Oregon Children's Theatre Receives $50,000 in Grants

Oregon Children's Theatre (OCT) is honored to receive a $45,000 grant from the Shubert Foundation and a $5,000 grant from the Bill Healy Foundation.

The Shubert Foundation has kindly supported OCT with grants for ten consecutive years. This year's grant includes a $5,000 increase from last year, totaling $45,000, and will provide support for commissioning and premiering new plays for young audiences. OCT will co-commission three world premiere productions in its 2016-17 season, including Goosebumps the Musical, Fly Guy: The Musical, and Flora & Ulysses. "It's a tremendous honor to receive this recognition from such a prestigious, national supporter of nonprofit theater. We're proud of the work we do in our community, as well as our contributions to the national field of theater for young audiences," said OCT Managing Director, Ross McKeen.

The Shubert Foundation was established in 1945 and primarily supports non-profit theater programs throughout the U.S. OCT is proud to be among the handful of Oregon theater companies recognized in 2016 by the Shubert Foundation. Its Board of Directors believes that "the most effective way to encourage the artistic process is by providing the general operating support that reinforces the structure that nurtures its development."

This is the first year OCT has received a grant from the Bill Healy Foundation, totaling $5,000. Funding for this grant will directly support OCT's "Arts Access Programming," which includes three distinct arts education programs: Ticket to Read: Linking Literacy to Live Theater, Young Playwrights for Change, and our two, in-school residency programs, Loud and Clear and Read, Write, Act.

The Bill Healy Foundation grant will help OCT bring Arts Access Programming at no cost to an estimated 7,000 students attending K-8 Title 1 schools in Oregon. By eliminating financial barriers that exist for these programs that normally have associated program fees, OCT is able to provide equitable access to them. "We believe that all children deserve opportunities to learn and grow through the transformative power of theater. The generous gift from the Bill Healy Foundation supports our vision of expanding access to OCT's arts education programs, particularly for children whose families live below the poverty level," said McKeen.

The Bill Healy Foundation was established to support organizations that focus on environmental conservation and the well-being of children, primarily in Oregon and Hawaii. Bill Healy had a love for the outdoors and for people, and since 2000 his foundation has supported many organizations that share his values. It was founded by his son, Cameron, in his memory. OCT is thrilled to be recognized amongst many honorable organizations, including Friends of the Children, Children's Book Bank, and more.

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