Media Contacts:
Kate Patterson, San Francisco Arts Commission
Tel: 415-252-4638

Theodore Palmer, Creative Edge Public Relations
Tel: 646-575 2967

SPEND VALENTINE’S DAY LEARNING ABOUT THE MUSICAL JOURNEY OF SOUL-SINGER MARTIN LUTHER

WHAT: The San Francisco Arts Commission in conjunction with the Museum of the African Diaspora and Creative Edge Public Relations are hosting its forth ART IMPACT speaker series event, providing a platform to explore and discuss the impact of arts education through the lens of high profile individuals.

Martin Luther is a world renowned musician who took his education in the arts and developed a unique musical sound. Spend an intimate evening learning about his journey while hearing music from Martin Luther’s latest project, Love is the Hero. Past speakers in this series include NFL Player Vernon Davis and living legend, Latin musician Pete Escovedo.

A portion of the proceeds from this event will benefit NFL player Vernon Davis’ Visual Arts Scholarship Fund. The Vernon Davis Visual Arts Scholarship Fund is a project of the San Francisco Arts Commission, San Francisco Unified School District and the Vernon and Vontae Davis Foundation.

WHO: Director of Cultural Affairs, Tom DeCaigny, Museum of the African Diaspora Executive Director, Grace Stanislaus, soul-music sensation, Martin Luther. V.I.P. Room hosted by NFL Player, Vernon Davis and music executive, Antone Barnes.

WHEN: Tuesday, February 14, 2012 | 7:00p.m. - 10:00p.m.

WHERE: Museum of the African Diaspora (MOAD), 685 Mission Street @3rd Street

COST: VIP Tickets: $50
Couple General Admission: $45
General Admission: $30

TICKETS: Purchase here

Out of Site Youth Arts Center is a San Francisco nonprofit that provides free visual and performing arts programs for public high school students in San Francisco. The programs fill a gap for teenagers, providing safe, free, fun and challenging programs for teens. Students come to Out of Site looking for the chance to experiment in the arts, find artistic training, new mediums for self-expression, and a diverse and supportive community.

The San Francisco Youth Arts Summit brings together youth artists from organizations all over San Francisco. The festivities begin with the Saturday Night Open Mic/Kickoff Party, hosted by YBCA's Young Artists at Work and Youth Speaks:

Where: Yerba Buena Center for the Arts, 701 Mission Street
When: Saturday, December 10, 6:30 p.m.
Cost: Free with R.S.V.P., email lbutler@ybca.org

Following the open mic is a screening of Louder Than A Bomb, an award–winning documentary about the world’s largest youth poetry slam, annually held in Chicago. On Sunday, there are a wide variety of activities:

Where: SOMArts, 934 Brannan Street
When: Sunday, December 11, 12–6 p.m.
Cost: Free

Student work from the architecture, printmaking and web design classes will be on display, the Marsh Youth Theater will perform Truthtopia, Youth Speaks will lead a spoken word workshop and open mic, Chrysallis Studios will lead a printmaking demo, and there will be performances by youth from Out of Site, Youth Uprising, YBCA, DJ Project, and June Jordan High School.

For more information and the day’s schedule, click here.

Vernon Davis with 2011 Vernon Davis Visual Arts Scholarship, Sheryl Quock. Photo by Michael Amici

Get a kick start on your college tuition with the Vernon Davis Visual Arts Scholarship Fund.

High school seniors who attend a school in the San Francisco Unified School District and will be attending a college or university to major in fine arts by 2013 are qualified to apply for a $5,000 scholarship.

To submit the following items by Thursday, February 16, 2012
• A statement of purpose illustrating how the arts have impacted your life
• A portfolio of your work or a link to an online gallery (no more than ten images)
• A letter of recommendation by a teacher or art mentor affiliated with a cultural institution or organization in the Bay Area

Please email the application to tyra.fennell@sfgov.org or mail to:

San Francisco Arts Commission
Attn: Vernon Davis Visual Arts Scholarship
San Francisco Arts Commission
25 Van Ness Avenue, Suite 345
San Francisco, CA 94102

Photo courtesy of Z Space

Word for Word Youth Arts, a theater and literacy program in San Francisco, is excited that the city will host the Arts Education Partnerships Fall Forum during National Arts in Education week, which starts Sunday.

