Rocco’s Breakfast with Andre

On Friday, February 11, 2011, RiverzEdge Arts Project was proud to speak at a special a.m. forum for Rocco Landesman, Chairman of the National Endowment for the Arts, organized by Senator Sheldon Whitehouse and the RI Foundation.

Chairman Landesman, who asked everyone to call him “Rocco,” was visiting RI to learn more about the economic value of the creative sector in our state, as a model for the nation, as well as the role the arts could play in our economic recovery if we rightly choose to invest in them.

RiverzEdge Arts Project was proudly represented at the podium, or rather in front of the podium, by Andre Oliviera, a 19-year-old photography studio participant, who spoke as one of 4 community arts practitioners. Addressing a panel that included Senator Whitehouse, Chairman Landesman, Randy Rosenbaum, Director of RI State Council on the Arts and Keith Stokes, Executive Director of RI Economic Development Corporation, as well as a packed audience of arts leaders from around the state, Andre joined President of RISD, John Maeda, and RISD graduate and winner of the NEA’s Art Works logo competition Hoon Kim, the Gamm Theater and the Warwick Art Museum in telling the story of the enormous economic impact the arts and design sector has on the neighborhoods, cities and most importantly, the people of our small but mighty state. Andre wowed the audience with his poise, charm and authenticity and many were moved by his words. We thought we might share some of them with you:

"At Riverzedge, we are given all sorts of tasks to work on, from personal practice to important jobs for clients and the community. But what makes Riverzedge special is that we are paid to do these jobs. This motivates us to work harder, and that hard work develops into a great product for the client and community, and they get what they paid for. This creates a ripple affect, where everyone involved is affected in a positive economic way.

But what’s more important, is what this work does in our hearts.

This is our “job”, so we can proudly tell friends and family, “I am an artist” or “I am a Photographer.” It's that sense of achievement we feel in our hearts, that makes us feel important, and, that feeling is more valuable than a paycheck. Before Riverzedge, I had dropped out of high school and spent all my time playing video games. My mom kept bugging me to get a job, but all I wanted to do was get to the next video game level. Now, I am working on my associates degree at CCRI and interviewing for IT jobs."

For anyone who doubts that art and design are an essential part of the lifeblood of our state, our schools, our streets and our future, look again at the places you work, shop and eat, at the clothes you wear and into the faces of our cities’ children. Imagine a RI without them, a school day without them and a future without them.

As you may already be aware, there is a push from some sectors in Washington D.C. to cut or eliminate funding to the NEA, which would be devastating, in particular, to RI where the vibrant creative sector is a beacon of economic hope in an impoverished landscape of deficits, unemployment and failing schools. Please take a moment to check in with our friends at RI Citizen’s for the Arts, or click the link below to ensure this does not happen.