Point Broadcasting presents For the Love of Art: A Seat at the Table, Focus on the Masters Arts Archive & Library’s 32nd Anniversary fundraising gathering, on Saturday, September 13, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Four Points by Sheraton, 1050 Schooner Drive, Ventura.
This year’s theme, A Seat at the Table, celebrates representation and the importance of diverse voices and perspectives that enrich our collective experience. Community members are invited to come together in support of Focus on the Masters’ award-winning arts education and cultural preservation programs.
Proceeds from the event benefit FOTM’s celebrated educational initiatives, including the Learning To See Outreach Program — a sequential in-school and community outreach program serving at-risk youth and Title 1 schools throughout Ventura County — as well as the continuation of the beloved Artist Spotlight Interviews. Now entering her second year with Focus on the Masters, interviewer and arts advocate Betsy Zuck continues the tradition of engaging conversations that celebrate the lives, creative journeys, and lasting contributions of remarkable regional artists.
“Our annual gathering is always such a joyful celebration,” says FOTM Founder and Executive Director Donna Granata. “For the Love of Art honors the extraordinary artists, volunteers, patrons, educators, community partners, board members, and staff who help preserve and share the rich cultural history of our region through the FOTM Archive & Library.”
Guests will enjoy an afternoon of community, delicious food, music, raffle prizes, silent auction items, and inspiring presentations — all in support of FOTM’s mission to connect people through the arts.
This year also marks an exciting period of growth for the organization with the addition of photographer, educator, and media communications specialist Scott Miles as Co-Executive Director alongside Donna Granata. Miles brings decades of experience in photography, visual storytelling, curriculum development, and cultural heritage communications, including leadership roles at Brooks Institute in Santa Barbara, where he developed and directed innovative programs in scientific and technological imaging and professional photography. His background in media production, education, and digital communications will help expand FOTM’s archival, educational, and public outreach initiatives.
For more than 32 years, Focus on the Masters has served Ventura County through innovative arts education and cultural preservation programs. Since its inception, the Learning To See program has reached more than 280,000 students with engaging lessons inspired by the lives and artwork of FOTM-documented artists.
“The arts must remain an essential part of everyday life — now more than ever,” adds Donna Granata. “Art fosters empathy, curiosity, and understanding. No two artistic expressions are alike, just as no two human beings are alike.”
The FOTM Archive & Library houses a rare and growing collection documenting Ventura County’s cultural legacy, including more than 2,500 hours of oral histories and videotaped interviews, a digital image library, publications, and archival ephemera. FOTM’s resources are utilized by museums, scholars, historians, educators, and the media. Library services are available by appointment.