Loveland Sculpture Group Presents $10,000 to Thompson School Art Programs

The Loveland Sculpture Group, a non-profit organization dedicated to expanding opportunities and appreciation for sculpture, held the 2012 Supporting Art in Our Schools Check Presentation for $10,000 to Thompson School District art programs on Jan. 30, 2013 at Centennial Elementary School. The $10,000 donated is split between the public schools (art departments) in the district and is raised through the Loveland Sculpture Invitational, the largest annual outdoor sculpture show and sale in the nation. Mayor Cecil Gutierrez, who taught at Thompson Valley High School when he first arrived in Fort Collins, spoke about how close he feels to the importance of art education and the additional funding for these programs through the donation made annually by the Loveland Sculpture Group. "I want to take a minute and tell you a little bit about why the art education department is so important to the kids and to the city. Creativity is one of those things that I hear regularly when I talk to CEOs, they want their workforce to be creative and it is a desired skill."

Addressing the art teachers in the room, Gutierrez added, "What you do to help these kids learn to be creative will help them when they enter the workforce. 8% of the workforce in this city is in the creative sector, which is a significant part of our workforce. It is also a significant part of the DNA of our city. We need you all to continue cultivating the arts because we need those next generations. What you do is critical to the success of our city." In 2012, all of the public schools in the Thompson School District participated in the Emerging Artists program at the Loveland Sculpture Invitational, resulting in 235 students creating a sculpted keepsake at The Show. "The wonderful creations that these children made at The Show will be with them for a long time, they have something to remember this activity by for as long as they want. What an honor it is to be able to contribute to the city and the schools in Loveland to thank them for everything that they've done for the art community," said Victor Issa, Loveland Sculpture Group Board President and one of the founders of the Loveland Sculpture Invitational.

Issa, who is now a world renowned sculptor, didn't have any art education until he was in college because it wasn't in the budget. "Art teachers perform a very valuable service and [the teachers] may never fully understand how valuable it really is."

About Loveland Sculpture Group and the Loveland Sculpture Invitational The Loveland Sculpture Group, a non-profit organization, is the main sponsor of the Loveland Sculpture Invitational. Through the Loveland Sculpture Invitational, The Loveland Sculpture Group has been able to donate 30 sculptures valued at $275,000 to the Loveland community as well as $232,000 total to local art education programs and other non-profits.

The show's growth and success can be attributed to its unwavering focus on its mission as well as to the dedicated staff and hundreds of volunteers who have served each year. The Loveland Sculpture Invitational is the nation's largest outdoor sculpture show and hosts artists from all over the country and beyond. For more information about the Loveland Sculpture Invitational please visit, www.lovelandsculpturegroup.org.