ANN ARBOR, Mich.–The University of Michigan Credit Union has released a new video that shows the effects its Arts Adventures Program is having on the Southeast Michigan community.
The credit union said the video highlights the diverse array of arts-related programs, including performances by world-renowned artists, hands-on art-making workshops, engaging in-person and virtual events, and digital presentations that Arts Adventures sponsors.
UMCU’s Arts Adventures Program was founded in 2016 with a $1.5 million investment to establish the first corporate endowment for the University Musical Society (UMS) and the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA). The endowment allows UMS and UMMA to provide thousands of Southeast Michigan community members, families, children, U-M students and faculty, and underserved communities with extraordinary access to affordable arts programming, UMCU said.
“Programs like Arts Adventures are incredibly important. We know that exposure to art and making art is part of how kids grow, it’s part of how they learn, it’s part of how they feel okay in the world. Without UMCU’s support, the museum couldn’t offer sustained programs,” said UMMA Director Tina Olsen.
‘Unwavering’ Support
UMCU said throughout the pandemic its support has remained unwavering as its Arts Adventures Program partners, UMS and UMMA, adapted to the health and safety restrictions put in place by the state of Michigan. To continue to offer arts experiences, UMCU noted it sponsors digital presentations and interactive virtual events that can be streamed or viewed on-demand by the community, at no cost.
Tiffany Ford, president and CEO of University of Michigan Credit Union, who appears in the video, emphasized the importance of not only making arts more accessible, but that the programs are representative of all people in Southeast Michigan.
“The goal of Arts Adventures is to ensure arts programming is widely available to people of all races, cultures, socioeconomic statuses, ages, and backgrounds,” said Ford. “Quality arts experiences and programs are provided equitably and represent the diversity of the many unique cultures that comprise our communities.
Seeing the Possibilities
“When someone is exposed to something it opens their eyes to the possibility. We want the students to see the possibility of, ‘I could be this great musician, this great artist, this great painter, this great dancer’,” she continued. “We were very specific in saying we want this to be something that is everlasting because we recognize that if we build the community today, we can continue to build the community with a focus on the arts that will have a long-lasting effect for generations.”
The video can be viewed here.