NPR Series Highlights the Benefits of Arts Education: Last week National Public Radio (NPR) broadcast four programs describing the “intersection of education and the arts”.
 
Chuck Close reflects on Learning School Lessons Through Art. One of the superstar artists connected with the Turnaround Arts Initiative is painter Chuck Close. He says that when he was growing up, he had some teachers who had enough flexibility to allow him to paint a mural about Lewis and Clark, even though he would not do well on a test about it.  He’s now working with students at Roosevelt School in Bridgeport, CT. Listen here.

The Case For the Arts in Overhauling Education by Rachel Martin (Weekend Edition Sunday on April 14, 2013. In this broadcast Rachel Martin, host of Weekend Edition Sunday, interviews Elizabeth Blair about “…her reporting on the role the arts play in helping low performing schools improve and in nurturing creativity that can help young people in all subjects.”

In her research about cuts to school district budgets Ms. Blair found that middle-class/upper-class school systems still have instruction in the arts, but instruction in the arts is less available in poorer neighborhood schools.

The report notes that in a “very small but strategic way” the Obama administration is introducing a rigorous and aggressive arts curriculum in eight low performing schools called the Turnaround Arts Initiative to see if the arts can affect student attendance and overall school environment. The success of the program will be judged on student attendance, behavior, school climate, and, of course, student test score results, including creativity. Ms. Blair explains in the interview that she has observed a disconnect between what schools want to do, help children become creative and innovative thinkers, and what is actually happening in schools, where children are learning that there is only one right answer on a multiple choice test. Instruction in the arts might be a way for students to explore their creativity.

Creative Classes: An Artful Approach to Improving Performance by Elizabeth Blair (All Things Considered on April 16, 2013). This show describes how low-performing schools serving students from poor families in Denver, Portland, New Orleans, Des Moines, Washington, D.C. and Montana are implementing the Turnaround Arts Initiative, an intensive arts curriculum supported by the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities.

The initiative provides resources for the schools to support instruction in music, dance, drama, and visual arts in the schools, and bolster learning in math and reading as a result. According to the initiative, integrating the arts in the schools improves the conditions for learning in the school, motivating students to come to school and learn. As part of the initiative, members of the Presidents Committee on the Arts and the Humanities have adopted one of the participating schools. The members, including Kerry Washington, Forest Whitaker, and Yo-Yo Ma, teach master classes and mentor students.

The program notes, however, that researchers have not found a causal link between teaching the arts and performance on test scores, according to child psychologist Ellen Winner, who was interviewed for the broadcast. Professor Winner, who is chair of psychology at Boston College and co-author of the book Studio Thinking: The Real Benefits of Visual Arts Education, still believes that the Turnaround Arts Initiative can help students, because the arts lead to engagement and attendance and “interesting teachers and engaged teachers”. Listen here.

More than 50 Years of Putting Kids’ Creativity to the Test by Elizabeth Blair (All Things Considered on April 17, 2013. In part two of the series on arts education, Elizabeth Blair discusses how creativity is being measured and why it is important to find a measure for creativity.

Some of the early research about measuring creativity was conducted by E. Paul Torrance, who, as a psychologist, observed that some troublesome children were actually the most creative people. Teachers often ignored these children, because they were harder to control. He developed the Torrance Test to measure creativity and to prove that creativity was important to success in every field, not just in the arts. The test is still used today.

James Catterall, a psychologist and director of the Centers for Research on Creativity in Los Angeles, is still “field testing” his Next Generation Creativity Survey, but has already found that elementary school children score better on the survey than high school students. According to the interview he believes that schools have a tendency to “suck the creativity out of kids over time”. Listen here.

In D.C., Art Program Turns Boys’ Lives Into ‘Masterpieces’ by Elizabeth Blair (All Things Considered April 18, 2013). This third part of the series about the intersection of education and the arts describes the Life Pieces to Masterpieces arts program, an after-school program that serves the Ward 7 neighborhood in Washington, D.C., and teaches African American boys and young men how to express themselves through painting.

