Ticket sales from OAC shows to aid nonprofits

Posted: Aug. 1, 2012

For the 2012-13 season, the Oconomowoc Arts Center will roll out its new program called the OAC Community Partner Initiative. The arts center has partnered with nine local nonprofit and service organizations as a way to give back to the community.

For each of the seven Main Stage Series events, $2 from every ticket sold, will be donated to the organization featured for that particular show. The group will be listed in the event's program and all of the OAC's press releases. Organizations will also have the opportunity to hold raffle drawings and manage a special table in the OAC lobby before, during intermission and after the show to display and handout information about their organization and their missions to help the people in their community.

As part of the partnership agreement, each participating community organization will in turn, help promote their OAC event through their publications and websites, make announcements during meetings and through word of mouth.

"It will help bring more people into the OAC and our events, as well as help raise funds for and shine a spotlight on our community's nonprofit organizations," said Oconomowoc Arts Center Director Michael Duncan. "It's important to find ways to create public awareness for these groups and to help get their message out, as well as build a bigger awareness about what we are doing at the OAC."

The OAC will also provide participating community groups with promotional materials such as fliers and postcards for their members to hand out to friends, family and others.

"We are proud to partner with the Oconomowoc Arts Center in bringing the Milwaukee Ballet to Oconomowoc on Feb. 6, 2013. We are encouraging our residents, family members, staff and corporate members to participate in this exciting production.

"We know the ballet will delight and inspire audiences, just as we continue to delight and inspire our customers in the care for those seniors who built the communities we thrive in today. We are thankful to the OAC for providing a new 'stage' for not-for-profits and an exciting cultural venue for us all," said Tim Thiele, Executive Director of the Shorehaven Campus.

"The families we serve are our friends and our neighbors and they all live within the Oconomowoc Area School District. We are very grateful to the Oconomowoc Arts Center for their thoughtful and generous support. Without the community support we couldn't continue to be open to serve families in need," added Lois Jackson of the Oconomowoc Food Pantry.

"Part of our mission is to be more than just a cultural center. We really need to be a community center. We want to be a place where people can come for entertainment, but also to gather to have conversations and exchange ideas. It's important for an arts center to make those human connections," said Duncan.

For more information regarding the OAC Community Partner Initiative Program and how your organization can be involved, contact OAC Duncan at (262) 560-2130 or via email at michael.duncan@oasd.k12.wi.us.

2012-13 Community Partners

The following events are planned that will benefit these area nonprofits.

King Comets - Sept. 15, Oconomowoc Memorial Hospital Auxiliary

Katie Armiger Band - Oct. 5, OHS National Honor Society

An Evening with John McGivern - Oct. 20, Oconomowoc Rotary Club

The Nutcracker - Dec. 14-16, Oconomowoc Food Pantry, Oconomowoc Urgent Needs Fund and Lake Area Free Clinic

Kevin Johnson - Jan. 27, GFWC Oconomowoc Junior Woman's Club

Milwaukee Ballet -Feb. 16, Center for Life Enrichment at Shorehaven

Barley Jacks - April 26, Oconomowoc Kiwanis Breakfast Club