This fall, consumers can support arts education programs nationwide in K-12 public schools as they enjoy KRIS, one of America's most popular Italian wines. KRIS and Americans for the Arts, the nation's leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education, are partnering again for the sixth annual “Art of Education” program. KRIS will award 16 schools in the United States a total of $25,000 in grants to improve academic achievement through quality arts education. This year’s campaign runs from now to October 31, 2015. 

 

Consumers, parents and educators determine grant winners by voting for their favorite K-12 public school at kriswine.com/vote. When the program concludes on October 31, the school with the largest number of votes will be awarded $5,000. The next five schools with the top number of votes will receive $2,000. Schools that rank seventh through 16th in total number of votes will receive $1,000. 

 

“It is an honor to support arts education in our public schools and we are excited that the KRIS Art of Education campaign gets entire communities involved in helping their schools’ arts education programs,” said Ian Downey, senior vice president and general manager of Leonardo LoCascio Selections, a member of The Winebow Group. “We are thrilled with the success of this campaign and it continues to be a highlight for our company every year.”

 

For the past six years KRIS Wine and the Art of Education campaign has supported K-12 public schools across the country by awarding over $300,000 in grants to classrooms in need of art supplies and instructors.  In 2014, sixteen schools from across the U.S. were awarded grants, with top winners in Shoreline, Washington; Waukegan, IL; Monmouth Junction, NJ; Merrimack, NH; Milwaukee, WI; and Manchester, NH.  

 

“The KRIS Art of Education grant provided a variety of materials for the school’s visual arts program, including acrylic, tempera and watercolor paints, clay, glazes, and canvases,” said Trinh Pham, principal at Cascade K-8 Community School in Shoreline, Washington, the winning school in 2014. “The grant also provided digital equipment, including point and shoot cameras and Bamboo tablets for our students to explore videos, portraiture, stop animation with pictures, and cinematography.”

 

“Students who engage in arts programs are proven to be overall more successful academically, exhibit better school attendance, and achieve higher grades in all subjects,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “School leaders and business leaders agree that art education leads to creativity—a key trait in America’s 21st century workers. We are grateful to have a partner such as KRIS Wine that understands the important role that art plays in our lives and the welfare of our communities." 

 

Supporting arts education programs is extremely important to KRIS. Art is a guiding principle behind KRIS Pinot Grigio as articulated in the brand’s slogan, “Discover the Art of Wine.” The timeless and inspiring KRIS label emphasizes the role of the sun in ripening the grapes to perfection and the human hand in crafting the wine. Artist Riccardo Schweizer, a native of Alto Adige, studied cubism in Paris under Pablo Picasso and Joan Miró, and gave his original paintings to the winery.  

 

 

About KRIS:

KRIS Pinot Grigio is handcrafted in Alto Adige using grapes sourced from Italy’s delle Venezie appellation. The winery is located in the hillside town of Montagna, where culture is a unique reflection of Germanic heritage and Italian nationality. An ideal combination of traditional winemaking artistry and modern technology is used in the blending process. KRIS Pinot Grigio is the #3 best-selling Italian wine in the U.S. The KRIS label was designed by contemporary Italian artist Riccardo Schweizer (1925-2004) and conveys the same expressive style and balance of art and science found in the KRIS winemaking process. For more information, please visit www.kriswine.com.

 

About Americans for the Arts:

Americans for the Arts is the leading nonprofit organization for advancing the arts and arts education in America. With offices in Washington, D.C. and New York City, it has a record of more than 50 years of service. Americans for the Arts is dedicated to representing and serving local communities and creating opportunities for every American to participate in and appreciate all forms of the arts. Additional information is available at www.americansforthearts.org.

 

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Media Contacts:

 

Mr. David Greenberg

Public Relations Manager

The Winebow Group 

[email protected]

(646) 884-8013

 

Ms. Inga Vitols 

Press and Media Relations Manager 

Americans for the Arts

[email protected]

(202) 371-2830