BOCA RATON, FL (September 27, 2004) – A year after launching its highly successful Centre Kids cultural education program, the Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park has received an $80,000 donation from Office Depot, Inc., which will serve as presenting sponsor of the second season of children’s performances at the Count de Hoernle Amphitheater in Boca Raton.

Office Depot’s donation will cover performing fees, production costs and publicity for the 2nd Annual Centre Kids program, which will feature four performances for local schoolchildren from October 2004 through April 2005, according to Wendy U. Larsen, chair of the board of directors for the Center for the Arts at Mizner Park.

“The Centre Kids program would not be possible without the generosity of our friends at Office Depot,” Larsen said. “They recognize the importance of arts and culture to the education and development of our children. We greatly appreciate their support.”

Larsen was presented with a check this week from Bruce Nelson, Chairman and CEO of Office Depot, who said, “Our core focus of giving back to the community is helping children. This is a great program for kids of all ages and backgrounds who otherwise may not be able to participate in these cultural experiences.”

Dr. Art Johnson, superintendent of the Palm Beach County School District, lauded the Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park for establishing a strong community partnership with the public school system and emphasized the need for arts and culture in a well-rounded education.

“Reading about Shakespeare in the classroom is a lot different than going to see a theatrical performance. This program complements our curriculum by enabling kids to experience the arts at a higher level,” Dr. Johnson said.
Introduced last year, the Centre Kids program was developed to give students from Palm County and Broward County the opportunity to learn about and experience the performing arts. The series is designed for pre-school students as well as public and private elementary school children through 12th grade. Each show has a targeted age group and study guides are provided to students when they register to prepare them for each performance to maximize the educational value of the program. All of the productions are performed by national touring companies.

Last year’s shows attracted as many as 1,200 students to a performance, noted Allison Garcia, chair of the Centre Kids Committee and member of the Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park board of directors.

“Office Depot’s contribution will allow us to take the program to the next level.”

The Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park is inviting teachers from throughout the area to bring their classes. Tickets for each performance are $3 per student or adult. The Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park requires one chaperone for every 10 students attending. There is no charge for the chaperones. Advance reservations are required for all performances. All shows are rain or shine and tickets are non-refundable. Tented/covered seating is provided for all shows.

Here are the four performances scheduled for the 2nd Annual Centre Kids series:

• Peter and the Wolf with The Sound Mall, performance by the Hudson Vagabond Puppets from New York City, on Tuesday, October 19, 2004 at 10 a.m. for Pre-K to 4th Grade;
• The Snow Girl, performed by the Birmingham Children’s Theatre, on Tuesday, November 30, 2004 at 10 a.m., for 1st Grade through 6th Grade;
• Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad, performed by Theater IV, on Thursday, March 17, 2005 at 10 a.m., for 3rd Grade through 12th Grade;
• Fly Dance, performed the FLY Dance Company, on Wednesday, April 20, 2005 at 10 a.m., for ages Kindergarten through 12th Grade.

Additional sponsors for this year’s Centre Kids series include the Palm Beach County Cultural Council, Palm Beach County and the JKG Group, which provided printing services for the Centre Kids brochure.

The Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to creating a cultural heart for the entire South Florida community. Located in Mizner Park, the Centre is currently developing a three-phase project on the north end parcel of land at Mizner Park, which when completed will include the Boca Raton Museum of Art (Phase I, completed January 2001), the Count de Hoernle (outdoor) Amphitheater (Phase II, completed November 2002) and the indoor performing arts hall and arts education building (Phase III). To date, the amphitheater has presented more than 100 programs, attracting 220,000-plus participants.

For more information about the Centre Kids program or to make reservations for individuals or groups, contact the Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park at 561-368-8445 or visit the web site at www.centre4artsboca.com.

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OFFICE DEPOT SUPPORTS CENTRE KIDS – (l to r) Dr. Art Johnson, Superintendent of the Palm Beach County School District; Bruce Nelson, Chairman and CEO of Office Depot; Wendy U. Larsen, Chair of the Board of Directors for the Center for the Arts at Mizner Park; and Allison Garcia, Chair of the Centre Kids Committee and Member of the Centre for the Arts at Mizner Park Board of Directors.