Allied Arts

Well, we're at it again!  We kicked off our annual fundraising efforts on Tuesday night with 350 of our great donors, volunteers and friends.  This year our goal is to raise $3 MILLION - more than EVER - for the arts in Central Oklahoma, and we're really excited about what those funds could mean for our cultural community.  Think about it...

• $25 admits FIVE high school students to see a play.
• $50 exposes TEN elementary students to their first orchestra concert.
• $180 provides as at-risk student with TWO semesters of dance instruction.
• $250 offsets the costs for an ENTIRE classroom to tour an art museum.

Even $5 goes a long way, and your ONE gift supports TWENTY of Central Oklahoma's oustanding arts organizations ensuring an exciting and thriving cultural community for all of us.

Our theme this year is "I Heart the Arts" and we're encouraging everyone to think of all the ways and reasons you love the arts.  Do you love listening to the radio on your way to work each day?...Seeing the masterpieces your kids create at school taped to the refrigerator door?... Dancing to the music at a Thunder game?  Or maybe it's your favorite movie, video game, dress, building, book or play.  ALL of these things are impacted by the arts.  So...Why do you "Heart the Arts"?  Tell us! Or join us on Twitter @AlliedArtsOKC and use #HeartTheArts. Or visit us at www.AlliedArtsOKC.com to make a donation.

We're so thankful. Thanks to everyone that joined us for the celebration on Tuesday! Thanks to the Oklahoma City Philharmonic, the OK City Chorus, Campell Walker Fields and Eddie Walker, and Oklahoma Children's Theater for your beautiful performances! And thanks to everyone that is working hard to make this year a success!  This isn't possible without you.

 

Campaign co-chairs, Tricia Everest and James Pickel, with 2012 Honorary Chairs Bob & Jeaneen Naifeh and Barry & Becky Switzer.  Great campaign leadership for 2012!

Check back here for more on this fella's performance.  Outstanding job by Campbell Walker Fields!

 

 

One of the top a cappella vocal groups in the world will make a rare US appearance in Oklahoma City at 7:30 pm on Saturday, Oct. 15, 2011 when SALT joins the OK City Chorus for “A Pinch of Salt: Barbershop Harmony with a Swedish Flavor”.  SALT, 2007 women’s international quartet champions from Sweden, has created a worldwide fan base by blending superior vocal talents with superb comedic timing.

The OK City Chorus, an Allied Arts member agency, also brings an impressive set of a cappella credentials to the table having won their five-state regional competition on 18 separate occasions and garnering a number of international medals.  

“A Pinch of SALT” will be at the Yukon Fine Arts Center. General admission seating is $10 for children under 12 and $20 for adults.  Preferred seating is $25 for all ages.  Buy-one-get-one-free tickets are available for general admission tickets to those with an OK City Card from Allied Arts.

Tickets are available online at www.okcity.org or from any member of the OK City Chorus.  The box office at the Yukon Fine Arts Center will open at 6:30 for sales of remaining tickets or standby seating.  For more information, call 405-720-SING(7464) or visit http://okcity.org/events/upcoming-show.html.

 

After a very successful, spectacular annual campaign, we have a ton of people to thank! Thousands of you were responsible for giving more than $2.91 million to the arts this year.  So, now it's time to say thousands of thanks, and we need some help!

If you'd like to volunteer with us and help thank all of our fine donors who make this arts community great, join us for our annual Thank-A-Thon next week.  Here's what you need to know:

What:   Allied Arts Thank-A-Thon

When:   Tuesday, August 23rd and Thursday, August 25th
11:00 am - 7:00 pm

Where:   Allied Arts Office
1015 N Broadway Ave, 2nd floor
(Above Coffeeslingers)

Why: To thank each and every donor who gave to Allied Arts during the 2011 campaign.

Who: YOU can help - no experience is necessary!  We'll provide the phones for calling, food, prizes and fun.  All you need to bring is yourself.

To sign up for a shift, email bailey.gordon@alliedartsokc.com.  We'd love to have your help!


These kids were able to experience the arts through a grant from Allied Arts. It never would've happened without the generosity of our donors.  I hope you'll help us say "thanks!"

Once again, this year's Best of OKC ballot from the Oklahoma Gazette proves just how amazing Allied Arts’ member agencies and OKCityCard partners are!  So with just one day left to cast your vote, we wanted to make sure you know who some of our favorite finalists are.

Seven of our member agencies are up for awards this year, including:

• IAO Gallery - Best Art Gallery
• Oklahoma City Museum of Art – Best Museum
• Science Museum Oklahoma – Best Museum AND Best Family Entertainment
• Festival of the Arts (hosted by Arts Council of Oklahoma City) – Best Local Event or Festival
• Lyric Theatre – Best Performing Arts Group
• Oklahoma City Ballet – Best Performing Arts Group
• Oklahoma Shakespeare in the Park – Best Performing Arts Group

There’s also a whole slew of our OKCityCard partners nominated.  Show these great partners some love by voting for them in their respective categories.  And keep your eye out…some of them are nominated in several categories!

