“People who create in our companies – whether they are scientists, marketing experts or business strategists – benefit from exposure to the arts. People cannot create when they work and live in a culturally sterile environment… The economic benefits of the arts greatly transcend and outlive any of the normal cycles… That is why business invests in the arts – even when times are tough, and when there is increased pressure to manage money carefully.”

John Ong,
Chairman Emeritus,
The BFGoodrich Company.

“Everyone was really pleased with the keepsake items and especially with the quality of your products. We would certainly use A+ Memories again and recommend your company to other schools for their fundraiser."

-Colleen, parent.

"Our families were very pleased with the keepsake fundraiser – excellent turnaround, product and customer service. We plan to use them again next year for our fall fundraiser."

-Emily, parent

"Yes, Valencia Elementary used A+ Memories this past year and I can not say enough about how accommodating, flexible and professional they were throughout the entire process."

-Nina, parent.

Facts About Art Education | Studies on Arts Education in California | A+ Memories and Arts Attack Partnership

Facts About Art Education

Did You Know?
Young people who participate in the arts for at least three hours on three days each week through at least one full year are:

• 4 times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement
• 3 times more likely to be elected to class office within their schools
• 4 times more likely to participate in a math and science fair
• 3 times more likely to win an award for school attendance
• 4 times more likely to win an award for writing an essay or poem

Young artists, as compared with their peers, are likely to:

• Attend music, art, and dance classes nearly three times as frequently
• Participate in youth groups nearly four times as frequently
• Read for pleasure nearly twice as often
• Perform community service more than four times as often
  Living the Arts through Language + Learning: A Report on Community-based Youth Organizations, Shirley Brice Heath, Stanford University and Carnegie Foundation For the Advancement of Teaching, Americans for the Arts Monograph, November 1998)

The facts are that arts education...

• makes a tremendous impact on the developmental growth of every child and has proven to help level the "learning field" across socio-economic boundaries.
  (Involvement in the Arts and Success in Secondary School, James S. Catterall, The UCLA Imagination Project, Graduate School of Education & Information Studies, UCLA, Americans for the Arts Monograph, January 1998)
• has a measurable impact on youth at risk in deterring delinquent behavior and truancy problems while also increasing overall academic performance among those youth engaged in after school and summer arts programs targeted toward delinquency prevention.
  (YouthARTS Development Project, 1996, U.S. Department of Justice, National Endowment for the Arts, and Americans for the Arts)

Businesses understand that arts education...

• builds a school climate of high expectation, discipline, and academic rigor that attracts businesses relocating to your community.
• strengthens student problem-solving and critical thinking skills, adding to overall academic achievement and school success.
• helps students develop a sense of craftsmanship, quality task performance, and goal-setting—skills needed to succeed in the classroom and beyond.
• can help troubled youth, providing an alternative to destructive behavior and another way for students to approach learning.
• provides another opportunity for parental, community, and business involvement with schools, including arts and humanities organizations.
• helps all students develop more appreciation and understanding of the world around them.
• helps students develop a positive work ethic and pride in a job well done.
  (Business Circle for Arts Education in Oklahoma, "Arts at the Core of Learning 1999 Initiative")

New SRI Studies on Arts Education in California

www.capta.org

05/27/08
Last year, the Center for Education Policy at SRI International, with support from The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, issued a report on the status of arts education in California. The report, An Unfinished Canvas: Arts Education in California, revealed that a large majority of California schools fail to meet state goals for arts education - that is, they fail to offer a standards-based course of study in dance, music, visual arts, and theatre. The report also identified key barriers to arts education, including inadequate and unstable funding, insufficient instructional time, and limited teacher capacity in the arts.

Allocating Funding and Instructional Time for Elementary Arts Education (PDF)

 

A+ Memories and Arts Attack Partnership

Orange County Company Gets A+ for Promoting, Supporting Arts Education

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:  Suzanne Fahey
(866) 838-6171

Orange County Company Gets A+ for Promoting, Supporting Arts Education

Fullerton, Calif.—As part of an innovative marketing campaign to promote art education and provide funding for school art programs, A+ Memories, a local Orange County company, has partnered with an award-winning arts educational firm, Arts Attack Publications, according to an announcement by Arts Attack Publications CEO Dr. Larry Osterink. 
The company, A + Memories, was founded in 2002 by co-founders Suzanne and Bill Fahey to transform drawings and photos onto unique keepsakes and photo gift items, including mugs,
t-shirts, tote bags, coasters and serving trays.  According to the Faheys, they are excited about the collaboration with Arts Attack in promoting arts education in the schools and see it as a mutually beneficial relationship for both of their companies. “The great thing about our services is that parents can keep their children’s artwork or photos as a lasting memento, rather than throwing it away or putting in a storage area where it will never be used or seen,” said Suzanne Fahey.  “Our products will be marketed to schools and school districts, which in turn can be used as fundraising programs to pay for the educational art programs or art supplies working in conjunction with Arts Attack.

Arts Attack Publications, an art education company, was founded in 1991 by Marcia and Larry Osterink to provide easy-to-teach DVD- and video-based visual art curricula to the educational marketplace.  Concerned about the neglect of art education in the classroom, Marcia Osterink, an art educator, artist and former classroom teacher, developed ARTS ATTACK, a K-8 art curriculum now used by over 4,000 schools and districts across the country.  More recently, the company introduced its ATELIER product line for the home education marketplace.  According to Dr. Osterink, “Many of our customers are interested in ways to preserve the wonderful children’s artwork that results from this program, and many schools are also interested in using the artwork to help raise funds to sustain and expand their arts programs.  We believe the products from A+ Memories can provide a high-quality opportunity for our schools to accomplish this goal.”

To find out more about A+ Memories, go to www.aplusmemories.com
To find out more about Arts Attack Publications, go to www.artsattack.com

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