Final take from ‘Jam’ has yet to be determined
A foundation set up specifically to support arts education is jamming along in its effort to raise millions of dollars for local schools.
For The Arts, a campaign launched four years ago as part of the Education Foundation of Santa Monica- Malibu, is gearing up for its next round of fundraising, bringing it closer to its $15 million endowment goal so programs in music, visual arts, dance and drama are in every school in the district.
Its last fundraising campaign this past spring — highlighted by a concert by local band Venice and legendary singer-songwriter Jackson Browne — raised $150,000, bringing the total for For The Arts to $1.6 million. An arts auction last spring also raised $165,000 for arts programs.
While organizers had to lobby quite heavily to get the exposure it did with the spring fundraiser, this season’s effort — which features Usher and Earth, Wind & Fire — came with a bit more ease. The difference this time is the entertainment industry has taken notice of local efforts to bring the arts back into schools.
The Los Angeles Chapter of the Recording Academy & the Entertainment Industry Foundation (EIF), which is presenting “Grammy Jam” on Dec. 11, named For The Arts one of five beneficiaries.
“We’ve reached a critical mass... they are coming to us now and people are starting to pay attention,” said Grammy Jam, which will be held at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, is hosted by EIF and is a collaborative effort by the film, music and television industries on behalf of music and arts education. The night will be filled with entertainment from more than a dozen musicians including Yolanda Adams, Sleepy Brown, George Duke, David Foster, Anthony Hamilton, Van Hunt, Randy Jackson, Boney James, John Legend, Brian McKnight, Billy Preston, Jill Scott, Kanye West, BeBe Winans and Kirk Whalum.
For The Arts organizers don’t know how much Grammy Jam will raise since it’s in its first year. However, it’s expected to generate a significant contribution for Santa Monica and Malibu schools.
The Jackson Browne and Venice concert raised $150,000 for For The Arts, which earmarked half of that money to go directly into four schools this year specifically for music programs. Jackson Browne and Venice band members stipulated that part of the proceeds go directly to music programs within the district. Third grade general music and fourth choral programs are now in play at Will Rogers, John Muir, Edison and McKinley elementaries — all Title 1 schools, which receive state and federal assistance. Money also was allocated for semi-private lessons in wind instrumentation for students at Lincoln and John Adams middle schools.
For The Arts focuses on raising money for four disciplines — music, drama, visual arts and dance. It has expanded its strategic plan for those disciplines, creating monetary goals for each of them (See related story).
“We care just as much about literacy and sports as we do about music, drama, art and dance,” said Linda Gross, executive director of the Education Foundation. “We realized the time is right for all the disciplines.”
While Grammy Jam will fund music programs, other upcoming events will raise money for other disciplines. And like Grammy Jam, organizers of the January re-opening of the Aero Theater on Montana Avenue and December’s performance of the Nutcracker came to local school supporters to offer their events as benefits for For The Arts.
“They are the on verge of the big time.” — Richard McKinnon, who sits on the public relations and marketing committee for For The Arts
When the Aero Theater re-opens in mid-January, a portion of the proceeds from opening night will fund drama programs in local schools. And all of the monies raised by the Dec. 10 performance of Westside Ballet’s Nutcracker at the Wadsworth Theater will support ongoing funding for dance programs in local schools.
“They want to see dance in the schools,” Gross said. “This benefit could get us thousands away from starting this.”
Also part of this season’s campaign, an online art auction was held, featuring 25 signed color lithographs and eight signed black-and-white lithographs from the Sam Francis collection. The collection was auctioned worldwide on EBay. And holiday gift cards are currently being sold, which are contributions to arts education. For a minimum of $10, a contribution can be made in a person’s name and a holiday card will be given to them signifying the donation.
“Any one of these events is an important happening,” Gross said. “But together, they are a spectacular campaign.”
Part of the For The Arts’ success in garnering attention is a revamped effort of getting experts on various committees. For example, the marketing and public relations committee is made up of local residents and parents who are professional in those fields. There is a vice president from Universal, a noted brand expert and a person who worked on Sen. John Kerry’s presidential campaign.
“You put all of the building blocks in place and people are coming to you and all of a sudden you’ve got a whole different ball game,” said McKinnon, a local parent who has built his career as a public relations and marketing consultant. “I think it’s significant for this organization’s culture.”
The endowment campaign was started by two Santa Monica residents. When one of the parents got involved in the PTA at Roosevelt Elementary, she noticed the disparities throughout the district in terms of what schools offered for arts education.
Some schools, which have students and parents who are more affluent, are able to raise more money than those across town. While Santa Monica and Malibu are cities known for their affluence, there are plenty of poor students throughout the district. According to school officials, 31 percent of all families in Santa Monica have an average income under $22,500 and one-third of students in the district qualify for free or reduced-fee lunches. What’s more, there is no district-funded choral music program at the elementary level, or funding for visual arts, dance, drama and music in the elementary schools.
The Education Foundation was created in 1982 to preserve, support and enhance programs within the school district. The foundation has raised $1 million for a literacy endowment and raises $100,000 annually. Every year, the foundation gives $35,000 in grants to teachers for special projects so they can buy supplies and other tools to educate their students, Gross said.
The Education Foundation was envisioned at a time when the effects of Proposition 13 were being felt — money to local schools was being cut dramatically all over the state. By the 1990s, it was evident that the schools were going to be in a world of hurt for many years to come unless something was done on a local level.
And with a new property tax, an increased financial commitment from City Hall and fundraising from organizations like the Education Foundation and PTAs — which combined will give $75 million to the school district in the next six years — it’s only enough to maintain programs already in place. School supporters say much more is needed to give students even the basics.
“It’s nowhere it should be,” McKinnon said. “How pathetic is that?”
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 27, 2004. Read the original PDF.