The Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation was recognized by the Santa Barbara County Board of Supervisors at their December 2nd meeting with a Resolution acknowledging the 2014 Leadership in the Arts Award recipient. First District Supervisor Salud Carbajal made the presentation on behalf of the Board recognizing the Bowls’ significant contributions to performing arts education and community outreach.

Upon receiving the award Paul Doré, President of the Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation had this to say, “It is an honor to be recognized as the 2014 Leadership in the Arts Awards Recipient by the Santa Barbara County Arts Commission. The Bowl Foundation has had an engaged and dynamic partnership with the County Arts Commission for many years as we jointly work towards better access to performing arts education for youth in Santa Barbara County. Doré went on to say “As we transition to Education Outreach as an organizational priority, we look forward to growing our commitment to County-wide youth performing arts education.”

The Leadership in the Arts Award was established in 2006 by the County Arts Commission. “Over the years, the Leadership in Arts award has given the Arts Commission an opportunity to publicly recognize the great achievements realized by individuals and organizations who through their vision, commitment, and dedication infuse and ignite our regional arts and culture and increase access to arts in Santa Barbara County,” states Ginny Brush, Executive Director of the Arts Commission.

The Bowl Foundation’s commitment to arts education goes back to 1996 when concerned Bowl Foundation volunteer board members established SAGE (School Arts Gifts and Education) with a goal to help re-establish arts education as a priority within Santa Barbara. In 2003 the SAGE program transitioned to the current Education Outreach that was established as a funding, support and resource organization. Through the Bowl’s Education Outreach efforts over $972,926 in program funding has been provided and has generated over 145,000 touch-points for students in the greater Santa Barbara area and in schools and communities throughout the County.

The Santa Barbara Bowl Foundation sincerely thanks the County of Santa Barbara, the Santa Barbara Arts Commission and the community of Santa Barbara for their generous and continued support of the Bowl and Education Outreach.

Private donations are critical to ensuring the success of the Santa Barbara Bowl’s Education Outreach programs. The Education Outreach Program aims to evaluate, nurture, and support performing arts programs through a participatory approach that maximizes resources and the investment of donors to respond to community needs as creatively and strategically as possible.

To learn how you can join in bringing the powerful benefits of performing arts education and access to local children, visit the Santa Barbara Bowl’s Education Outreach program at www.sbbowl.com/2015-Ed-Out-Campaign.