Colorado Springs, Colo., October 24, 2019 – In celebration of National Art Day, October 25,
the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum (USOPM) announces a summer art workshop series.
Working cooperatively with the Al Oerter Foundation, the Art of the Olympians program, and the
LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation, the USOPM has the opportunity to create
vibrant summer programs that best reflect the Museum’s commitment to education. As a
shining beacon of Olympic and Paralympic hopes, dreams, and values in Colorado Springs, the
USOPM will provide access to arts programming for middle school and high school students.
The goal of these three cultural institutions is to provide arts workshops with a focus on
photography, painting, sculpture, drawing, and other visual arts. Collaboration among these
partners will provide a unique experience for local youth participants to engage with Olympic
and Paralympic athletes who are also artists. A special session focusing on the works of
legendary painter LeRoy Neiman will highlight his most famous Olympic paintings and their
historical significance.
"Special attention to the arts has always been a part of the vision for the Olympic Movement
and the USOPM is proud to host this unparalleled experience for the Colorado Springs
community," said USOPM CEO Christopher Liedel.
"This historic partnership is an exciting opportunity that fulfills the collective visions of both Al
Oerter, four-time Olympic discus champion, and Baron Pierre de Coubertin, founder of the
modern Olympic Games. By combining the two universal languages of art and sport into one
unique educational program we can help show the connections and similarities between the
athletic and artistic worlds," said Roald Bradstock, Executive Director of Art of the Olympians,
and two-time Olympian.
"LeRoy considered his involvement with the Olympics a lifelong accomplishment and would
have been pleased to see his Foundation partner with the USOPM and the Al Oerter
Foundation in providing educational arts programming" said Tara Zabor, Executive Director of
the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation.
Additional program details and registration will begin in January 2020 through the U.S. Olympic
& Paralympic Digital Museum at www.usopm.org
About the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum
The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Museum and home of the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Hall of
Fame, which is under construction in downtown Colorado Springs, is set to open in the spring of
2020. It will be a dynamic tribute to the nation’s Olympic and Paralympic movements with
inclusive, immersive, and interactive exhibits to ignite the athletic spirit and inspire generations
to come. The museum will go beyond simply being a museum of U.S. sports history but will be a
cultural museum that is focused on social progress and innovation through science and
technology.
About the Al Oerter Foundation and the Art of the Olympians program
The Al Oerter Foundation exists to foster character and integrity through sports and the arts. AOF
brings together athletes from the Olympics and the sporting world to promote the highest ethics
of humanity. Through the athletes’ creative talents, AOF provides programs of art, education,
sport and cultural outreach to inspire individuals and communities to uphold the virtues of
excellence above winning and Art of the Olympians is an international program of Olympic and
Paralympic artists teaching Olympic values through exhibitions, educational programs, and
cultural activities.
About the LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation
The LeRoy Neiman and Janet Byrne Neiman Foundation seeks to perpetuate the legacy and
philanthropic spirit of LeRoy Neiman, and to advance and share the impact of his life, his ideals
and artwork in the U.S. and throughout the world. The Foundation supports organizations that
promote the study, improvement and advancement of the arts and provide opportunities for atrisk youth to develop paths to successful futures.
USOPM
CONTACT
Peter Maiurro, Chief Communications & Business Affairs Officer
pmaiurro@usolympicmuseum.org | +1 719-963-1147
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