• 1492 New World Latin Cuisine
• Bricktown Brewery
• Café 7
• Cheever's Café
• Collected Thread
• Cuppies & Joe
• deadCENTER Film Festival
• Deep Fork
• Earl's Rib Palace
• Eden Salon & Spa
• Grand House China Bistro
• HeyDay Entertainment Center
• Iguana Mexican Grill
• Irma's Burger Shack
• Iron Starr Urban Barbeque
• Java Dave's
• JRB Art at the Elms
• Matthew Kenney OKC
• Musashi's
• Naifeh Fine Jewelry
• National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum
• Nonna's Euro-American Ristorante and Bar
• Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
• Oklahoma City Thunder Basketball
• Oklahoma City Zoo
• Pearl's Oyster Bar
• Perpetual Motion Dance
• POPS
• RED Prime Steak
• Republic Gastropub
• Rococo Restaurant & Fine Wine
• Saii Asian Bistro
• Sam Noble Museum of Natural History
• Samuel Gordon Jewelers
• Sara Sara Cupcakes
• Schlegel Bicycles
• Shoe Gypsy
• Shop Good Tony Foss Flowers
• Stella Modern Italian Cuisine
• Sushi Neko
• The Lobby Bar
• The Wedge Pizzeria
• Trochta's Flowers & Greenhouse

Thanks to these great businesses and organizations that help to make Allied Arts and the OKCityCard great!  Good luck to everyone nominated!

 

This past Thursday, Allied Arts volunteers, member agencies and donors gathered at the Devon Boathouse to celebrate the successes of the 2011 annual campaign. Are you wondering how much success we had? 



$2,819,846 and counting!

A big THANK YOU is due to everyone who gave so that the arts community in Central Oklahoma can continue to provide vital, extraordinary programming and education to people of all ages.  It truly wouldn't be possible without you!

Our next THANK YOU is to our phenomenal campaign co-chairs, Brenda McDaniel and Ed Martin.  These two led an amazing group of volunteers and our campaign's success is due to their guidance and hard work. What can we say? Ed and Brenda are incredible!



Speaking of volunteers, THANK YOU to the 200+ who made phone calls and stuffed envelopes for the betterment of the arts community.  We are lucky to have you on our team and are grateful for your support!

And to our member agencies - we are proud to support each of you and the ways that you impact our communities.  THANK YOU for your help with the campaign and for your dedication to providing exceptional arts experiences to people in Central Oklahoma.

If you haven't taken the opportunity to get involved with the Allied Arts campaign, there's still time!  Join this fantastic group of people in supporting the arts by clicking here to make your gift today. 

More photos from the event are posted on Flickr. Go ahead, check them out!

The Festival of the Arts (hosted by one of our amazing member agencies, the Arts Council of Oklahoma City) is coming up in just a few short days!  From April 26th to May 1st, we'll be taking in the art, the activities, the performances, the fun and the FOOD - we can't wait!  When it comes to food, it's all Greek to us here at Allied Arts.  That's because we team up with Papa's Greek Foods for the week and sell gyros galore. 

Would you like to get in on the action and serve up a gyro or two?  You're in luck!  We still need volunteers to help sell Greek food (no previous food service experience required), so grab a few friends and come help Allied Arts during the city's biggest art event of the year. 

To sign up, email julie.mitzner@alliedartsokc.com.  You'll get to wear a cool apron AND plastic gloves.  Need I say more?  Hope to see you at the Festival!



Work the Festival with these fabulous Allied Arts ladies!  We're ready to serve some Greek food!

Today we have a VERY special announcement for you about POP! ARTini that's coming up on April 9th! 

Not only will there be original martinis and appetizers from 11 of Oklahoma City's top restaurants...

Not only will there be 500 guests getting down on the dance floor to live music from HOOK...

Not only will there be an art auction featuring works from 50 of Oklahoma's talented artists...

Not only will there be a chance to win BIG prizes in Raffletini...

But...

Desmond Mason will be painting LIVE at the event!

That's right, Oklahoma City's favorite Thunder alum will be painting a piece at POP! ARTini that will be be auctioned off that night.  ARTini guests will have the unique opportunity to bid on a piece that not only is a Desmond Mason original, but that they watched him create.  Talk about an awesome experience!

Don't miss your chance to see Desmond Mason in action and take his work home.  Buy your ticket to POP! ARTini today at www.alliedartini.com!


        

Desmond and his wife Andrea are supporters of Allied Arts.  Here is a sample of his incredible work.  I hope you'll be at POP! ARTini to see it in person!

