The Oak Park Area Arts Council Announces Recipients of ArtsFunds 2009

Contact: Charity Piet
708.358.5693

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 5, 2009

The Oak Park Area Arts Council Announces
Recipients of ArtsFunds 2009

The Oak Park Area Arts Council (OPAAC) is pleased to award almost $45,000 in ArtsFunds for 2009 to 31 organizations.

The organizations are:

B.R.A.V.O!, Chicago a cappella, Chicago West Community Music Center, Circle Theatre, Community Support Services, Dominican University Performing Arts Center, Ernest Hemingway Foundation, Expressions Graphics, Frank Lloyd Wright Preservation Trust, Handel Week, Heritage Chorale, Michael Teolis Singers, Momenta, Oak Park Area Lesbian & Gay Association, Oak Park Art League, Oak Park Concert Chorale, Oak Park Education Foundation – Art Start, Oak Park Festival Theatre, Oak Park & River Forest Children’s Chorus, Open Door Repertory Company, PING! (Providing Instruments to the Next Generation), Pleasant Home Foundation, Senior Citizens’ Center of Oak Park & River Forest, Sense of Urgency, Steckman Studio of Music, Symphony of Oak Park & River Forest, Unity Temple Concert Series, Village Players Theatre, Windy City String Ensemble, Winifred Haun & Dancers, and Wonder Works.

The OPAAC is honored to partner with Community Bank of Oak Park and River Forest for their sponsorship of the Best in Class Awards. The CBOPRF Best in Class Awards are presented to ArtsFunds recipient organizations that have demonstrated significant growth over the past year. The ArtsFunds review panel selects these organizations after reviewing grant applications. Categories are determined based on the organization and their own particular improvement. CBOPRF presented each Best in Class organization with a $1,000 cash award at the Arts Council’s annual meeting in March. The Community Bank of Oak Park & River Forest Best in Class Awards for 2009 will be presented to:

Oak Park Concert Chorale – Excellence in Presenting Diverse and Unique Choral Works
PING! – Excellence in Diversity, Inclusion and Life-Long Appreciation for Music and the Arts in All Students
Winifred Haun & Dancers – Excellence in Presenting Diverse Dance in Non-Traditional Venues

2009 ArtsFunds panel members: Mary Davis Fournier, Yves Hughes Jr., Shirley Kyle, John Milan and John Troelstrup.

The Oak Park Area Arts Council (OPAAC) is a not-for-profit community arts organization that is partially funded by grants from the Illinois Arts Council, a state agency, and the Villages of Oak Park, Forest Park and River Forest.

Because we believe art is intrinsic to the quality of life in our communities, the Oak Park Area Arts Council celebrates, supports and promotes artists and arts organizations in Oak Park, River Forest and Forest Park. By raising funds for the arts, and advocating for policies that promote the arts, we enhance the social, economic, and cultural foundations of our communities.

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Oak Park Area Arts Council
P.O. Box 950, Oak Park, IL 60303
Phone (708) 358-5690 • Fascimille (708) 383-6692 • E-mail: info@oakparkareaartscouncil.org.