Earlier this year, the President's Committee on Arts and Humanities published a report that established that arts education for students at all income levels led to higher academic achievement and improved school attendance.

Equally important, the report concluded that students who receive arts education are more likely to attend college, volunteer in their community and vote.

Clearly, arts education helps students succeed in school and become the engaged citizens necessary for our democratic society.

However, the NEA reports a nearly 50 percent drop in access to arts education for minorities over last 30 years.

We must ensure that protecting and funding arts education is a priority for voters and policy makers.

In San Francisco, the Public Education Enrichment Fund, which has provided much needed arts education funding in our public schools, will be fighting for reauthorization in 2014.

It's not too early to make your voice heard in support of this important arts education fund.

Valerie Weak, San Francisco

Read more

Photo courtesy of www.jazztimes.com

On August 24, Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts will host a night of engaging conversation and music as esteemed KBLX radio personality Sterling James interviews Mr. Escovedo about life in art. This event is part of the new speaker series, Art Impact, which provides a platform to explore and discuss the impact of arts education through the lens of high profile individuals who have a background in the arts, but are not currently working within the art world. Pete Escovedo is a world renowned musician, but what most people do not know is he is also an accomplished visual artist.

Where: Mission Cultural Center for Latino Arts, 2868 Mission Street
When: Wednesday, August 24, 2011, 6-8 p.m.
Cost: FREE and open to the public (please RSVP)

Mr. Escovedo was born in Pittsburg, California to a Mexican-American family full of artists and musicians. He has played with world famous musicians such as Carlos Santana, in addition to releasing many solo projects and receiving numerous awards. Although he began making music at a very young age, his endeavors into visual art came at the age of 16. Over the years he has created an amazing body of artwork; his paintings and drawings consist of oils, acrylics, latex, enamels, pencil and crayons.

This intimate talk will give audience members insight into the legendary artist who broke down the barriers between musical genres and visual art.

Following the talk, there will be a reception in the MCCLA Gallery at 8 p.m. Admission is $10.

The scheduled events include a resource fair for teachers, parents, and teaching artists, a panel discussion about the “Collective Impact of the Arts” featuring a performance by Frederica von Stade, and a community reception featuring a performance by the San Francisco Boys Chorus on Wednesday, September 14; a Family Day on Saturday, September 17, featuring free and low-cost family-friendly events throughout the Bay Area; and observations of arts education practices occurring all week long. For a complete, searchable listing of activities throughout the week, please visit www.artiseducation.org/calendar.

Home to a flourishing and culturally diverse community of artists and the organizations that support them, the Bay Area has long been an innovative leader in arts education initiatives, serving as a model for the national conversation around the essential role played by the arts in educating young minds, particularly in this era of dwindling public educational resources. This weeklong series of events has been planned to bring together parents, teachers, administrators, teaching artists, civic leaders, and advocates from across the entire Bay Area in an unprecedented communal celebration of the untold riches and unsung heroes of our community’s multifaceted arts education environment.

For Interviews with Vernon Davis:
Red Sea Entertainment
818-242-3780
Anna@redseaent.net

SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS TIGHT END VERNON DAVIS TO AWARD HIGH SCHOOL ARTIST WITH A VERNON DAVIS VISUAL ARTS SCHOLARSHIP AT THE UPCOMING "YOUNG AT ART" GALA MAY 20TH AT THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM

Davis, in association with the Department of Public Works and The San Francisco Arts Commission, will also collaborate on a neighborhood mural with a local artist and members of Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco's Tenderloin Clubhouse on May 20th

Vernon Davis at Tenderloin Boys & Girls Club. Photo by Michael Amici

SAN FRANCISCO, May 16, 2011 - San Francisco 49ers Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis will present this year's Vernon Davis Visual Arts Scholarship to Lowell High School student artist Sheryl Quock at the San Francisco Unified School District's "Young At Art" Gala on Friday, May 20th at the de Young Museum from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Earlier in the day, Davis will also collaborate on a mural with local artist Cameron Moberg and a group of members from Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco's Tenderloin Clubhouse  from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. The mural was commissioned through the StreetSmARTS program, a joint initiative of the San Francisco Arts Commission and the Department of Public Work that connects established urban artists with private property owners to create vibrant art in an effort to curb graffiti vandalism.