It’s Friday! Who’s ready for some fun?  I know I am!  Check out our list of arts events for this weekend!

Catalystic Rooftop Mixer
Wednesday
@ Allied Arts
http://alliedartsokc.com/catalyst
Join Allied Arts Catalyst for a happy hour on the rooftop patio on Automobile Alley.  Network with fellow young professionals, learn about Catalyst and preview POP! ARTini.  Plus, you could win tickets to that night’s Thunder game!

Maggie Casey:  Bearing the Echo of Proving Ground
@ City Arts Center
http://cityartscenter.org/

Oklahoma Friendly
@ Individual Artists of Oklahoma
http://www.iaogallery.org/

Passed to the Present: Prehistoric Casas Grandes and Contemporary Mata Ortiz Pottery Traditions
@ Mabee-Gerrer Museum of Art
http://www.mgmoa.org/
2-for-1 admission with OKCityCard

George Nelson: Architect, Writer, Designer, Teacher
@ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
http://www.okcmoa.com/
2-for-1 admission with OKCityCard

Jill Downen: COUNTERPARTS
@ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
http://www.okcmoa.com/
2-for-1 admission with OKCityCard

Summer Wars
Evangelion 2.0 You Can (Not) Advance
Film Screenings
@ Oklahoma City Museum of Art
http://www.okcmoa.com/
2-for-1 admission with OKCityCard

Upcoming Events:

Mozart’s Requiem

Buy your tickets now for one BIG collaboration between Oklahoma City Ballet, Oklahoma City Philharmonic and Canterbury Choral Society.  This dynamic trio is presenting Mozart’s Requiem next weekend, March 26th and 27th.  Tickets are 2-for-1 with your OKCityCard.  Buy now, because they’re going fast!
http://okcballet.com

Boeing Boeing
Opens March 30
@ Lyric Theatre
http://lyrictheatreokc.com/
2-for-1 admission with OKCityCard – tickets are on sale now!

Princesses, Dragons and one Magical Knight
Special Event on Saturday, April 2nd
@ Oklahoma Children’s Theatre
http://www.oklahomachildrenstheatre.org/

POP! ARTini
Benefiting Allied Arts
Saturday, April 9th
http://alliedartini.com
Tickets on sale now!

 

 

Today, on International Women's Day, we'd like to take a moment to celebrate the achievements of four of Allied Arts' leading ladies.  Jenny Love Meyer, Julie Hall, Lori Hill and Jeannette Sias were honored last weekend at the Oklahoma City University Awards of Excellence for their exceptional work in the community.

These women have all served Allied Arts in very important capacities.  From serving as the chair of a fundraising gala to being a member of the board of directors to working hard to raise funds for the arts during the annual campaign, each of these ladies has played a large part in the success of our organization.

Congratulations, ladies on your recognition!  Thank you for all the wonderful things you do for Allied Arts and the many other causes you serve. 



Deborah, Allied Arts President/CEO, was able to snap a photo of Lori, Jeannette, Julie and Jenny at the dinner.  They all look lovely!

I bet everyone's wishing they had one of these this morning as they sloshed through puddles on the way to work:

Yep, this umbrella organization is giving umbrellas to donors at the step-up level during a workplace giving campaign.

What's a workplace giving campaign?  It's a time when companies open their doors to Allied Arts so that we can speak to employees about the importance of the arts in our community.  Then employees have the opportunity to personally give and support the arts as well as gain some really cool donor benefits.

Cool Benefit #1: The Umbrella
It's chic, it's huge and it will keep you dry.  As you can see 2 adults (and probably more) can fit under the umbrella, it has a wind flap so that it won't blow backwards, and it has the automatic open feature. Plus, it has the Allied Arts logo on it, so you'll look really cool because you support your community. Let's face it, the umbrella is a necessity for springtime in Oklahoma. 

Cool Benefit #2:  The OKCityCard
It's the best deal in town. Period.  A donation of $50 gets you discounts and deals at 202 locations in the OKC area.  And, now the OKCityCard is mobile - you can locate all of the deals from your smart phone. To see a full list of partners and exactly why this card is so awesome, visit okcitycard.com.

Cool Benefit #3:  Prizes
Everyone who gives at the step-up level is entered to win fabulous prizes like an iPad from OPUBCO, a suite at a Thunder game, or a one-night stay in a luxury hotel.

Cool Benefit #4: Warm Fuzzies
I know this is a little cheesy, but who doesn't feel good when they support their community?  By hosting a workplace campaign and giving to Allied Arts, all of the employees are enabling 20 arts organizations to provide vital educational programs to schoolchildren and continue their amazing concerts, performances, and exhibits that enhance our quality of life.

So, do you want to host a workplace campaign?  Contact angye.tilley@alliedartsokc.com and we'll take it from there!

Hope to see you in YOUR workplace soon!