Annual Report 2008

2008 Special thanks to our volunteer photographers: Alan Dunlop (including cover), Catherine Guillame Chow, Dario Sante and Julian Sale. DAREarts EMPOWERING AT RISK CHILDREN DAREarts is arts education that empowers ‘at risk’ children. This is the best day of my life. DAREarts child, 9 DAREarts dares children to make positive choices in their lives through educational experiences in art, architecture, dance, drama, design, fashion, literature, music, – all the arts. You are saving this child from the wrong crowd. Principal DAREarts is a national, not-for-profit organization which stands for Discipline, Action and Responsibility in Education. DAREarts’ 5-year all-the-arts program empowers ‘at risk’ 9–14 year olds who have been chosen from elementary schools in less advantaged areas to become leaders. The children paint, sculpt, sing, dance, compose, design, write, act and create as they ‘travel’ through the centuries exploring world cultures, guided by arts professionals. The children gain self esteem and leadership skills and then return to their schools to teach their classmates. Since 1996, DAREarts has flourished in Ontario and is expanding across Canada, influencing over 10,000 children yearly. For more information, visit www.darearts.com DAREarts Foundation Inc. 3042 Concession 3 Adjala, RR 1, Palgrave, Ontario, Canada L0N 1P0 • 1-888-540-2787 / 905-729-0097 Canadian CharitaBle Registration NUMBer 88691 7764 RR0002 DareArts’ Aboriginal Youth Program: DareArts From past participation in the Canadian Armed Force’s Junior Letter to Rangers camps, DareArts’ artists-as-teachers worked in the remote northern aboriginal community of Webequie to help to combat teen suicide and inspire the youth while building Members their self-esteem. Thirty teens worked intensely with four DareArts arts 2008 professionals plus community elders to create their own th movie in which they themselves prepared the story and sites, In its 13 year, DareArts reached out to broaden the minds of acted and filmed. This pilot project provided a template to be 10,000 Canadian children through diverse cultural experiences. used with other small communities. Focusing on those ‘at risk’, 55% of the children lived in the GTA, 25% were in rural Ontario and 20% were in other DareArts After-School Programs: regions of Canada. The measurement of DareArts’ success is the rave reviews from schools, parents and children alike. 1) Violin lessons: Thanks to the Herman Smith Music Trust Fund, inner city children received violin lessons with violinist Revenue Sources: Moshe Hammer. Violins were donated through Remenyi House of Music and patrons. Mr. Hammer expanded the For the year ended July 31, 2008, corporate and individual Hammer Band ‘From Violence To Violins’ project into several support for DareArts was 75% while Foundation receipts rose of our high risk schools. to 22% of revenues. Total revenues increased to $525,000, lead by the annual Leadership campaign plus the annual 2) DARE2B Dance program: In partnership with professional Lombard Insurance Inner Circle donation. B-Boy dancers of Back To The Underground, DareArts initiated the DARE2B dance program in 2008 in two Thank you sincerely to all who continue to believe in our northwestern schools where the professional youth worked children during these challenging times. with 40 young teens several times a week from January to June. The teens showcased their dancing at several public venues. 3) Grads: On Friday nights, DareArts teens worked together on creative solutions to teens’ life challenges, resulting in a short movie created by the youth. 4) Tickets: Sun Life Financial provided 250 tickets to evening performances by the National Ballet. DareArts Special Excursions Program: Shaw Festival: Lead sponsor Lombard Insurance generously provided a special day of workshops and a performance of ‘Wonderful Town’ at the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-lake for forty DareArts’ young teens. Most of these young people had never experienced a small town or been inside a theatre, let alone seen a play. Such new experiences inspired those from Grennholme M.S. to create their own plays called ‘Our Jamestown’. DareArts’ Core ‘All-The-Arts’ Program: Stratford Shakespeare Festival: Actors Adam Waxman and Jennifer Gillespie conductd a summer Shakespeare-themed In 2008, DareArts expanded its core multicultural ‘All-The- camp for twenty youth that culminated in a trip to The Arts’ program to include 16 schools in northwest Etobicoke. Stratford Festival where they toured the theatre, tried on Classes were lead by over 60 arts professionals as teachers costumes, enjoyed ‘Romeo and Juliet’ then met with leading and mentors. From January to June, DareArts brought actors. They later performed their own version of the play. together 