Goal: $5,000 by October 1
A new school year has begun. We all know that arts education is central to the development of all children and to ongoing creative engagement for people of all ages. Arts for LA has a strong record of advocating for the equitable distribution of arts education for all students.
One of Arts for LA's core operating principles is that to achieve a society in which government, education, business and residents value, support and fully integrate the arts—in all their diversity—into the fabric of civic life, we must begin with education.
How You Can Help:
- Join or renew as a Contributing Member
- Make a tax-deductible donation to this work (form to the left)
- Make a stock gift, shop on Amazon smile, or trade in your car! (contact us at info@artsforla.org)
Every contribution fuels Arts for LA's arts education advocacy this year!
Once again education funding is on the ballot in November. In the coming months, Arts for LA's efforts to advance a robust public education which includes the arts, and your support now will enable Arts forLA to pursue the following strategies:
ACTIVATE Arts Education: Our arts advocacy leadership training program kicks off on September 21 with 40 community members enrolled in the Arts Education cohort. These advocates represent 15 school districts and their advocacy projects next spring can impact 789,758 students across Los Angeles County;
ACTIVATE Student Voices: Arts for LA is continuing its collaboration with the California Alliance for Arts Education (CAAE) to embed advocacy training within arts education programs. Last year, Arts for LA partnered with Get Lit, and this year, we will expand our work to include three partners;
Candidate Surveys: Arts for LA will survey every candidate running for school board in 3 school districts;
Ballot Measures: Arts for LA will endorse Prop 55 which is essentially the extension of Prop 30, a measure which produced the Local Control Funding Formula for public education and directed millions of dollars to local school districts;
Legislation Tracking: SB 916 which establishes state credentials for Theatre and Dance teachers has landed on Governor Brown's desk, and Arts for LA is working in coalition to get this bill and others passed.
Advocacy Initiatives by Arts Education ACTIVATE Fellows
Wiseburn Elementary School District
Sylvia Chavez, an Arts Education Fellow from Wiseburn Elementary School District, has been working to increase arts education offering in Wiseburn Elementary USD. Chavez has met with the district Superintendent and has been included in the process of planning and developing strategies to fill gaps in arts education continuity from K-12. Chavez has also developed a grant proposal to secure funds to increase the number and type of visual and performing arts courses at district schools that lack this kind of programming. Chavez ultimately hopes her work will serve to increase arts access equity across the Wiseburn Elementary School District. Link to Project
Glendora Unified School District
Jacque Herman, an Arts Education Fellow representing Glendora Unified School District has been developing an art installation, entitled “Beautifully and Wonderfully Made: Me on Display”, in collaboration with the Glendora Unified School District and the New York City-based Heidi Latsky Dance Company. The installation, which will feature performances by students with disabilities and coincides with the 25th anniversary of Disability Awareness, will challenge the perception of beauty and ability and give students with disabilities a platform to demonstrate their artistic talents. Herman has also partnered with Chris Neil (LA Film School graduate) to create a documentary on the workshops leading up to the installation, which will be completed in time for the December Disability Awareness celebration and launch of similarly-themed installations nationwide.
Link to Project
Los Angeles Unified School District
Malena Fuentes, an Arts Education Fellow from Los Angeles, has been working with local libraries in the San Fernando Valley to establish a reading program that promotes stronger Spanish language literacy among immigrant and second generation, bilingual students. Fuentes’s program will host weekly Spanish language readings for kids as well as bimonthly workshops for parents of bilingual students regarding bilingual educational programs and bilingual child development. Fuentes hopes this program will help native and bilingual Spanish-speaking students develop a deeper knowledge of and pride in their cultural and linguistic roots as well as improve overall language and literacy skills that will allow these students to transition smoothly into English language classrooms. Link to Project