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Imagine a city where all kids have access to arts in school

Background and Mission 

Public Citizens for Children and Youth (PCCY) is a non-profit advocacy organization committed to ensure and protect the lives and life chances of children and families in Philadelphia and the region. Our advocacy initiatives are informed by community education, targeted service projects and budget and policy analysis. The Picasso Project was created to increase arts education opportunities for students and advocate for students’ access to the arts in the School District of Philadelphia.

Recent School Department numbers indicate the need for our help is high: 65 schools have no art or music teachers, while 121 schools have only one arts area for students to explore. At the same time, the need for PCCY’s role advocating for students’ access is also high, and the Picasso Project’s place in the region’s leading child advocacy organization is unique to arts projects in this area. To date, the Picasso Project made grants totaling $181,892 to 52 programs, reaching approximately 12,000 students in city public schools.

Project Description

In 2002 PCCY conducted research and issued a report--“Music, Art and Public Education: A Powerful Relationship”– with the Alliance Organizing Project (AOP) on the lack of music and art educational opportunities in Philadelphia schools. We were determined to initiate a project that would make an actual difference in the lives of some students today, while increasing the commitment and opportunities for more children tomorrow. The Picasso Project was born.

The Project was launched in the fall of 2002 with a generous gift from a family foundation along with time and donations from individuals committed to arts education. The project is a non-profit fund managed by PCCY to make modest grants (with a big impact) that will enable schools without art or music education to include a well-defined arts education project into the curriculum. In updating our report we learned that the trend has worsened with at least sixty schools without any arts resources.

Proposals for grants to schools are linked to some of Philadelphia’s leading arts and education organizations that have long been associated with bringing the area’s rich cultural and performance institutions into the schools through planned and focused integration across the academic curriculum.

The project raises and distributes funds – through an RFP – for art expenses, guided by an Advisory Committee comprised of educators, artists, community leaders and child advocates. Implementation and evaluation are part of grant-making activities, as are site visits and outcome reports on completion of the grant.

Central to the project’s mission is building public awareness and advocacy for equity in education that endorses and encourages the inclusion of art and music education as an integral, not expendable, part of every child’s learning experience. We believe that our modest publicity, including a booklet and video showing the programs in action, has identified an “audience” of interested citizens, but this is only the beginning. We hope to do more outreach, including targeted corporate and foundation leaders as well as individuals who support arts education advocacy. 

The Picasso Project is not a solution to the inadequacies in school funding, but it is the recognition that we can do something in the present while building to a better future. We plan to continue to send a strong message to concerned citizens and legislators alike that arts education should be a part of all education for all children, but “kids shouldn’t have to wait while adults debate”.

Why Should I Contribute?

Your contributions will help provide students with special learning opportunities that they would not otherwise have. You will be joining a chorus of parents, District employees and citizens that says all of our children deserve a chance at a good education.

What Will Be The Return On My Investment?

You will help to enrich the learning environment of Philadelphia’s children and offer them opportunities in the arts.  You will become part of a growing public education constituency in Philadelphia that is fighting for high quality and fairly funded public schools.  You will receive notices of public education advocacy efforts and projects happening across the City as well as a copy of our annual report that highlights all of the programs and projects that the fund supports.

Make a Tax Deductible Contribution:

The Picasso Project  *  c/o Public Citizens for Children and Youth  *  Seven Benjamin Franklin Parkway  * 6th Floor  *  Philadelphia, Pa 19103  *  215-563-9051 - Visa and Mastercard are now accepted.