SAN JOSE, CA–( EMWNews – April 7, 2008) –

WHAT:      The City of San Jose will announce the winners of the 2008

           Champions of Arts Education Awards. The awards honor exemplary

           educators, administrators, parents, schools and partners who

           champion high-quality arts education programs in San Jose's

           public schools.



WHO:       Forrest Williams, Councilmember, City of San Jose

           Lisa Gonzales, Arts Commissioner, City of San Jose

           Sharon Gustafson, Chair, San Jose Arts Commission

           Jill C. Arnone, Vice Chair & Executive Committee Chair, San Jose

            Arts Commission

           Winners of the 2008 Champion of Arts Education Awards



WHEN:      6 p.m.

           Tuesday

           April 8, 2008



WHERE:     San Jose City Hall Rotunda

           200 E. Santa Clara Street

BACKGROUND:

The Champions of Arts Education Awards is an activity of San Jose Office of

Cultural Affairs and the San Jose Arts Commission. The Office of Cultural

Affairs is the City of San Jose’s lead agency for supporting and promoting

the development of a rich arts and cultural environment for this diverse

city’s nearly one million residents, its workers who live in neighboring

communities, and its many visitors. The San Jose Arts Commission is a

citizen advisory body that provides the City Council with advice and

recommendations on City policies and programs that affect public access to

a wide variety of arts opportunities in San Jose. Its areas of interest

include arts education, cultural planning, financial support for the arts

and for cultural celebrations, neighborhood arts, public art, and a variety

of other issues that affect public opportunities to be both arts audience

as well as art maker and participant, and the role of artists and arts

enterprises in sustaining the creative economy.