The broadcast explains that Ward 7 is one of the poorest neighborhoods in D.C. with a poverty rate over 40 percent for children and a juvenile detention rate of 23 percent. The Masterpieces program, co-founded by Mary Brown, helps boys, ages 3-25, learn the four Cs: connect, create, contribute, and celebrate.

Participants learn to express their sometimes horrific life experiences through art, including painting, songs, and poems, and have formed a “brotherhood” where they feel comfortable and safe. They also learn how to meditate and reflect about what has happened in their lives in order to rejuvenate themselves. Although the program has had some setbacks, an estimated 1000 young men have completed the program since its founding in 1996, and 100 percent of participants have graduated from high school and have either gone on to college or vocational school.

CONGRESSWOMAN ROSA DELAURO SPEAKS OUT FOR THE ARTS

On April 9th,  the Honorable Rosa DeLauro spoke at Arts Advocacy Day in Washington DC, sponsored by Americans for the Arts.

Here are her remarks:

Thank you, and good morning. I am so pleased to be here, and to see such an enthusiastic crowd ready to make their voices heard on Capitol Hill.

Let me thank everyone at Americans for the Arts for all you do to support the arts and culture that enrich our nation.

And thank you to all the exceptional artists and entertainers who are giving their time and talent. Matt Sorum, Yo-Yo-Ma, Lil Buck.

Let me welcome all of the advocates for the arts who are here today to show your support. You are critical to this effort, and we are grateful.

What you are doing is so important. In the words of one of my heroes, former Congresswoman Barbara Jordan, “The arts are not a frill. The arts are a response to our individuality and our nature, and help to shape our identity.”

“Art has the potential to unify,” she said. “It can speak in many languages without a translator. The arts do not discriminate. The arts can lift us up.” And they do – they make our spirits soar.

Let me tell you, as a member of Congress: You should never underestimate the difference an Advocacy Day like this can make. Having smart, passionate, knowledgeable men and women show up at your office, and gently but astutely explain the benefits of NEA funding, it makes a difference. So do not take no for answer!

Arts funding helps to bring the beauty and creative genius of our culture to the lives of all Americans – young and old, rich and poor, urban and rural. This is about our humanity, and it is a goal worthy of our support.

Many years ago, I chaired the Greater New Haven Connecticut Arts Council. I know firsthand that the arts enrich lives – and they contribute to the economic growth of the community.

Every day, more than 100,000 nonprofit arts and culture organizations act as economic drivers – creating an industry that supports jobs, generates government revenue, and is the cornerstone of our tourism industry.

Our small federal contribution to the NEA – $146 million in the recent budget resolution – is only a tiny percentage of the overall public-private investment flowing to the non-profit arts every year. I know Louise Slaughter is working to increase that number.

But these are some of the most important dollars – the ones that leverage billions of dollars in state, local and private funding, and help to fuel what is a vital non-profit arts industry.

I am always proud to support the NEA, and I will work hard to see that it receives the funding it needs.

You need to help us persuade some of our colleagues, who do not believe that the federal government should contribute to the arts.

Already the sequester, the deep and indiscriminate automatic cuts that were recently enacted, have cut the NEA funding by $7.3 million.

And as in previous years, the Majority’s budget, drafted by Paul Ryan and passed by the House last week, eliminates NEA funding entirely. They call it a handout to the rich.

In his budget proposal, Chairman Ryan said support for the arts and humanities “can no longer be justified.” Because, as he put it, “these agencies go beyond the core mission of the federal government, and they are generally enjoyed by people of higher-income levels, making them a wealth transfer from poorer to wealthier citizens.” Saying that culture is only for the rich describes a country without a soul.

