#ItStartsWithTheArts Rally
Join us before the hearing for a rally on the steps of City Hall at 9:15am!
The Roundtable, along with elected officials, artists, educators, students, cultural workers, and parents will gather to advocate for universal, equitable access to arts education for all students.
Our voices are stronger together! Help us call on the Mayor and City Council to include vital arts education funding in this year’s budget: to support our students, our workforce, and our great city. We need all of New York City to know that it starts with the arts!
City Council Joint Oversight Hearing: Ensuring Equity and Access in the Arts
On Tuesday, April 8th at 10am ET, the NY City Council’s Committee on Cultural Affairs and Committee on Education will host a Joint Oversight Hearing, chaired by Council Members Carlina Rivera and Rita Joseph. The focus of this hearing is on ensuring equity and access to the arts in school and community settings.
This is an important moment for our community to share information about the impact, barriers to providing, and outcomes related to arts education in NYC. Specifically, we hope our community can give a holistic picture of arts education including:
- Specific examples demonstrating the impact of arts education academically, socio-emotionally, related to workforce preparation, etc.
- Perspectives of educators in the classroom
- Challenges to providing arts education, including MTAC issues, implications of delayed city contracts/payments, fingerprinting, delayed award notices/shortened residency times, etc.
- Student or recent graduate perspectives on why/how access to arts education has impacted them and why you think other young people should have access to arts education
- Perspectives of what it looks like to be a Teaching Artist in NYC working across community settings — successes and challenges to maintaining work as a TA
And don’t forget to mention that you are part of the It Starts with the Arts Coalition!
Teaching artists, students, cultural workers, parents, arts administrators, artists, teachers, and arts education champions — your voices matter! Feel free to reach out via any questions to Roundtable Executive Director, Kimberly Olsen at kolsen@nycaieroundtable.org. Thank you for helping us educate and advocate for the need for equitable access to arts education!
How can I testify?
Those interested in participating can opt to provide two minutes of oral testimony in-person at City Hall or via Zoom. If you are not able to participate live, we strongly encourage submitting written testimony (feel free to use this testimony template to help get you started!).
If you plan to attend in-person, please note that the hearings take place on the 2nd floor, in either the main chambers or in a smaller room off to the right (accessible via stairs or elevator). Upon arrival, check in with the desk labeled “Sergeant At Arms” and sign up to speak. You will then wait to be called to testify at the front of the room. If you are testifying virtually, you will follow those who are testifying in-person.
I’m Interested, What Next?
The most important thing to do right NOW is register to testify. You must be registered by Sunday, April 6 in order to participate VIRTUALLY. Those delivering IN-PERSON testimony can register in advance or upon arrival at City Hall. WRITTEN testimony can be submitted up to 72 hours after the hearing (Friday, April 11).
You do NOT have to submit testimony now, though there is a part of the sign up that asks for it. Simply register your info and submit testimony when you are ready. Directions on how to register are included in the template linked below. If you are testifying virtually, you will be sent a Zoom link for you to sign on that morning. You will be limited to two minutes of speaking time.
