RACC Press Release: Greg Ness, CEO of The Standard, chairs fifth annual Work for Art campaign, now underway

Greg Ness, CEO of The Standard, chairs fifth annual Work for Art campaign, now underway

Work for Art is hitting the ground running for the 2010-11 campaign, which officially launches this week with Greg Ness, president and CEO of The Standard, as honorary chair. Presentations are getting underway in workplaces throughout the region, and the new campaign brochure is now available online at www.workforart.org. In the weeks ahead, the umbrella fund for arts and culture will also roll out a new campaign video and website.

Work for Art is a program of the Regional Arts & Culture Council (RACC) that raises money for local arts organizations, primarily through employee charitable campaigns at workplaces in Oregon and SW Washington. With the help of nearly 1500 employees in 62 agencies, businesses, and organizations, Work for Art raised $675,772 for the region's arts and culture groups in 2009-10.

The goal for 2010-11 is $680,000, and 68 businesses and other workplaces have already enlisted to participate in employee giving campaigns between now and June 1, 2011. Ness encourages even more companies to get involved.

"If we could get every employee who appreciates art who works in every business... to make some sort of contribution, no matter how small, I think we would be absolutely amazed at what we could accomplish," said Ness.

The Standard has been a longtime supporter of the arts, and a frequent entry on Work for Art's Top Ten Campaigns list. As with many other campaigns, Work for Art will send the region's finest artists to perform and exhibit at The Standard's offices throughout their campaign.

Another top contributor is NW Natural, which has spent the past three years as Work for Art's highest-grossing campaign. President and CEO Gregg Kantor said they initially wrung their hands about adding another organization to their campaign for fear it would spread their giving too thinly among the other organizations. In fact, the opposite was the case.

"I've talked to others who've had the same experience, which is: it brings more employees into your workplace giving campaign, and frankly it produces more dollars," said Kantor, who was also Work for Art's 2009-10 honorary chair. "It has really amazed us how effective it's been."

Kantor, Ness, and PGE Foundation President Carole Morse announced at Work for Art's Community Celebration on August 3 their intention to "compete" with one another to raise the most money through their charitable campaigns in coming year. The competition is all in good fun and several other businesses have since joined the race.

For more information about Work for Art and how to run an employee giving campaign for the arts, contact Kathryn Jackson, Work for Art Manager, at [email protected] or 503-823-5424. Individuals can also contribute to Work for Art directly at www.workforart.org.

Mary Bauer

Communications Associate

Regional Arts & Culture Council

108 NW 9th Avenue, #300

Portland, OR 97209

503.823.5426

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