Contrary to what you may hear from many of my colleagues, the arts are not just for the privileged few. Countless studies have shown that the arts have real value in fostering civility, decency, and compassion in our society. They provide our children and communities real alternatives to help close the education achievement gap, lift grade point averages, and lower dropout rates. They enrich the lives and cultivate the talent of America’s young minds.

We cannot let the NEA disappear. The loss would be irreplaceable. As President John F. Kennedy said, “This country cannot afford to be materially rich and spiritually poor.”

That’s why Kennedy pushed for an America that “will steadily raise the standards of artistic accomplishment and which will steadily enlarge cultural opportunities for all of our citizens.”
Because, he said, “after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we…will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.”

So I am glad to see so many here. There is nothing more powerful than hearing directly from the people you represent.  Suddenly the issue takes on a whole new importance. An actual movement, rising from the ground up among voters in our district: You are very difficult to ignore.

Do not take no for an answer! Let’s fight today to support our artists, actors, dancers, writers, and musicians, and to make sure we continue to be a nation that respects and supports and embraces the arts.

Thank you for your contributions to the human spirit.

CONGRESS MOVES FY 2014 BUDGET PLANS AND AVOIDS GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN

The U.S. House of Representatives and Senate introduced and passed out of committee two starkly contrasting resolutions that serve as each chamber’s blueprint for the federal government’s FY 2014 budget. While these proposals are non-binding and do not need the signature of the president, they have real consequences in constructing the framework for the appropriations committees to write spending legislation in the coming weeks. The potential impact on federal cultural agencies is unknown as these plans are general in nature and do not address many future specific spending decisions. The House budget, in order to cut the federal deficit, proposes a series of deep reductions in spending, major tax rate cuts through tax reform, and defunding healthcare reform among many other policy changes. The Senate version calls for an even split of cuts and tax increases by closing “loopholes” and suggests changes to itemized deductions and possibly the charitable deduction through tax reform as well. The House has passed their budget and the Senate version awaits floor consideration, but there is little hope for a final compromise bill at this time. The White House has set a date for the week of April 8 to release its FY 2014 proposal, which will set the stage for further deliberations. In the same timeframe, the final FY 2013 Continuing Resolution was finally agreed upon—averting a government-wide shutdown. This legislation keeps in place the 5 percent sequester cuts for the NEA and NEH, but funds them through the remainder of the fiscal year.
 
March 25, 2013  Americans for the Arts

New arts grant system irritates many, pleases few
Read the article on The CT Mirror

State Budget Update

In February, the governor released his FY14-15 budget.    Funding for the arts (now part of the Dept of Economic and Community Development) is recommended as follows:

- 5% rescissions on line items  from FY 13 are carried forward into SFY 14 & 15; otherwise no further reductions to line items

- The competitive Arts, Culture, Tourism grant account is cut by $200,000

- Additional funding is added to Statewide marketing

- Funds for all tourism districts are eliminated. State tourism office would continue regional marketing efforts through an RFP process.

Members of the CAA board testified at legislative Appropriations Committee hearings in February, asking the legislature to reinstate Arts, Culture and Tourism grants to $2 million. The legislative version of the budget is expected in April.

Connecticut’s  Arts Sector Contributes $163 million to the State’s economy

On December 7, 2012,  The Connecticut Office of the Arts and the Connecticut Arts Alliance hosted an event at Waterbury’s Palace Theater to  release the state’s Arts and Economic Prosperity report detailing the nonprofit arts and cultural industry’s impact on Connecticut’s economy.

This, the 4th study of the nonprofit arts and culture industry’s economic impact conducted by the Americans for the Arts, is the most comprehensive study of its kind ever conducted and includes customized findings on 182 study regions representing all 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Randy Cohen, Vice President of Research and Policy at Americans for the Arts, presented the results of the statewide report.  View the report here.

Governors Look to Arts, Culture and Design to Create Economic Growth

With concerns over job creation and business growth holding a prominent—and persistent—position on policy agendas today, governors are increasingly finding innovative ways to support economic growth, according to a new report out today from the National Governors Association (NGA).

