Shepherd Express: UPAF Announces August Rally for Arts Education Fundraising Effort

Throughout the month of August, the United Performing Arts Fund (UPAF) is shining the spotlight on arts education with the UPAF Rally for Arts Education. With the goal of raising $200K in funding to fully support its community impact grant program, UPAF Bright Minds, community members can take part by making a gift at upaf.org/rally. Members can also create an individual or company fundraising page to ask friends, family members or employees to donate to these efforts.

UPAF’s Bright Minds delivers quality arts education to over 80,000 children in the region, and for the first time, UPAF is providing the opportunity to designate 100% of donations to support arts education, whether the donation is made individually or through a company.

“Throughout the past difficult school year, UPAF Bright Minds arts education efforts were there to give our local students a safe, healthy and creative outlet,” says Patrick Rath, President and CEO of UPAF. “It is imperative that this programming remains a part of their daily education as children make the transition back to the classroom. We ask our community to participate in UPAF’s Rally for Arts Education providing students the ability to further connect, express themselves and channel their energy in a positive direction through the performing arts.”

In addition, for every $100 donated to the UPAF Rally for Arts Education, a UPAF SMART CARD will be made available for FREE to a local teacher or teaching artist. The SMART CARD gives recipient teachers access to the same performance and restaurant discounts available to UPAF donors as a source of respite and rejuvenation after the stress of the past year.

Programs supported by UPAF Bright Minds funding are assessed by a panel of community leaders for collaboration, accessibility, quality, diversity and impact, with a focus on participatory activities within a school setting that aim to: 

• Increase confidence, academic performance, innovative and critical thinking, and discipline 

• Improve a child’s emotional intelligence and self esteem 
• Advance access to the performing arts particularly for marginalized communities and at-risk students