"Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up."

~ Pablo Picasso

The value placed on the arts has greatly diminished and continues to be one of the first opportunities reduced or cut in schools and programs. As a result our individual lives, communities and future generations run the risk of suffering an existence where unique thinking, innovation and diversity are scarce.

As we look to grow our community programming, F.O.K.U.S. relies primarily on your support in the form of in-kind donations of venue space and services, public funding, private donations and corporate sponsorships.

To make an in-kind donation (i.e. donation of venue space and services or volunteering) please contact inkind [at]onefokus.org to discuss next steps. F.O.K.U.S. is a 501(c)3 not-for-profit and all donations are tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. Thank you in advance for your support of F.O.K.U.S. and the arts.

Thank you for supporting the arts and the valuable dreams of artists.

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Letter to our supporters

The value placed on the arts has greatly diminished and continues to be one of the first educational opportunities reduced or cut in schools and programs. As a result our individual lives, communities and future generations run the risk of suffering an existence where unique thinking, innovation and diversity are scarce. This is a very plausible outcome because schools can no longer offer abundant opportunities in the arts and emerging artists face a very controlled and filtered stage, which at times hinders growth and ultimately results in them giving up hope. F.O.K.U.S.' mission is to address the above concerns.

We provide the freedom to begin conversations, mediate connections between persons and cultures and create a diverse artistic network. This is primarily achieved through our events which include concerts, art exhibits, poetry events, artist panels, film screenings and workshops. The arts can be used as a tool to enable individuals' appreciation of and participation in artistic expression and to build upon the idea of art serving as a universal language. As children, we explored our environments without limits.  In order to continue this experience, we must remain active in our learning how to best share, teach, and work with those around us.

The opening quote from Picasso is one of F.O.K.U.S.' guiding principles as we strive to ignite creativity inside people of all ages and cultivate their interests. The arts hold an undeniably high value in our daily lives, as seen by the joy our youth have when they present drawings to their parents or realized in the unparalleled learning opportunities that result from the engagement in the arts.  As an arts advocacy not-for-profit, F.O.K.U.S. relies primarily on your support (financial and in-kind) in the form of public funding, private donations and corporate sponsorships which directly support the growth of the organization and its community programming.

From its inception in 2003, F.O.K.U.S. has sought to advance the minds, creative aspirations and communication tools between individuals and communities. We strive to overcome barriers in society to increase diversity, as measured by race, gender, thinking and learning opportunities, which all play an important role in our lives and communities at large. Diversity is at risk for our future if the arts and focus on the arts continue to decline.

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