AFTA’s Share on First Thursday Program is Heating up for Summer!

AFTA is proud to announcing that beginning in June 2009, we will be pumping up our presence at Portland’s biggest monthly art gathering. Our new Share on First Thursday program will feature a new group of leading restaurants, galleries, artists, retail shops and other businesses each month that have pledged to give a percent of their First Thursday proceeds for arts education.

We have already started recruiting some of your favorite Pearl District and Downtown shops. If your business would like to join the cause – or you are an individual who would like to volunteer to join the fun for our head-turning street team presence – (JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).

More details are coming soon, so stayed tuned…and make sure to show your support for our caring Share on First Thursday partners.

AFTA’s 2008 - 2009 Grant Awards Announced!

Artists for the Arts is pleased to announce the recipients of its 2008 - 2009 granting season. AFTA has the privilege to award grants to 15 individual school programs this year for a total of approximately $10,000. Winning schools include elementary schools, middle schools and high schools throughout the Metro Area. Projects include music, photography, architectural drafting, printmaking, quilt making, theater, fine arts, mural painting, ceramic tile making and others.

Please visit our Grants Recipients page to learn more. As we all know, giving is more challenging for many businesses and individuals now than ever before. AFTA salutes all of our supporters this year for continuing to prioritize arts as an indispensable part of our kids’ lives – as well as all of the caring educators who submitted grant proposals this year. 

Winning schools are: Alder Creek Middle School, Atkinson School, Clackamas High School, Concord Elementary, El Puente Bilingual School, Fir Ridge Campus, Irvington School, Jefferson High School/ YMA, Milwaukie Elementary School, New Urban High School, North Powellhurst Elementary, PACE Program @ Sabin-Schellenberg Center, Peninsula K-8, Rowe Middle School and Sunrise Middle School.

AFTA now on Facebook

AFTA is now a group on Facebook.  If you have a Facebook account, we’re asking everyone to become a fan and stay updated on how we’re bringing art and music to Portland metro-area schools.

AFTA-FUNDED Aloha High School DIVERSITY WEEK PROJECT FEATURED ON FOX 12 OREGON

Funding from AFTA’s 2007 – 2008 Annual Grant Program helped film students from Aloha High School create a Diversity Week documentary for “Aloha TV” about the school’s ESL program.  Their work was featured on Fox 12 Oregon News! AFTA funds helped the school purchase equipment such as a video camera and microphones to film the production, as well for use in future film classes. Congratulations to the students, and instructor Matthew Fox, on this successful in-school arts project!