About Us

Many are shocked to hear that the average amount Arkansas arts teachers are allocated for supplies for the entire school year is under $1/student. There is no way that this amount can fulfill even basic creative supply lists of paper and colored pencils, much less paint, brushes or clay. 

Enter Thea Foundation. Carrying on the legacy of Thea Leopoulos, who thrived academically, socially and emotionally thanks to her artistic pursuits, our beneficiaries are students and teachers of all ages and backgrounds that share a common theme- their lives have been positively impacted because of their exposure to the arts.

Since 2001, Thea Foundation has focused on developing programs to motivate K-12 students through involvement in the arts and advocated for the inclusion of arts programming in public schools, reaching many of our state’s most underserved communities.  Designed to fill the void left in underfunded school budgets, and to help youth find confidence, self-worth and perspective through creative expression, we bring our mission to life through three programs that benefit Arkansas students and teachers- Thea Scholarships, Thea’s Art Closet and Arts Reconstruction.

Last year, generous gifts from our supporters laid the foundation for:

•   394 classroom creative supply and equipment wish lists through Thea’s Art Closet;
•   36 college scholarships awarded Thea’s Scholarship Program; and
•   14 high school teachers receiving professional development with advanced medium trainings through Arts Reconstruction.