At Ovation TV, we share a deep passion and appreciation for the arts. As a company, it’s rooted in the DNA of our brand, and the driving force of our mission to connect the world to all forms of art and artistic expression; from how we make key programming decisions, to who we partner with, and how we aim to be the best possible ambassador to the world of arts and culture. So many of our talented employees share that same passion, and engage in the arts outside of the office.
Our programming includes everything from premium costume dramas like “Versailles” and “Riviera,” to the revived and esteemed “Inside the Actors Studio,” to art and music documentaries about classic and contemporary artists alike, to travel and culture docuseries, to creative mystery programming, and other arts-related content. We are dedicated to celebrating and supporting all forms of art and culture.
With that, we spend a lot of time talking about the power of art. And while there is an infinite amount of art forms out there, the power of it is what it represents, the message it conveys, how you connect, and the impact it makes locally or globally. The arts reflect our cultural conversation and act as a mirror of our history.
Standing ovation
A few years ago, we launched Stand For The Arts, our advocacy platform to raise awareness about art’s positive impact, protect access, and encourage action on behalf of the arts. The idea was to partner with arts organizations and artists across the nation – large and small – to shine a light on their efforts and tell their stories.
Throughout this journey, we have been able to highlight so many remarkable people and organizations. While they may have different areas of creative focus, they all share some unifying traits; including an unyielding passion for what they do and their mission to make a positive impact.
WriteGirl
After Jeanine Daniels joined this creative writing program, the group’s professional women writer mentors helped her discover her voice. Now a professional writer, WriteGirl showed Daniels “how to pick up your pen, say what you want, and let that manifest into your life.”
WriteGirl empowers hundreds of teenage girls every year, and 100 percent of its graduating seniors have entered college.
Infinite Flow
When dancer Marisa Hamamoto suffered a rare form of stroke, she defied odds and walked out of the hospital. Now she empowers dancers of all abilities at Infinite Flow, a professional dance company that uses dance to inspire inclusion and innovation in Sherman Oaks, California.
Styled by Miracle
At the age of 6, Bronx native Miracle Robinson started her company where she creates adorable fashion accessories, utilizing the profits to feed the homeless and hungry in her local community.
Utah Opera
Each year, Utah Opera’s outreach program reaches 65,000 students, providing many of them the opportunity to experience and hear opera for the first time.
Community Arts Center
The Community Arts Center in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, gives students the rare opportunity to put on professional live shows. Through its Student Summer Stock program, students work with experienced designers and directors on real productions.
Ovation recognizes that the contributions of local arts organizations and cultural institutions do not often benefit from exposure on a national platform. As a champion of the arts, we recognized the immense impact art has on American lives, as shown in the above examples. The arts are beneficial across all socio-economic backgrounds and have a positive impact no matter where you are in the country.
Save the arts
The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) has been under threat of elimination by the U.S. government for several years, but our advocacy campaign, along with other arts organizations, arts activists, and even members of Congress, have managed to keep the NEA alive.
When the NEA issues a grant, that is in fact an endorsement – a seal of approval – and enables that organization to supplement government funding with private funding. The $162,250,000 in funds earmarked for NEA grants would go a long way in advancing artistic endeavors not only creatively, but financially as well.
Cutting funding for the NEA would be detrimental to the underserved youth and rural communities that benefit the most from its funding. To wit, non-profit arts and culture organizations alone generate $22.3 billion in revenue to local, state, and federal governments each year, and create 4.13 million full-time jobs, generating $86.68 billion in household income.
The arts are a valuable commodity for U.S. consumers, as well as a strong contributor to America’s economic vitality.
Ovation will continue to Stand For The Arts. We’ve overcome these threats before and believe in the power of art that we can do it again. This is one cause worth fighting for and investing in.