NEW YORK, NY (04/03/2023) — Today, the New York City Council released its budget response which includes a focus on arts education. In response, Kimberly Olsen, Executive Director of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable issued the following statement:

“Arts are essential – from theatre to creative movement to literary arts, research shows that arts education fosters student growth and boosts school engagement. The power of arts education extends beyond school walls: supporting NYC’s cultural economy, boosting mental health and promoting public safety through community-building by giving young people constructive and nurturing outlets. But not every student has access to arts education. That must change as our City reimagines the student experience and commits to a whole child approach to learning. We applaud the City Council, including Speaker Adrienne Adams, Majority Leader Keith Powers, and Finance Chair Justin Brannan, for prioritizing arts education, which includes hiring a certified arts teacher at every school. We hope the final Fiscal 2024 Budget will heed our calls and invest in the arts as an evidence-based solution to supporting our city’s students because it starts with the arts.”

Please click here for more information about our It Starts with the Arts campaign.

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