New Engines of Growth: Five Roles for Arts, Culture, and Design focuses on the role that arts, culture and design can play in governors’ policies to create jobs and boost their economies in the short run and transition to an innovation-based economy in the long run.

U.S. Department of Education released a study entitled Arts Education in Public Elementary and Secondary Schools 1999-2000 and 2009-10. This study was previously published in 2002 and highlights the impact that the No Child Left Behind Act (NCLB) has had on arts education.

U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan stated, “despite the importance of providing equal educational opportunities in the arts, today’s report shows we are falling well short of that goal.”

From the Department’s announcement of the study we learned that:

• 1.3 million of our nation’s public elementary school students receive no specific instruction in music, and nearly 4 million students receive no specific instruction in the visual arts.

• 800,000 public secondary school students do not receive music, and 11 percent of secondary schools do not provide the visual arts.

• Only 3 percent of elementary schools offer any specific dance instruction and only 4 percent offer any specific theater instruction. In secondary schools, the numbers improve somewhat as 12 percent offer dance and 45 percent offer theater.

The most heartbreaking finding in the study shows that the nation’s poorest students, the ones who could benefit the most from arts education, are receiving it the least. A decade ago, the data showed that 100 percent of high poverty schools offered music instruction, but currently, only 80 percent offer music instruction. The percentage offering visual arts, dance, and theater is even lower. In his remarks, Secretary Duncan called the disparity between high-poverty and low-poverty schools “deeply disturbing” and “absolutely an equity issue and a civil rights issue.”

Download the report here http://nces.ed.gov/pubs2012/2012014.pdf

Appropriations Committee Releases Budget

The Appropriations Committee’s Budget includes full restoration of Arts & Culture line item Grants, which were previously reduced or eliminated in the Governor’s Budget. The Committee combines the two grant accounts, Basic Cultural Resources and Culture, Tourism, and Arts grants into one with funding of $2,000,000 (a total reduction of about $1 million). The Committee’s budget does include a reduction to the Statewide Marketing line item, of $12,289,982 (approximately 50%). In addition, the Committee recommends the transfer of funds for the Connecticut Humanities Council, from the Department of Economic and Community Development (DECD) to the Connecticut State Library (total transfer of $2,272,633).

Governor Malloy’s Budget Trims Arts Funding

On February 8, 2012 Governor Malloy released his FY13 proposed budget.

The Governor has recommended cutting by 8% the Arts, Culture Tourism and Marketing grants “to achieve efficiency through competitive procurement” for a total reduction of $2,356,311. The second significant change proposed is to eliminate all individual accounts for discrete arts & culture organizations and the two grant accounts (Basic Cultural Resources and Culture, Tourism, and Arts grants) and transfers the funding into a “Statewide Marketing” account funded at $25,039,982. This reflects an increase of $10,039,981 added to the pre-existing $15 million.

CAA Board members testified at the Appropriations Conservation and Development Subcommittee Hearing on February 15th.

Connecticut Arts Alliance Position on the proposed budget:

1. The $14 million in arts culture funding (as originally allocated in the bienniale budget) needs to be segregated from Statewide Marketing. We advocate return to the approved FY12-13 budget breakdowns.

2. In July, the Commission on Culture and Tourism was moved into DECD. Under Economic and Community Development, the Office of the Arts has defined a new direction, with the arts at the heart of an economic development strategy to create vibrant communities that will attract new talent and businesses. To build this strategy, arts organizations need financial resources.

3. To qualify for National Endowment for the Arts funding, Connecticut must have dedicated funding for the arts, a designated arts agency and an independent arts commission. The proposed budget puts this funding in jeopardy.

4. Arts and culture events and institutions are the key attractions for visitors. The state must invest in these institutions. Without strong, healthy cultural institutions, there will be nothing to market.