"We are so pleased to have Vernon Davis join us in offering financial support and encouragement to many of our talented young artists in the San Francisco Bay area," said Luis R. Cancel, Director of Cultural Affairs for the City of San Francisco. "We've been so proud to see our young people grow and mature in their artistic endeavors over the years and having Vernon Davis as our partner on this project helps enrich their lives all the more."

"Engaging the artist communities has been instrumental in the ongoing efforts to keep San Francisco beautiful," said Mohammed Nuru, Deputy Director for Operations at the Department of Public Works. "Scholarships like these, as well as working with the Arts Commission and community partners like Vernon Davis, continue to provide opportunities to young artists and allow the City to enhance successful graffiti-prevention programs like StreetSmARTs."

Now in its second year, the Vernon Davis Visual Arts Scholarship provides tuition support to a San Francisco youth interested in pursuing a career in the visual arts. "I grew up in a tough urban community of Washington, D.C., where I always had a strong interest in art, but never felt comfortable pursuing it," says Davis. "I discovered art in college, but I want kids to feel free to explore it now if they're interested, without any constraints."

"We are so thrilled to be part of this event, as it will open many doors for our young people and enable them to express their love for art," said Pat Zamora, Director of Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco's Tenderloin Clubhouse. "The Tenderloin Clubhouse has many gifted young artists, and through this collaborative partnership with Vernon Davis, our youth will be able to further project their talents and presence in the Tenderloin Community."

Continuing, Davis added, "I'm very excited to be presenting artist Sheryl Quock with this year's Vernon Davis Visual Arts Scholarship. She's extremely talented and well deserving of it. When I saw her work, it inspired me as a fellow artist. Sheryl is a budding fashion designer and I'm a huge fashion fan myself, so who knows, maybe one day we'll collaborate on a clothing line together." To see examples of Quock's work, visit http://quocksheryl.weebly.com/index.html.

For interest in covering these events, please contact: Kate Patterson, San Francisco Arts Commission, at 415-252-4638 or email at kate.patterson@sfgov.org.

Young at Art Gala and Award Ceremony with 49ers Vernon Davis

WHEN: Friday, May 20, 2011, 9:30 a.m.-8:45 p.m.
WHERE: de Young Museum
50 Hagiwara Tea Garden Drive
San Francisco, CA 94118
INFORMATION: www.deyoungmuseum.org

About Vernon Davis
Vernon Davis is a Pro Bowl tight end for the San Francisco 49ers. An art studio major at the University of Maryland, Davis hopes to make an impact in the world of art and philanthropy. He has been involved in the NFL's "Smocks and Jocks" program, contributing pieces to their annual fundraiser, and he plans on increasing his portfolio of paintings and offering fans an artistic view of the world he sees and loves. Whether in his native D.C., where he grew up with six siblings, or in his adopted hometown on the West coast, Davis is committed to giving back. Davis has co-taught art classes at Triton Museum, and this summer he and his brother, Vontae, will co-host the Sound Body, Sound Mind football academy at Howard University, mentoring 200 high school athletes on future careers in the NFL. He recently traveled to Uganda and Rwanda with Pros For Africa.

About the San Francisco Arts Commission
The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is the City agency that champions the arts in San Francisco. We believe that a creative cultural environment is essential to the City's well-being. Established by charter in 1932, SFAC programs integrate the arts into all aspects of City life. Programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Arts & Education, Cultural Equity Grants, Public Art, SFAC Gallery, Street Artists Licensing, and the San Francisco Symphony Youth and Family Concert Series. The agency's core values are committed to the principle that all residents have equal access to arts experiences in all disciplines, that programs are provided comprehensively and evenly throughout the City, and that they are innovative and of
the highest quality.

About Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco
Part of the community since 1891, Boys & Girls Clubs of San Francisco (BGCSF) currently serves more than 1,200 youth (ages six to eighteen) per day and 16,700 per year at nine Clubhouses located in the neighborhoods with the fewest resources and at Camp Mendocino, a 2,000-acre residential summer camp that provides a creative and fun outdoor experience for youth. We are open when kids need us most-after school, on most school holidays and during the summer-and we offer safe places where young people can learn and grow. Our award-winning programs and caring staff steer our young people toward productive, responsible futures-and help our members build strong character and skills that will last a lifetime. For more information or to get involved, visit www.kidsclub.org or call 415.445.KIDS.

