The Bodecker Foundation provides creative communities with an extraordinary and energetic gathering place for workshops, mentoring, and collaboration.
Workshops. Mentoring. Collaboration.
To spark young people to realize their creative power through immersive learning experiences.
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MISSION
The N M BODECKER CREATIVE FOUNDATION (“Bodecker Foundation”) was established in 2017 by Sandy Bodecker, Nike’s legendary VP of Special Projects, and by Tanya Cerda as a tribute to Sandy’s father, the award-winning author and illustrator N.M. Bodecker, who instilled a love and appreciation of the arts in Sandy and his brothers, Niels and Torsten. Sandy’s chosen career path and significant professional accomplishments were directly impacted by his father’s support, encouragement, and artistic influence. Inspired by this profound legacy, the Foundation’s workshop, mentoring, and scholarship programs spark young people to realize their creative power through immersive learning experiences..
WHAT WE DO
The Bodecker Foundation partners with professional artists, writers, musicians, and educators to design and lead immersive program experiences for high school students who are interested in exploring the arts, including those from traditionally underserved and underrepresented communities. Threaded throughout is a career exploration and applied arts approach that uniquely centers collaboration, inclusivity, and positive affirmation of student identities. In addition to our youth programming, the Foundation’s multi-use spaces are made available to emerging artists and performers, like-minded nonprofit organizations, and our collaborative creative community.
PROGRAM DISCIPLINES
Our workshop program disciplines include: art/illustration, creative writing, songwriting, audio recording/engineering, game design, skate culture, graphics, film/video, zine making, and sneaker, apparel, and accessories design. We also partner with other youth and arts focused nonprofits to host their own programs and events at our building in NW Portland.
HALFLING STUDIO
Halfling Studio is an on-site, state-of-the-art analog and digital recording facility. Studio revenue directly funds the Foundation’s music workshops and student programs. Artists including The Decemberists, Portugal. The Man, Stephen Malkmus and the Jicks, Kim Gordon, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Patterson Hood (Drive by Truckers), Sleater Kinney, and Dame D.O.L.L.A have all recorded at Halfling Studio.
Scholarships
The Foundation is now offering scholarships to high school seniors who are pursuing an undergraduate degree in art, design, music, or other creative disciplines at an accredited post-secondary college or university in the United States.
The primary objective of the scholarship program is to empower young artists to imagine and achieve a better future and to create institutional change through artistic, academic, and personal growth and enrichment. We also aim to increase diversity in creative and professional fields while promoting music, art, design, and their related fields as accessible career paths for young people from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds.
OUR COMMUNITY
The Bodecker Foundation’s intergenerational community is grounded in Sandy’s personal creative ethos: Respect the Past, Embrace the Future. Community members include professional artists, writers, designers and musicians who serve as program advisors, workshop leaders, and Artists in Residence; educators, non-profit, and business leaders who energize our multi-use creative, event, and meeting spaces; and talented workshop students whose emerging creative voices are nurtured, amplified, and supported by our programs and collaborative community.
The Bodecker Foundation welcomes and prioritizes the participation of Black, brown, Indigenous, and other students of color as well as emerging English speakers, LGBTQIA+ youth, and those with disabilities.
CONTACT US
For information on upcoming youth workshops or to find out how you can get involved please use the contact form below. Or say hello@bodeckerfoundation.org.