The Choice is Art: A statewide campaign for the arts in Arizona, created by the Arizona Commission on the Arts
PHOENIX, AZ (June 20, 2011)— Professional basketball player and art collector Grant Hill has signed on as a Campaign Spokesperson for The Choice is Art, a promotional campaign for the arts in Arizona. Already airing on COX Media television stations, Mr. Hill is featured in a donor-sponsored public service announcement wherein he offers support to the campaign, and personal testimony about the impact of the arts on the lives of Arizona’s youth.
The Choice is Art, a campaign of the Arizona Commission on the Arts, is meant to:
- Advance the cultural conversation in Arizona,
- Grow public understanding about the broad-spectrum benefits of arts programs and increase arts participation in Arizona communities, and
- Fortify a privately-held arts endowment whose funds can be utilized in support of statewide arts programs. This endowment, Arizona ArtShare, was established in 1996 and is held by the Arizona Community Foundation.
The Choice is Art’s first focus is the importance of access to arts education. Over four years the campaign will evolve to address the following: the significant contributions of Arizona artists and arts professionals, the positive impact of the arts on community health and livability, the broad economic impact of the arts and culture sector, and the singular role of the arts in promoting cultural understanding.
In the public service announcement, Mr. Hill avows his passionate support for the arts and firm belief in the impact an education that includes the arts can have on the lives of young people. He says, “The arts teach skills like discipline, dedication and teamwork. And for kids struggling with academic, social or family challenges, the arts can change lives.”
An increasing body of research supports the value of an arts education as part of a comprehensive curriculum. Benefits of arts education for students include improved academic performance, greater leadership and social skills, advanced creative problem solving skills, and overall enhanced ability to compete in a 21st Century workforce.
Executive Director of the Arts Commission, Robert C. Booker, says of Mr. Hill’s involvement in the campaign, “Grant and Tamia Hill recognize the power of the arts and arts education in the lives of young people, and besides being passionate supporters of the arts, they maintain their own substantial visual art collection. We really could not have imagined a more dedicated, honorable and genuine spokesperson than Grant to help build public value for the arts in our state.”
As the campaign evolves, the Arts Commission will offer a variety of ways for interested parties to lend their support to the campaign. In addition to contributing funds to the privately-held Arizona ArtShare Endowment, people from within and outside of Arizona can lend their voices to the campaign through the submission of a video interview describing the impact of the arts on their lives. Visit the campaign website to view sample videos from some of Arizona’s elected officials, educators, business owners and more.
On average, 2 million Arizona students participate in Arts Commission sponsored activities each year. Funds contributed to the The Choice is Art campaign/Arizona ArtShare Endowment are delivered to nonprofit arts organizations through grantmaking activities of the Arizona Commission on the Arts. Grants are delivered to statewide arts organizations and nonprofit community institutions which provide arts-based programs and services.
In a video introduction to the campaign, Booker says, “We know that the arts can play a role in helping our children become better citizens, keeping them in school and keeping them out of trouble. The Choice is Art is a campaign that asks you, Arizonans, to get involved, stand up, and make art your choice.”
Visit the campaign website, http://www.thechoiceisart.org/, to discover arts programs in your community, to learn about the value of the arts in the lives of children, and to support and protect the arts in Arizona.
About The Choice is Art Campaign Spokesperson, Grant Hill
A seven-time NBA all-star, Grant Hill began his basketball career with the Detroit Pistons, played for the Orlando Magic and is now with the Phoenix Suns, where he was honored this year with his second Dan Majerle Hustle Award. In 2011, Grant was elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame Board of Governors and produced the recently released documentary, Starting at the Finish Line: The Coach Buehler Story. Off the court, Grant is a passionate art collector and supports a variety of charities. Grant has two young daughters with his wife, Grammy-nominated singer Tamia Hill. http://www.granthill.com/
About the Arizona Commission on the Arts
One of 56 state and jurisdictional arts agencies across the United States, the Arizona Commission on the Arts is an agency of the State of Arizona that supports a statewide arts network. The Arizona Commission on the Arts supports access to quality arts and arts education opportunities for all Arizonans; the development and retention of statewide jobs in the nonprofit arts, culture and education sectors; and increased economic impact in local communities through arts-based partnerships that develop tax and small business revenue. http://azarts.gov/
We imagine an Arizona where everyone can participate in and experience the arts.
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