MISSION: The mission of the Arete Living Arts Foundation is to create art works and support artists whose work inspires personal, political, or spiritual awakening, and to use art as a medium to stimulate personal transformation, and effect social change. EXPANDED MISSION: #1 - To create art works in a variety of mediums that express a positive social message, are innovative in form, or present a unique and original vision #2 - To support economically disadvantaged emerging artists who are dedicated to those goals through training & education, career guidance & support, and by providing positive work experience. #3 - To bring arts to areas and cultures that do not have access, with a focus on rural areas and small town that have limited access to non-corporate media outlets, alternative viewpoints, and progressive ideas. PHILOSOPHY: We believe that art is a means of communication that can inspire personal transformation, and effect social change. We believe art is education. Throughout history art has been a fundamental tool for teaching, sharing new ideas, and spreading enlightenment. We believe art is evolutionary. We strive to create and support works that are innovative in form or concept, with the goal of pushing artistic mediums to new stages of creative evolution. We believe art is a platform to express the concerns of the common man. In an age when mass media is being consolidated under the control of fewer and fewer large corporations, it is important that art serve as a medium to express alternative viewpoints, and present values that differ from those promoted by commercial entities seeking profits. It is vital to the health of our society that there are voices that inspire people to question not only their own values, but also the values and actions of society, government, religious, and corporate institutions. PROGRAM GOALS: It is our goal to promote artists and works that uphold artistic integrity instead of conforming to market demands, and to promote the idea that high quality work should be valued more than work that is produced solely for economic gain. TOWARDS THE CREATION OF ARTWORKS: Arete Living Arts works to fund and create both group and individual works in the areas of film & video, live multimedia performances, music and music recordings, theater, dance, poetry, literary works, fashion and costume design, web design, and internet radio broadcasts. TOWARDS SUPPORT FOR EMERGING ARTISTS: Arete Living Arts provides support for emerging artists through project funding, training & education, by providing work experience, and through career promotion. Many of the artists that Arete supports come from an economically depressed background or belong to a minority group that has limited opportunities for career advancement. Artists often lack business and marketing skills that are vital to economic success in the arts.