It Starts With the Arts: Campaign Launch 2023

Mar 30, 2023
Time
10:00 am
11:00 am
Cost
Free
Location
The Town Hall, 123 W 43rd Street, New York, NY 10036
On Thursday, March 30th at 10am, the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable, along with educators, students, Council Member Keith Powers and Seth Gilliam will call on the Mayor and the City Council to guarantee all schools have a certified arts teacher in order to address learning loss from COVID and mental wellness issues, and to equitably improve overall student performance.

Arts education and exposure to New York City’s cultural riches should be an essential component of every child’s education. Arts education nurtures social-emotional wellness, improves academic outcomes in the classroom, prepares students to enter the workforce, and increases parent involvement and attendance rates. Yet today these opportunities are available to only some of NYC’s 1 million students.

Investment in arts education is inconsistent across our system. There are still hundreds of schools that are out of compliance with state-mandated arts learning requirements. 2/3rds of middle schoolers aren’t meeting these NYS arts requirements. 17% of schools still lack a certified arts teacher all-together, and almost 30% of schools no longer partner with an arts or cultural organization.

As NYC Public Schools recover from the pandemic and reimagine the student experience, the City must establish a realistic, equitable foundation for arts instruction in every school to support pathways to a bright, bold future for all.

Who will speak at this event?

Kimberly Olsen, Executive Director of New York City Arts in Education Roundtable 
Council Member Keith Powers
Seth Gilliam, actor from the Walking Dead and The Wire and NYC Public School graduate
Keeshon Morrow, Assistant Principal & Director of Theatre at The Repertory Company, High School for Theatre Arts
Students from Repertory High School

Subject to change. More to be announced!

Join the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable in advocating for this important cause. Please don’t hesitate to email Executive Director, Kimberly Olsen at kolsen@nycaieroundtable.org with any questions.

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