Britt Receives OAC Grant to Connect Local Students to the World of Work
Britt Festivals is pleased to announce the receipt of a $28,500 Connecting Students to the World of Work Grant from the Oregon Arts Commission. The grant is one of the largest in the history of Britt’s education program. It will be used to fund a year-long internship program for under-served juniors and seniors from Medford School District high schools, culminating in a student-curated performance in the Britt Performance Garden in June 2015.
The Connecting Students to the World of Work Grant is a new program from the OAC, designed to connect under-served students to the work force by offering programs that engage students in the professional elements of an artistic/creative career field.
Britt’s Director of Education and Community Engagement Rachel Jones says, “We are looking forward to working with the Medford School District to implement this exciting new program, and thrilled to have an opportunity to provide professional development experience for students who are often at a disadvantage in today’s competitive academic and work environment.”
Britt’s project will begin in the summer of 2014, with 12 high school juniors and seniors from the Medford School District selected to participate in the program. Over the course of year, the interns will job shadow, work with Britt staff, attend events and concerts, participate in discussions with community leaders, and complete projects that challenge them to build skills and articulate an artistic vision. The program will culminate in a performance that the students will produce in the Britt Performance Garden in June 2015. Guided by staff, the students will complete all steps required to bring the concert to fruition, including creating a budget, selecting and hiring guest artists, fundraising, marketing, house management and production for their event. Throughout the project, the students will gain practical skills and knowledge that will make them more college and/or work force ready.
The grant covers all supplies and expenses for the students, fees for guest speakers, all costs associated with the student-produced event and staff time for a Medford School District Coordinator. Information on how students can apply to this program will be available in late spring 2014, with the internship program starting in June 2014.
Britt Festivals invites audiences and artists to celebrate the joy of live performance, the power of community, and the magic of the Britt Experience. Through ongoing education and audience development programs, Britt educates new generations of listeners, helping them discover the wonder of music and performance. In addition to presenting concerts, Britt Festivals maintains a formal education program through the Britt Institute. Established in 1985, the Britt Institute hosts a wide variety of learning opportunities through a multi-faceted approach of summer camps, workshops, school-12 programs, college internships, and adult learning opportunities.
Posted December 19, 2013