(Photo courtesy of Kamehameha Schools)

MEDIA RELEASE

Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC) has named the Kamehameha Schools in Kailua-Kona as a recipient of the 2010 MetLife Foundation Innovative Space Awards.

The non-profit organization, dedicated to education and cultural preservation, received a $10,000 grant for its restoration of five sites that are national treasures of Hawaiian antiquity.

The Innovative Space Awards recognize outstanding efforts in the design and development of affordable space for arts and culture, an integral part of LINC’s Space for Change: Building Communities Through Innovative Art Spaces program.

These facilities provide a firm base from which artists may pursue their works while simultaneously contributing to shaping vibrant, healthy communities. The winning projects were selected from nearly 100 applications from 37 states; awards range from $10,000-$50,000.

Kamehameha Schools was founded by the will of Bernice Pauahi Bishop, a descendant of Hawaiian royalty, and the great-granddaughter of Kamehameha the Great. Kamehameha Schools’ mission is to create educational opportunities in perpetuity to improve the capability and well-being of people of Hawaiian ancestry.

In consultation with Hawaiian cultural organizations and local families, Kamehameha Schools has undertaken the kuleana (responsibility) to malama (preserve) national treasures of Hawaiian antiquity.

The schools are returning sacred places that have been developed in ways that have restricted their appropriate cultural and educational use back to their core function. This will ensure that indigenous arts and culture will remain a living set of practices and that the natural resources required to sustain them are more carefully preserved.

From 2007-2009, five sites in Kahaluu makai have undergone restoration: Keeku; Hale o Papa; Makolea; Papakoholua; and Hapaialii.

Restoration of these sites will serve as the foundation from which the School will develop additional cultural and educational activities, including the restoration of other sacred sites.

Toward this end, Kamehameha Schools is not only leading these preservation efforts, but has also developed curricula to facilitate the process as an active learning experience.

“The MetLife Foundation Innovative Space Awards acknowledge best practices in the field of artist space development. Kamehameha Schools’ focus on innovation, environmental stewardship, and financial sustainability serve as an excellent model for other organizations,” said Dennis White, president and CEO, MetLife Foundation. “We are proud to partner with LINC to recognize all the winning programs and the important role art plays in our communities.” 

“The Kamehameha Schools exemplifies the spirit of innovation and socially-engaged practices at the heart of the Space for Change program. Its commitment to preserving heritage sites will ensure that indigenous arts education is perpetuated for generations of Hawaiians,” said Judilee Reed, executive director, LINC.

Space for Change — a program created to promote the development of affordable art spaces through awards, research, and learning — was launched by LINC in 2009 in collaboration with the MetLife Foundation and the Ford Foundation.

The program includes two funding opportunities: The MetLife Foundation Innovative Space Awards (ISA) and the Ford Foundation Space for Change Planning and Pre-Development Grants.

Leveraging Investments in Creativity (LINC) is a 10-year national initiative to improve the conditions for artists working in all disciplines. LINC believes that providing artists with a relevant system of support and resources will enhance their creative output, enabling them to make greater and more meaningful contributions to our communities and society as a whole.

MetLife Foundation was established by MetLife to continue the company’s long tradition of corporate contributions and community involvement. Grants are made to support health, educational, civic and cultural organizations and programs. The Foundation contributes to arts and cultural organizations, with an emphasis on increasing opportunities for young people, reaching broad audiences through inclusive programming, and making arts more accessible for all people.

— Find out more:
www.lincnet.net
www.metlife.org
www.ksbe.edu