The Right Brain Initiative and Work for Art release reports

PORTLAND, ORE — Two programs of the Regional Arts & Culture Council – The Right Brain Initiative and Work for Art – have published summaries of their accomplishments and finances for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2015. 

The Right Brain Initiative’s 2015 Progress Report illustrates RACC’s unique approach to supporting K-8 educators in the Portland tri-county region. Through workshops, coaching, and collaboration with artists, Right Brain helped 1,220 Portland area educators integrate the arts into their teaching during the 2014-15 school year. The report features profiles of teachers who are served by the program, all of whom describe how Right Brain has helped them and their colleagues learn to teach differently.

“Supporting and training teachers helps us catalyze a new relationship between public schools and the arts, making creative thinking a fundamental part of the learning process for all kids,” said Marna Stalcup, director of arts education at RACC. “We haven’t always talked a lot about this aspect of our work, but it’s part of our DNA.”

The Right Brain Initiative benefited 19,324 students last school year, 55% of whom qualify for the free and reduced lunch program. This school year, Right Brain is growing to serve 63 schools in seven Portland area school districts. Read more by downloading the full report.  

The Annual Report for Work for Art provides a summary of RACC’s 9th workplace giving campaign for the arts. A total of $750,350 was raised between July, 2014 and June, 2015, and the report includes the names of all campaign donors – including nearly 2,000 employees at 75 companies in the region. Work for Art donations are matched dollar-for-dollar by a public-private matching challenge fund, and proceeds are distributed to approximately 100 arts organizations every year.

“Over the past nine years, Work for Art has distributed more than $6.2 million in grants and direct gifts to arts and culture organizations based in Clackamas, Multnomah, and Washington counties,” said program manager Kathryn Jackson. “Their work plays out every day in theaters, concert halls, galleries, hospitals, libraries, classrooms and community centers throughout the region.”

Earlier this year, Work for Art announced that it has set an ambitious goal to raise $1 million in celebration of its 10th Anniversary Campaign that began in July, 2015 and runs through June 30, 2016. Mike Golub, President of Business Operations at the Portland Timbers, and Dave Lofland, President of KeyBank Oregon and SW Washington, are co-chairing the campaign. To learn more and contribute, visit workforart.org.

In late December, RACC will publish its “Year in Review” for all programs along with audited financial statements for the fiscal year that ended June 30, 2015.