200 children, aged 9 to 14, who had been chosen as delegates from 60 schools to explore creativity and leadership DareArts Human Spirit Values Program: via arts education. The youngsters then returned to their respective schools to ‘peer teach’ another 6,000 children. The nine crystal sculptures of the DareArts Human Spirit Collection by Mark Raynes Roberts inspire children to find Artists-as-teachers included actor Adam Waxman and values in their lives. At workshops in schools, values are musician Moshe Hammer. Education partners included the discussed and students are challenged to respond creatively. Bata Shoe Museum, Canadian Opera Company, Gardiner Our storybook based on the sculptures called BLUE- Voyage to Museum, the McMichael Gallery, the National Ballet School, the Sky, written by 15 year old Caleigh Minshall, is available upon Opera Atelier and the Textile Museum amongst others. request for schools’ libraries. DareArts International ‘Children for Peace‘: 10,000 Canadian children joined one million ‘Children for Peace’ worldwide in painting original cards to sell and, with funds raised, help children hurt by wars, in partnership with NATO peace keepers. They helped to encourage children in Afghanistan and in Nairobi, Kenya. In March, over 2,000 original cards were sent directly to our Canadian troops in Afghanistan with messages inside for both our soldiers and the children they meet. DareArts Leadership Program: While our focus is elementary school children, DareArts continues to support its graduates and to track their success through their teen years. DareArts is proud of our graduates who continue to uphold the principles they learned in DareArts while putting themselves through high school and post secondary education, returning to DareArts as volunteers and even starting their own charities. The Year Ahead: Almost five hundred corporate leaders and patrons support the DareArts Leadership Award Gala, our flagship fundraiser In these tough economic times, requests from schools and in Toronto as six DareArts teen graduates are awarded for educational leaders to participate in DareArts’ programs have showing leadership in their lives. George Chuvalo and increased sharply. With the increase in gangs, drugs and gun SoulPepper’s Albert Schultz were honoured with the related violence in some communities, we have a duty to DareArts Cultural Award 2008. provide our children with positive alternatives. DareArts in the Public Eye: Many charitable organizations receive 60% of their funding from government sources. With our proven success records, The DareArts Choir opened National Youth Day 2008 in we will fortify our efforts to increase government funding from Toronto, followed by students of our DARE2B B-Boy dance our current 1.8%. program. A preliminary documentary of DareArts aboriginal youth in Webequie was shared with media across Canada. In 2009, we will: DareArts teens shared the national spotlight with George Further partner with school boards plus other Chuvalo in an interview on CTV ‘Canada AM’. DareArts grad complimentary educational and arts organizations to Shamin Mohamed Jr. held a news conference in Toronto for multiply the DareArts experience for more children; his own charity, LetsStopAids.org, after returning from Africa. Expand DareArts’ reach in urban, rural and aboriginal communities across Canada; Management: Expand the Governors Council of patrons to support DareArts’ activities; In 2008, the Board continued its appointment of Founder, Outsource professional marketing and fundraising Marilyn Field, M.S.M., as Director Ex-officio & President. personnel to increase the awareness and support of Richard Patina, President & CEO Lombard Insurance DareArts’ work with at risk children. continued as Chairman of DareArts with J.C.Pennie, Chairman & CEO, Windrush Energy, as Vice-Chairman and Treasurer One child at a time, we can change the emerging culture of and Julian Sale as Vice-President. violence and apathy in our kids by challenging them to reach inside themselves and find strength to follow their dreams and Operating Costs: lead their peers. Call 1-888-540-2787. 2008 expenses increased to $525,000 in order to fund expansion programs, resulting in a breakeven for the year. Costs for fundraising were 18% of total revenues, while 65% of DareArts’ funding went to education supplies, bussing and teachers for the children. Marilyn J. Field, M.S.M. Richard Patina Beyond costs for the Children for Peace cards, the Aboriginal Founder & President Chairman Project and the Summer Camps, the core program for 200 ‘at risk’ children was completed at an affordable cost of $1,700 per child. The DareArts Foundation had no debt at the end DareArts Foundation Inc. www.darearts.com of the year.

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