MEDIA RELEASE

 

CONTACT:     Gretchen Elise Iversen gretchenelise@pccy.org (215) 563-5848 ext. 22

                           Sheila Simmons  sheilas@pccy.org ext. 12

 

A Portrait of Arts Education in our Public Schools

 

            How well are Philadelphia’s public schools grooming our city’s next generation of artists? And what can Philadelphia learn from other communities, cities, and states?  Aarmed by the discovery that half of Philadelphia’s school children currently have no access to arts education, Public Citizens for Children and Youth set out in search of answers.

 

            Researching and interviewing dozens of arts educators, advocates, and policy makers about art, music, theater and dance in schools nationwide, PCCY summarized the results in an 11-page report entitled A Portrait of Arts and Education in our Public Schools, released in March and available at  www.pccy.org.

 

            “I think one of the messages that has been extremely effective is linking the arts and arts education to economic development,” said Wisconsin’s State Superintendent Elizabeth Burmaster, quoted in the report. PCCY’s report. The benefit of the arts to students’ school performance is also cited.

 

            Cities and states nationwide have come up with innovative models to combat the reduction of arts in schools due largely to budget deficits and the crippling effect of No Child Left Behind legislation.

 

            Dallas established DallasArtsPartners and Dallas Arts Learning Initiative, a public-private collaborative which bolsters arts in schools by adding teachers, professional development, and links to community “hubs” of arts activity.

 

            California solicited a two-year block grant of $105 million and $500 million in supplies to support the arts, though this support has been pulled since press time.  Rhode Island began tapping into community arts resources to provide arts to students, bridging school and out of school time arts opportunites.

           

            “A new tune may be emerging for arts education in Philadelphia,” the report says, driven by with a School Reform Commission prioritizing the arts, a new School District arts policy emerging, and a nascent citywide arts education initiative backed by William Penn Foundation. The next Patti LaBelle,  Kenny Gamble, or  Moe Brooker  is waiting for the opportunity to grow, and it’s up to Philadelphia to give that child a chance.   

 

            Aside from being available at www.pccy.org, the report can be obtained by calling the PCCY office, at 215-563-5848.