When children discover art, it is a joyful process - whether they are painting a watercolor for the first time, digging their fingers into oozing clay, laughing as they sing a silly song, or trying their hand at the intricacies of making paper, prints or puppets.

 

Since 1980, when the County gave a dedicated group of art lovers the right to use Hilo’s old police station as a center for artistic expression, the East Hawaii Cultural Center has encouraged the creativity of young people through programs like Young at Art and the Youth Art Series (read our YAS report). At EHCC, countless children have enjoyed everything from ancient traditional arts like Japanese gyotaku (fish printing) to innovations made possible by modern technology, like electronic design.

 

Now, as we celebrate thirty years of Young at Art and forty years of residence in our historic building, we are ready to grow and change with a “fresh start for art.” We hope to use our past successes as a springboard to launch new celebrations of youthful creativity:

 

As schools are forced to cut funding for arts education, we need your support to ensure our keiki are given the chance they deserve to blossom as artists. Your contributions will help us to:

 

Your dollars will support EHCC in providing safe, solid facilities managed by dedicated staff. This in turn will enable us to provide creative mentorship and a secure haven where children can participate in a vast array of cultural, artistic, and performance experiences.

 

EHCC has the knowledge, experience, and passion it will take to make this “fresh start.” We know how magical it is when children grow confident and visionary through expressing their creativity. We know how important it is, for the long-term good of our community, to nurture this magic. That is why we want to reach more youth with more programs and more quality.

 

We need your support to give us a fresh start, but we don’t ask you to give on behalf of EHCC – we ask you to give on behalf of the children we will reach. EHCC Directors/Volunteers: 

Larry Butler, Internship Liaison • Stephen Freedman, Board Chair • Pualani Kanahele, Cultural Advisor • Andrzej Kramarz, Gallery Director • Kellie Miyazu, Education Director • Philippe Nault, Community Outreach Advisor • Monique Ortiz, Resident Artist and Board Secretary • Larry Reitzer, Resident Theater Director • Carol Walker, Executive Director and Gamelan Coordinator • Noe Noe Wilson-Wong, Cultural Advisor • Alan Young, Treasurer

(Note: We are happy to make a personal visit if you would like to discuss the possibility of a directed donation for capital improvements, naming rights, a bequest, or other philanthropic initiative. Please call Monique Ortiz at 961-5711 to arrange.)

To give by check or credit card, download and fill out the form (located as an PDF here) and mail/bring it to: EHCC, 141 Kalakaua Street, Hilo, HI, 96720.

Prefer to donate online? Donate below or go to our PayPal Giving Fund page. All donations are tax-deductible.