OSU Institute of Technology is hosting the annual ART Plusfundraising event for the School of Visual Communications student scholarship fund. The event will showcase alumni art and a new feature this year, live art creation.
ART Plus will take place on Friday, April 5, from 5 to 9 p.m., at Fly Loft located at 117 N. Boston Ave. #208, in the Tulsa Arts District. The event is during the monthly First Friday Art Crawl event which features all galleries, studios and museums opening their doors to show art.
This year’s event will not only include art created by OSUIT alumni for sale, but it will also include live custom art creation by three top-tier artists John Hammer, Monte Toon and Royce Fitzgerald. Light hors d’oeuvres will be served and there will be a cash bar.
Items for sale include paintings, drawings, photography and small sculptures. All pieces created during the event will also be for sale. Credit cards, check and cash is accepted and all proceeds from the sale go to the Visual Communications Student Scholarship Fund. The fund helps continuing, second-year students that are in financial need to help complete their degree.
Shellie Waller, a student pursuing an Associate in Applied Science in Graphic Design Technology is a recipient of the ART Plus scholarship. Waller said this scholarship helped build her confidence and showed her the strength to face the future.
“I was working and attending class part-time, I really just saw the school as a way to build my skills. The more I got involved, I realized this was something I am truly passionate about which would then cause me to have to quit my job to pursue my education. I was so indecisive, but once finding out I had been awarded the scholarship, I had the confidence that people believed in me.”
James McCullough, dean of the School of Visual Communications, said he hopes patrons understand the importance of this event.
“This scholarship helps students overcome a financial hurdle that could easily sideline them and keep them from achieving their goals.”
Over the last five years, this event has raised approximately $52,000 toward the fund. McCullough said they have been able to give back around $25,000 to 22 students to date.
This year McCullough is putting together an ART Plus Challenge. He will be donating $1,000 and challenging other alumni and industry partners of the School of Visual Communications to help make this the biggest fundraising effort to date for ART Plus. His goal is to raise $25,000 toward the scholarship.
“Even if you can’t buy a piece of art, or even come to the event that evening, you could still make a difference with a contribution of $100, $200, $500 or whatever you could give to change the stars for a deserving student in the School of Visual Communications.”
In addition to raising funds, McCullough hopes this event is fun and enjoyable and helps raise awareness of the programs, school and the talented graduates that come out of OSUIT.