Close your eyes and envision a quality arts education experience. What do you see? 

This is the question posed last week by Steve Seidel from Harvard's Project Zero to the 270 attendees who attended the Arts Education Roundtable at Central High School #9 and hosted by Arts for All. 

Last month I attended a plan-of-action meeting addressing the proposed devastating cuts to elementary art and music programs for LAUSD's 2010-11 arts education branch budget. The proposed cuts will eliminate 50% of elementary arts teacher positions, equaling roughly 173 of 345 teachers.  If enacted, these cuts will decimate arts education in LAUSD.

Building strong support for the arts and arts education is what you do every day.  Yet resources continue to dwindle, as the state economic forecast affirms that fiscal recovery is slow for California.  This means that counties, cities and school districts will continue to grapple with insurmountable budget deficits, short falls and cuts to essential city services.

The Merit of the Teaching Artist in Today's Economic Climate

The first in a series of guest blogs by Sandy Seufert, Manager of Curriculum and Teaching Artist Development at the Music Center: Performing Arts Center of Los Angeles County.