You just won the lottery...what cause will you support?

Today's post is from Melissa Chotiner.

What would you do if you won the lottery? Buy a new car? Go to Disney World? Maybe you'd give some of it to a cause you really care about. The arts and arts education is a cause I'd like to think I'd give some of my winnings. Without the lottery, I still do give to the arts through my work here at Wolf Trap and by purchasing tickets to shows. Did you know a good portion of the profits from tickets at Wolf Trap are put back into arts education programs?

Many artists, including many who perform at Wolf Trap, regularly support arts education efforts and programs.

 

Just last night Steve Miller and his band took the Filene Center stage. Did you know Steve is a longtime supporter of Kids Rock Free, a nonprofit that provides instrument and voice lessons (among other performing arts programs) free or at low cost to students who don't have access to music education in their schools?

(Pictured left, Steve presents Matt Rubic with a special Martin guitar at Wolf Trap to thank him for helping to raise funds for Kids Rock Free.)

Numerous artists--such as previous and current Wolf Trap performers John Legend, Gavin DeGraw, Goo Goo Dolls front man Johnny Rzeznik, and Colbie Caillat support or have supported VH1's Save the Music Foundation which aims to "restore instrumental music education programs in schools." Long time Wolf Trap performer and board  member Tony Bennett founded Exploring the Arts with his wife in 1999 to strengthen the role of arts in public high school education. I'm sure there are many more I could add to this post, and please comment with others I have left off.

In two weeks, we will have some artists near and dear to Wolf Trap's heart performing at The Filene Center as their way of giving back to the arts and arts education programs here. The August 24th "Opera's Greatest Hits" performance will feature some amazing world renowned opera singers, all of whom are alumni of the Wolf Trap Opera Company, and are donating their time and talent for this special show.  If you don't yet have your tickets - I urge you to get them. It's a one-night only performance with talent that simply does not come together on the same stage often if ever, singing the most beloved opera songs of all time.

I hope this post gets you thinking about how you can give back to a cause that is near and dear to your heart, even without winning the lottery.

We're always interested to hear your thoughts in the comment section.