Contact:
Catherine Brandt Vacovsky
Americans for the Arts
202-712-2054
[email protected]

Marilyn Krieger
Winebow, Inc.
646-884-8026
[email protected]

Third Annual “Art of Education” Program Launches During National Arts in Education Week

This fall KRIS, one of America’s fastest growing Italian wines, will award $25,000 to 16 K-12 schools nationwide to support quality arts education programs. Imported and marketed by Winebow, Inc., KRIS Wine will partner with Americans for the Arts, the nation’s leading organization for advancing the arts and arts education, to achieve its third annual “Art of Education” grant program.

Kicking off today during National Arts in Education week and lasting through October 31, consumers will determine the grant winners by voting for their favorite K-12 public schools on KRIS Wine’s Facebook page. Grants will be awarded to the 16 schools with the highest number of votes, starting with $5,000 to the school with the most votes. The next top five schools will each receive $2,000, and the remaining ten schools will receive $1,000 each. Voters must be 21 years or older and can vote for multiple schools one time per day throughout the program.

“These grants couldn’t come at a more crucial time as budget cuts continue to threaten arts education programs across the country,” said Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts. “This is an alarming trend given the extensive benefits arts education can provide. Students who engage in arts programs are proven to be overall more successful academically. School leaders and business leaders agree that art education leads to creativity—an essential trait in America’s 21st century workers. We are grateful to have a partner such as KRIS Wine that recognizes the important role art plays in our lives and in the welfare of our communities.”

Art is a guiding principle behind KRIS Wine as articulated in the brand’s slogan, “Discover the Art of Wine” and illustrated in its labels. “We have always strongly believed in the importance of art education,” says KRIS winemaker Franz Haas. “Winemaking is an art, and for seven generations our family has pursued this craft.” The KRIS wine labels visually depict the brand’s artistic expression with each one designed by contemporary Italian artist, Riccardo Schweizer (1925 – 2004), a close friend of the Franz Haas family who studied under Pablo Picasso. The artwork, which is unique to each wine, symbolizes the style and blending of art and science in the KRIS winemaking process.

About KRIS Wine
Handcrafted in Alto Adige using grapes sourced from Italy’s most exciting growing regions, KRIS is a product of seventh generation winemaker Franz Haas and his wife, Maria Luisa Manna Haas. In KRIS, Franz and Maria have combined their expertise and passions to develop a series of contemporary expressions of classic varietal wines reflective of the unique personality of Northeast Italy. 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.