Oklahoma nonprofit to host virtual benefit concert to support arts education for Tulsa students

Art 4orms Foundation, Oklahoma’s first arts and wellness nonprofit, is hosting a virtual benefit concert on Thursday, April 17, to support arts education for North Tulsa public school students.

Making Arts Education Accessible

Art 4orms Foundation provides free arts and wellness resources to students, with the mission of making art a core subject rather than an elective.

“We really believe that art should not be an elective and that it should be a normalcy for all students to improve their career trajectories and their social-emotional development,” said Ebony Easley, founder and executive art director.

Founded in 2019, the organization began with its annual benefit concert, initially raising a year’s worth of art supplies for the Tulsa Girls Art School.

A Virtual Experience for a Cause

For the first time, the annual ART Benefit Concert will be held virtually, allowing supporters to participate from anywhere while maintaining their evening routines.

“It’s on a Thursday night. We want people to be able to keep their routine but still support a good cause,” Easley said. “With just a $50 live stream ticket, you’ll be able to hear from a wonderful lineup of local artists.”

This year’s concert will feature performances from pianist Barron Ryan, harpist Lorelei Kaiser Barton, cellist LaQuincia Brown, spoken word artist Sterling Matthews, and multidisciplinary artist Omaley B.

Giving Back to the Community

For Easley, Art 4orms Foundation is a deeply personal project.

“North Tulsa is a community that I grew up in, and I understand some of the things that would have benefited myself and my peers,” she said. “Being able to serve through art therapy services and philosophies, I can really see the impact it’s going to have long term.”

Easley was inspired to create the nonprofit after witnessing the rapid removal of arts programs from schools since the implementation of the No Child Left Behind Act.

“It is our duty to treat art as a core subject and not as an elective, to make sure that it’s a normalcy and not a privilege to participate in art,” she said.

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