National Endowment for the Arts gives $25000 to Portland's Right ...

The Right Brain Initiative, a Portland arts education program begun in 2009, has won its first grant from the National Endowment for the Arts. The $25,000 grant is one of 1,145 awarded to groups for a total of $88 million in the NEA's second round of grants this year.

The Right Brain Initiative pairs teachers with artists to integrate the arts into other subjects, said program manager Marna Stalcup. "This NEA grant will specifically be used to support professional development programming serving 180 teachers and artists next school year." Stalcup said that an additional 100 educators will be served at Right Brain's annual summer seminar, Imagine This!, taking place in June, 2012.

Mayor Sam Adams congratulated the Regional Arts & Culture Council, which oversees the Right Brian Initiative, on receiving the grant. "The city remains one of The Right Brain Initiative's most enthusiastic investors, including $50,000 in my proposed budget for FY12," he said. "This grant from the NEA leverages the city's investment and will help our students and teachers achieve even more."

With a budget of $800,000, Right Brain serves 10,500 students in 25 schools in four school districts (Hillsboro, Gresham-Barlow, North Clackamas and Portland Public Schools.) About half of the program's funding comes from local government agencies including the City of Portland, Clackamas County, Multnomah County, the Oregon Arts Commission, and each participating school district. The rest comes from private sources, including corporations, private foundations and individuals.

-- David Stabler

Source: http://www.oregonlive.com/performance/index.ssf/2011/05/national_endowment_for_the_art_1.html

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