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Museums in Oakland and Cleveland Wager Art Experiences for 100 Children from YMCA and Boys and Girls Club on NBA Championship

(Oakland, CA)—The Directors of the Cleveland Museum of Art (CMA) and the Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) announced today that they are entering into a wager for the NBA Finals. The institutions have agreed to sponsor art experiences for children from their local community organizations to their museums based on the outcome of the NBA Finals.

The Stakes:

If the Warriors win, the Cleveland Museum of Art will sponsor access for 100 children from the YMCA of the East Bay to visit the Oakland Museum of California for a Golden State Warriors-themed art experience.

If the Cavaliers take home the title, the Oakland Museum of California will sponsor 100 children from the Cleveland-area Boys and Girls Clubs and Fatima Family Center in Cleveland’s Hough neighborhood for a special visit to the Cleveland Museum of Art.

“This wager is a win-win for our cities,” says Lori Fogarty, Director and CEO of the Oakland Museum of California. “Like the Boys and Girls Club and the YMCA, our museums are dedicated to the health and well being of children and families in Oakland and Cleveland. We look forward to welcoming children to OMCA when the Cavaliers lose. Game on! Go Dubs!”

“Even if we lose, we win. Of course, we’re ALL IN and expect to win! ” said William M. Griswold, Director of The Cleveland Museum of Art. “No matter the outcome, children from our communities will have a special opportunity to experience world-class art. Go Cavs!” said Griswold.

The bet builds on a feel-good wager on the Championship between the Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Cleveland Mayor Frank G. Jackson, which looks to help kids in their communities through a NBA fundraising competition supporting local foodbanks.

The museum directors applaud Mayors Libby Schaaf and Frank G. Jackson for putting a community-support spin on the traditional championship wager, and the Oakland Museum of California and the Cleveland Museum of Art are happy to step up by serving local children and families as part of our own wager. This is a slam-dunk that will benefit both sports fans and museum-goers.

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ABOUT THE OAKLAND MUSEUM OF CALIFORNIA
The Oakland Museum of California (OMCA) brings together collections of art, history and natural science under one roof to tell the extraordinary stories of California and its people. OMCA’s groundbreaking exhibits tell the many stories that comprise California with many voices, often drawing on first-person accounts by people who have shaped California’s cultural heritage. Visitors are invited to actively participate in the Museum as they learn about the natural, artistic and social forces that affect the state and investigate their own role in both its history and its future. With more than 1.9 million objects, OMCA is a leading cultural institution of the Bay Area and a resource for the research and understanding of California’s dynamic cultural and environmental heritage. The Oakland Museum of California is located at 1000 Oak Street in Oakland, California. ­­ For more information, visit museumca.org.

ABOUT THE CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART
The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes almost 45,000 objects and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The museum is a significant international forum for exhibitions, scholarship, performing arts and art education and recently completed an ambitious, multi-phase renovation and expansion project across its campus. One of the top comprehensive art museums in the nation and free of charge to all, the Cleveland Museum of Art is located in the dynamic University Circle neighborhood.

The Cleveland Museum of Art is supported by a broad range of individuals, foundations and businesses in Cleveland and Northeast Ohio. The museum is generously funded by Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture. Additional support comes from the Ohio Arts Council, which helps fund the museum with state tax dollars to encourage economic growth, educational excellence and cultural enrichment for all Ohioans. In 2014, the museum was awarded a top four-star rating by Charity Navigator, the nation’s most-utilized independent evaluator of charities and nonprofits. For more information about the museum, its holdings, programs and events, call 888-CMA-0033 or visit ClevelandArt.org.