Devon and its employees reach out to local arts organizations large and small through volunteerism, education, patronage and financial support. By nurturing the arts, Devon believes it can foster innovation, creativity and a social framework of collaboration that promotes healthy communities and vibrant business environments.
While arts communities rely on the financial support from business and other benefactors, Devon has an even broader vision for supporting arts initiatives. The company collaborates with community organizations to promote the arts across social and generational lines. Devon reaches out to school children, art students and local patrons. It partners to improve public venues and invests in efforts to promote diversity and accessibility.
“Arts organizations play an important role in our communities. The arts inspire innovation, promote creativity and foster collaboration – all qualities that are also important in business,” said Devon President and CEO John Richels. “We support the arts through our volunteerism, our patronage and our contributions. In return, the arts enhance our lives and those of our neighbors, making Oklahoma City an even better place to live, work and do business.”
Devon nurtures art appreciation among children through the Lyric Theatre’s musical interactive productions. The program involves more than 100 public schools across Oklahoma each year. These performances offer new experiences in communities where the arts may not be prevalent or accessible.
At Mark Twain Elementary, Devon’s adopted school in an urban Oklahoma City neighborhood, the company supports various artistic enrichment initiatives such as the Life Change Ballroom program, which introduces ballroom dancing to children. Through the program, students learn the fox trot, cha-cha, swing, salsa and rumba. Top performers are selected for citywide dance competitions.
In commemoration of Oklahoma’s Centennial in 2007, Devon partnered with Oklahoma City Community College to create a grand ceramic tile mosaic in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City’s entertainment district. The illustration features famous Sooner icons against an orange Oklahoma sunrise. More than 100 students and 150 volunteers worked on the project.
As Oklahoma’s largest company, Devon sets a high standard for the business community, often providing the lead donation for capital campaigns in an effort to spur others to give. For example, the company gave the first $1 million toward the Oklahoma City Philharmonic’s $6 million Orchestrating Greatness Endowment Campaign.