Utah Power’s charitable arm, the PacifiCorp Foundation for Learning, has awarded $92,000 to twelve Utah non-profit groups, to support art and cultural programs throughout the state. The grants are part of more than $200,000 awarded by the PacifiCorp Foundation in December across the electric utility’s six-state service area.

“Most of the $92,000 awarded to Utah organizations will benefit educational programs that provide valuable art and culture based learning for Utah students, both in and outside of the classroom,” said Rich Walje, president of Utah Power and chair of the PacifiCorp Foundation. “We are pleased to be able to continue to provide funding year after year to support the arts, as well as art and cultural education, in communities served by Utah Power.”

The Foundation awards four cycles of grants annually in the areas of education, health and welfare, community and the arts. The largest grants in Utah awarded in December will go to the Utah Shakespearean Festival, Utah Symphony and Opera, Ballet West and American West Heritage Center. PacifiCorp Foundation funding will support the following organizations and programs:

Utah Shakespearean Festival (Cedar City) – Funding will provide support for the Shakespeare in the Schools outreach tour. The 2006 program will involve workshops and performances of a 75-minute adaptation of Shakespeare’s MacBeth for approximately 60,000 rural, urban and at-risk students.

Utah Symphony and Opera (Salt Lake City) – Funding for the Fifth Grade Docent Concerts will help allow more than 20,000 students and teachers from around the state to experience live orchestral music at Abravanel Hall, after receiving valuable guidance from trained volunteers. The program provides 11 thematic, curriculum-based concerts and nearly 90 classroom visits per year.

Ballet West (Salt Lake City) – Funding will help provide weekly dance classes for 5th and 9th grade students in nine at-risk elementary schools. Ballet West’s I CAN DO (Inspiring Children About Not Dropping Out) program uses hands-on instruction to teach children the art of dance and the importance of teamwork.

American West Heritage Center (Wellsville) – Funding will provide support for continuing improvements to the School Groups Program, designed to allow more than 10,000 students throughout Northern Utah and areas of Wyoming and Idaho to expand their learning experience by bringing the written words in history books to life.

Tuacahn Center for the Arts (Ivins) – Funding will support the 2006 Summer Theatre Institute and “Broadway in the Desert” theatre season.

Treehouse Children’s Museum (Ogden) – Funding will support the creation of a Family Literacy Center to provide information for parents and literacy activities for children and families.

SCERA (Orem) – Funding will support the development and implementation of an educational program for youth ages 5 to 18, incorporating many different aspects of the arts.

ARTS-KIDS, Inc. (Park City) – Funding will help provide art education programs in North Summit Elementary and North Summit Middle School in Coalville, for the 2006 school year.

Orchestra of Southern Utah (Cedar City) – Funding will help keep family ticket prices low for the Children’s Carnival at the Orchestra’s Spanish Trail Festival, which will include the carnival, school outreach concerts and an evening adult concert.

Salt Lake Art Center (Salt Lake City) – Funding will support the KidsmART and ArtWORKS youth education programs designed to provide low-income elementary students, at-risk high school students and students with special needs with opportunities to learn about and create art with professional guidance.

Park City Performing Arts Foundation (Park City) – Funding will support an after-school job skills program to teach high school students, including at-risk students, the technical aspects of theater through hands-on experience.

Bad Dog Rediscovers America (Salt Lake City) – Funding will assist with a mural project at Backman Elementary School. Students will be involved in the design and creation of the mural.

Additionally, a community capital project grant of $5,000 was awarded by the PacifiCorp Foundation to Grand County to assist with the renovation of Moab’s Star Hall.