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JUNE 2004

Arts & Education: Ensuring our Cultural Future
by State Senator Liz Krueger

Last month I joined City Council Member Eva Moskowitz in hosting an “Arts in Education Roundtable” at the Guggenheim Museum. This event emerged out of a series of arts roundtables I had conducted with different segments of the arts community, who had indicated an interest in exploring their shared commitment to arts education, and a recent report issued by Council Member Moskowitz. The event, which was attended by over twenty arts organizations, created a passionate dialogue regarding the state of the arts in New York City schools.

Research shows that art is an essential part of any quality educational curriculum. Early introduction to arts is an essential ingredient in creating a lifelong interest in cultural activities. For many, arts are also the subjects that help engage students in school and contribute to their broader academic success.

Unfortunately, arts education has suffered greatly over the past decade, falling victim to tight budgets. The Board of Education has recently announced that it is revamping its arts curriculum in an effort to ensure a more balanced and complete approach to this essential part of a quality education

One particular concern at the roundtable that was raised was the severe lack of artistic encouragement that New York City schools provide to their students and the total emphasis being placed upon the new standardized tests. The children in schools today are the audiences of tomorrow. How are we going to keep our cultural institutions alive if our children are not exposed to the arts? The time has come for arts education to be fully integrated in school curricula.

The vitality of the arts community is inseparable from the health of the city—culturally, educationally and economically. We are presently being forced to cope with enormous monetary pressures that have already greatly impacted the mission of arts education organizations. These are times where we must prioritize and protect the artistic and cultural integrity of New York City. I am gratified that the Department of Education has recognized the need to improve arts education by instituting a formal, standardized arts curriculum. Our many arts institutions will be an essential resource for schools as they move toward ensuring that all students in our public schools receive a comprehensive arts education.

Participants in the Arts in Education Roundtable included a wide spectrum of organizations: the American Ballet Theatre, Annabella Gonzalez Dance Theatre, Arts Connection, Asia Society, Carnegie Hall, Center for Arts Education, China Institute, City Light Youth Theatre, Diller-Quaile School of Music, DreamYard Drama Project, Education Through Music, Guggenheim Museum, Horizon Concerts, Interschool Orchestras of NYC, Jewish Museum, Michael Mao Dance Company, Museum of Natural History, Musica de Camera, New Victory Theatre, New York State Alliance for Arts Education, TADA!, Turtle Bay Music School, Whitney Museum and Young Peoples Chorus of New York City.#

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