Million (License) Plates For The Arts
Gail Chiasson, North American Editor
Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings Inc. today joined with the California Arts Council to announce the leading outdoor firm’s proud support for the ‘Million Plates Campaign for the Arts’ and the drive to raise more than $40 million in annual support for California’s funding-constrained arts organizations through sales of the California Arts License Plate.
The California Arts License Plate program allows California drivers to purchase a specially designed license plate during their annual motor vehicle registration. The proceeds from sales of these specially designed plates benefit the California Arts Council’s arts and arts education programs for children and communities throughout the state.
“Every driver in our state has the power to restore crucial arts education programs to our schools and communities by purchasing an Arts License Plate at Artsplate.org.” says Malissa Shriver, California Arts Council Chair. “It is imperative that we restore funding for the arts and return arts education to the curriculum to better prepare our students for jobs in California’s creative economy.
“There are more than 32 million registered vehicles in California. If just one million of those vehicles had Arts Plates it would generate $40 million a year to support the arts and move our state from dead last in per-capita public arts funding to near the top – where we belong.”
The Arts plate was designed by renowned California artist Wayne Thiebaud in 1994, and its sales currently account for two-thirds of the states public arts funding. Drivers use the new plate to replace their regular plate. Like all specialty plates, the California Arts Council plate has an extra fee, which directly supports the Arts Council.
Clear Channel will support the Million Plates Campaign with an unprecedented public service program that will display the Arts Council’s imagery on more than 100 digital signs throughout California. Visuals are being designed by Industrial Creative, a Los Angeles-based advertising agency that is partnering with the California Arts Council to craft the message and develop a multi-platform promotional campaign.
“As a media company – creativity that engages our communities is at the heart of everything we do at Clear Channel Outdoor,” says Greg McGrath, group president West Region, Clear Channel Outdoor. “Participating in an innovative solution that enables California’s arts organizations to continue inspiring and encouraging creativity is directly aligned with our core mission. And since drivers are the primary target of the Million Plates Campaign, there simply is no better way to engage California’s driving community in support of Million Plates than through the compelling medium of outdoor advertising.”
Digital billboards have proven to be invaluable community services tools in delivering public service messaging across America. With instantaneous alerts, digital billboards are one of the most effective means for public service communications and for providing emergency messaging of many types.
Annually, Clear Channel Outdoor donates $20 million of outdoor advertising space to assist public safety groups, government agencies and nonprofit organizations in sharing vital public service messages with the community.
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