Free Sandcastle Contest at Ocean Beach Supports Bay Area Arts Education

SAN FRANCISCO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--On Saturday, October 2, 2010, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., Leap’s 27^th Annual Sandcastle Contest will spring to life at Ocean Beach, near the Cliff House. This year’s theme, “Sand Francisco,” will inspire an array of one-of-a-kind creations featuring elaborate castles, formidable monsters, and gargantuan monuments in approximately twenty-five 400-square-foot plots.

Every fall, Leap…imagination in learning (Leap) orchestrates the spectacular Sandcastle Contest as its major fundraising event. The contest is open to the public, free of charge, and supported by the local construction industry, including architects, engineers, and contractors who come together to support arts education in Bay Area schools. These professionals will join students from local elementary schools in a collaborative attempt to reshape Mother Nature and push the limits of creativity.

The general public is welcome to drop in to Leap's "Community Sandcastle Building Area" between 10 am and 2 pm. Participants of all ages will team up with volunteers and one of Leap’s teaching architects to try their hand at building a giant sea lion. Participants in this activity are encouraged to donate $5 - $10 to ensure the contest’s continued success. Donations of $10 or more will receive a Leap Sandcastle t-shirt.

Our illustrious Sandcastle Contest judges in years past have included KFOG radio personality Peter Finch; Daniel Handler (aka Lemony Snicket), children's book author; and Wayne Joel Bartlett, weather anchor for KGO Television. Another stellar lineup of judges is in the works for this year’s contest, including Sirron Norris, a renowned San Francisco-based muralist; Susan Landauer, author and former chief curator of the San Jose Museum of Art; and Paul Madonna, notable San Francisco artist.

Leap, a local nonprofit organization, was established in response to severe cuts in California arts education funding following the passage of Proposition 13 in 1979. In today’s economic climate, arts education in public schools is at even greater risk. Funds raised from the Sandcastle Contest help to ensure that Leap can continue it's important mission to keep the arts alive in Bay Area schools.