Reasons to give

Our students have always been our main priority, in all that we do. Be it our school-based programs, or other smaller educational programs, or non-educational events held for the benefit of the students, we are always working with our students in mind. Every year we are stunned at the level of talent and professionalism that our students bring to the table, and it energizes us to want to provide them more and more opportunities.

Unfortunately, the programs that we currently provide already require a considerable amount of time, money, effort, and other resources. While we’re constantly working out ideas on how to improve and expand our programs and implement new ones, many of our plans fall by the wayside simply because there aren’t enough employees or hours in the day or dollar bills.

If you’re as invested in the students as we are, please continue below to find out some ways that you can help support our organization and the arts in our community.

Photo courtesy of Michelle Holfester

How to contribute

Below you will find a small selection of possible ways you can aid us in our quest to build up the student arts community. If you have any questions, or just want to give us a chat, please contact us through our Facebook page or via email at oceanarts2@gmail.com.

Donations

The simplest way that you can give to our organization is in the form of direct gifts. We are always open to taking cash contributions, which we can put towards specific programs or set aside for future payments. We also take monetary contributions from individuals and businesses in exchange for ad message space in our program booklets handed out at shows. This is usually done on a show-by-show basis.

A slightly different way to contribute is by donating raw materials. Again, our needs depend on the program we are working on, but we are generally always in need of building materials (such as wood, nails, screws, etc.), cans of paint (including brushes, rollers, and trays), and prepackaged snacks and bottles of water for the students during rehearsals. Sometimes we will ask for specific types of props or clothing, if the show calls for it, and we’ll sometimes need hot meals for longer rehearsal periods. If you or your business would like to donate materials in large quantities, please do not hesitate to contact us.

We usually raffle off donated baskets at most performances and events, so if you’d like to craft and donate a raffle basket, we take those as well.

AmazonSmile

If you’re planning on making a purchase through Amazon, consider purchasing it through Amazon’s sister website, AmazonSmile. Through AmazonSmile you can set OCEAN Arts as your charitable organization, and a small portion of certain purchases will be donated to OCEAN Arts.

Stop & Shop Giving Tag Program

We’re excited to share that all Stop & Shop stores are now offering the Giving Tag Program! Every time a shopper buys the $2.50 reusable Community Bag at any Stop & Shop store, they can direct a $1 donation to OCEAN Arts by using the attached GivingTag. Visit your local Stop & Shop and pick one up today!

Volunteering

Many of the programs we offer are built by real people in our community, and we’re always looking for help. If you’re looking for some hands-on experience with our organization, contact us about volunteering for our front-of-house efforts at one of our shows, or helping to set up a fundraiser with our Board of Directors.

If you have specialized skills that you think could be of more direct help to a production (set/costume construction, prop creation, set painting), please contact us at the beginning of the production so we can plan appropriately. Every production is a different situation, so needs vary.

Attend our shows

Just being there for us and the students makes all the difference. An actively participating audience feeds performers the energy that they need to say the next line or sing the next song or shuffle the next shuffle. The better an audience, the better the performance, which means a happier audience, which means… you get the picture! Your applause and words of encouragement are paramount to giving the students the emotional foundation they need to take artistic chances out there on the big stage and to further their theatrical careers.

Also, we may seem modest… but we really enjoy the compliments just as much as the students do. Let us know how we’re doing! Which brings us to our next point…

Spread the word

You can’t attend a show you don’t know exists! A huge part of keeping this program alive relies on getting the word out so that people can attend. Sharing our posts on social media, and writing posts of your own will go a long way towards giving our students the audience they deserve. And if you take any pictures before or after a performance or during a fundraising event, please share them online and tag OCEAN Arts. Together we can continue to make great art in our community.