jon Buccola, CEO of Greenpoint Technologies, Inc., a champion of arts education. As Gene Buccola explains, “The Adopt a School initiative is a fantastic opportunity for local businesses to make a tremendous impact in the community. The program provides students with a rich learning experience that will not only shape their lives but the future of our region’s workforce as well. In my mind, there is no greater investment a company can make.”

Working with the individual schools, Arts Central will create a customized arts education program that can include art projects linked to specific classroom learning objectives, “meet the artist” lectures/demonstrations, family art night and art installations for a school or community site. The investment to adopt a school varies depending on the depth of the program, but includes a full school year of meaningful arts education delivered by professional art instructors. To learn more about supporting Arts Central’s Adopt a School initiative, please contact Debbie Butler at 541-633-7242.

About Arts Central

Arts Central, as the Regional Arts and Culture Council for Central Oregon, provides arts services to the communities, artists and arts organizations in Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook counties. Arts Central receives support from the Oregon Arts Commission for these services. Our 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. We accomplish our purpose through two distinct initiatives: advocacy, arts education. We are able to provide arts education to our community through programs such as Art Station, VanGo, Art Academy and Artists in Schools residencies.  For more information, please visit www.artscentraloregon.org or call 541-749-2291.