# # # #

Media Contact: Kate Patterson
Tel: 415/252-4638 E: kate.patterson@sfgov.org

SAN FRANCISCO ARTS COMMISSION TAKES YOUTH FROM  SOCIAL NETWORKING TO REAL LIFE  ARTS AND CULTURE EXPERIENCES WITH JAM
JAM is a web-based pilot program aimed at engaging students from the San Francisco Unified School District in arts and cultural activities in their communities

SAN FRANCISCO, April 12, 2011—Director of Cultural Affairs Luis R. Cancel is pleased to announce the launch of San Francisco Jamboree and Music (JAM). Presented in conjunction with the San Francisco Unified School District, JAM is the first mission-based, social network game that nurtures a passion for the arts by connecting youth with artists and activities in their community. Developed by Nuvana, a non-profit organization dedicated to creating a community of active learners, the program includes a variety of real-world missions that students can complete for points and prizes. Five San Francisco high schools including: Balboa, John O’ Connell, Civic Center Secondary, Gateway, and Academy of Arts and Sciences (at the School of the Arts) will be among the first schools in the country to participate in this innovative program. Select public high schools in New York City and Hangzhou, China, are also participating in this ground-breaking pilot.

“The Arts Commission was seeking a team that understood that we could use social networking techniques to engage our student population with the arts," says Director Cancel. "Nuvana shared our vision and demonstrated their approach that links physical-world art experiences with online tools that promote a community.”

The overall goal of JAM is to take young people from the insular world of online communications to real life experiences that broaden their understanding of arts and culture. The site achieves this goal through an array of “missions” or assignments that players can complete for points and other perks like free admission to the participating cultural organizations . Designed by arts education professionals, the missions are divided into various art-related categories with correlating points based on their level of difficulty. The site also has an instrument for players to suggest their own ideas for missions and invite their peers to participate. Once the players fulfill the mission requirement and capture their experiences through creative mechanisms such as film or photography, they post their work to the site where JAM personnel review and rate each submission. If the six-week pilot program proves successful, the SFAC will expand it next Fall.

Members of the press are invited to explore the website. Visit www.jam4art.org and enter the username SFACpress@gmail.com and the password artscommission.

About the San Francisco Arts Commission
The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is the City agency that champions the arts in San Francisco. We believe that a creative cultural environment is essential to the City’s well-being. Established by charter in 1932, SFAC programs integrate the arts into all aspects of City life. Programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Arts & Education, Cultural Equity Grants, Public Art, SFAC Gallery, Street Artists Licensing, and the San Francisco Symphony Youth and Family Concert Series. The agency’s core values are committed to the principle that all residents have equal access to arts experiences in all disciplines, that programs are provided comprehensively and evenly throughout the City, and that they are innovative and of the highest quality.

About Nuvana
Nuvana is dedicated to creating a community of active learners who play games that change the world.  Like “Flashback,” their American history game, and “InterroBang,” their problem-solving game, JAM is powered by the Nuvana™ game engine that provides missions to its ever-growing social network of students and mentors over the web and mobile devices.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contacts:
Catherine Theilen Burke
San Francisco Unified School District
burkec@sfusd.edu/415-695-2441

Kate Patterson
San Francisco Arts Commission
kate.patterson@sfgov.org/415-252-4638

25^th ANNUAL “YOUNG AT ART” FESTIVAL KICKS OFF MAY 14th
AT THE DE YOUNG MUSEUM

8-day festival celebrates the creativity of San Francisco students with exhibits and performances at the de Young Museum and the Concourse Bandshell in Golden Gate Park

Saturday, May 14 to Sunday, May 22, 2011

Award ceremony with 49er Vernon Davis will take place on Friday, May 20, 5 p.m. to 8 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 14, 2011 – This year marks the 25^th anniversary of San Francisco’s popular Young at Art festival, an eight-day celebration of student creativity hosted by the world-renowned de Young Museum in Golden Gate Park. Presented by the Visual and Performing Arts Office of the San Francisco Unified School District (SFUSD), the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and the San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC), this year’s event will include a visual art exhibition featuring artwork by 2,000 students; live musical and dance performances by over 65 student and community groups; screenings of student films and videos; poetry readings and hands-on art activities. All Young at Art events will take place from Saturday, May 14 through Sunday, May 22 and are free and open to the public.

