Under a new statewide arts education initiative of The Oregon Community Foundation (OCF), Lane Arts Council is awarded multi-year funding to support a comprehensive arts education program at Oaklea Middle School in Junction City. Lane Arts Council is one of the eighteen awardees across the state to receive a Studio to School grant, with each organization receiving $70,000 per year for three years.
Through this grant, Lane Arts Council will provide in-depth, multidisciplinary arts programs for Oaklea’s 6th-8th grade students through the newly developed ArtCore program. This program provides comprehensive, standards-based ArtCore modules for arts learning in the classroom and empowers teachers to integrate the arts in their classroom. This program develops a sustainable, school-wide strategy for increasing arts programming at Oaklea and will increase Lane Arts Council’s capacity to replicate this model in other Lane County schools.
“ArtCore will transform Oaklea Middle School into an arts-rich community, impacting students’ ability to express their creativity, develop newfound confidence in themselves and engage in school like never before,” says Liora Sponko, Executive Director of Lane Arts Council. “This grant is an incredible opportunity for us to make a huge difference in Junction City.”
About the Oregon Community Foundation’s Studio to School Initiative
Studio to School, a multi-year grant program, supports collaborative projects between schools and community arts organizations to design and deliver sustainable arts education opportunities that have the potential for replication. Through this project, OCF aims to increase arts opportunities for underserved youth in grades K-8 and to support communities in strengthening their ability to offer year-round arts education. For a full list of grants, visit www.oregoncf.org. More information about the Studio to School program can be found at http://www.oregoncf.org/grants-scholarships/grants/ocf-funds/studio-to-school.
About Lane Arts Council
Lane Arts Council is a nonprofit organization that works to strengthen and support arts education and community arts in Lane County. They provide arts education programs in schools, support local artists and arts organizations, and coordinate the First Friday ArtWalk. Visit www.lanearts.org for more information.