“This event is truly special,” says SFUSD Superintendent Carlos Garcia. “Students get to see and share their work at a big celebration in a museum, and I get to see one of our district’s most important goals come to life—engaging high achieving and joyful learners.”

“The 25th anniversary of Young at Art is meaningful in many ways,” says Director of Cultural Affairs Luis R. Cancel. “Its ongoing popularity and significance are a testament to the value our community places on the arts and it demonstrates the power an artistic experience has on a young mind.”

On May 20 at 6 pm, star 49er Tight End Vernon Davis will join the celebration at an evening event hosted by the de Young Museum where he will announce the winner of the Vernon Davis Scholarship, which provides tuition support to a San Francisco youth interested in pursuing a career in the visual arts. Winners of the annual Dreamcatcher Awards, which honor educators and community partners who have contributed significantly to arts education in San Francisco, will also be announced.

Every student in San Francisco’s public, private, independent and parochial schools is eligible to be part of Young at Art. This year, over 10,000 children from 250 San Francisco schools and community groups will actively participate or showcase their work in Young at Art. Approximately 12,000 people are expected to attend festival events.

Program Highlights Include:

A Visual Art Exhibition: Artwork by 2,000 students, grades K-12, from San Francisco’s public, private, independent and parochial schools will be on view in the de Young’s Kimball Education Gallery, Wilsey Court and the Piazzoni Murals Room throughout the festival.

Performances: Over 65 student and community groups will perform over eight days during the festival. Choral groups, orchestras, dance ensembles, and jazz bands from schools throughout the city will perform at the Golden Gate Park Music Concourse Bandshell and the de Young’s Koret Auditorium.

Media Arts: Film and video screenings of student works curated and hosted by the Education Department of the San Francisco Film Society will be featured on Tuesday, May 17, at 10 a.m. in the Koret Auditorium.

Theatre Arts: Students will perform their dramatic work throughout the week on stage in the Koret Auditorium and the outdoor concourse Bandshell. On Friday, May 20, at 7 p.m., Stagewrite will present their annual showcase, staged readings by professional actors of six insightful plays by fifth-graders attending Starr King Elementary School.

Literary Arts: On Saturday, May 21, at 2 p.m. in the de Young’s Koret Auditorium, award-winning young writers will read their works of prose and poetry. Noted authors chose Literary Arts contest winners in a blind selection process and will present the student writing awards. The keynote speaker will be poet and playwright Marcus Gardley.

Hands-on Art Activities: Hands-on art activities will be offered May 17-20 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. with community artists at the Music Concourse in front of the de Young.

About the Festival
Since 1987, this unique San Francisco event (formerly known as The San Francisco Youth Arts Festival) has attracted San Francisco artists, families, and teachers as well as the extended Bay Area community. Originated by the SFAC in partnership with the SFUSD, the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, and the San Francisco Recreation and Parks Department, Young at Art was created as a companion to the annual adult arts festival, which occurred in tents in Civic Center Plaza. The first youth festival took place in the Golden Gate Park Music Concourse. Over 250,000 children have participated in the program since its inception.

Young at Art is at the heart of SFUSD’s groundbreaking Arts Education Master Plan (AEMP), which was launched in 2006 as a result of district and community stakeholders working together, and instigated by the San Francisco voter-approved Public Education Enrichment Fund/Proposition H. AEMP’s promise of equity and access in daily arts education for every single K-12 student in San Francisco becomes a reality in Young at Art. All who attend will see for themselves the artistic ability and creativity inherent in our youngest San Franciscans!

About the San Francisco Arts Commission

The San Francisco Arts Commission (SFAC) is the City agency that champions the arts in San Francisco. We believe that a creative cultural environment is essential to the City’s well-being. Established by charter in 1932, SFAC programs integrate the arts into all aspects of City life. Programs include: Civic Art Collection, Civic Design Review, Community Arts & Education, Cultural Equity Grants, Public Art, SFAC Gallery, Street Artists Licensing, and San Francisco Symphony—Engaging Communities. The agency is committed to the principle that all residents have equal access to arts experiences in all disciplines, that programs are provided comprehensively and evenly throughout the City, and that they are innovative and of the highest quality.