FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Precious Blake: Arts Every Day Phone: 410-685-1172
Email: precious@artseveryday.org
Website URL: https://www.artseveryday.org/baei
National Endowment for the Arts Awards Grant to Arts Every Day to Boost Arts Programs in Baltimore City Public Schools
September 14, 2017 (Baltimore, MD)- Arts Every Day has been awarded a grant from the Baltimore Arts Education Initiative (BAEI), a collaborative Fine Arts Strategic Planning process to ensure equity and access to arts education for all Baltimore City Public Schools students. The planning process will take place during the 2017-‐18 school year and is supported by a $50,000 Art Works: Collective Impact grant from the National Endowment for the Arts.
The Baltimore Arts Education Initiative will convene arts educators, arts organizations, parents, students, school administrators and other district stakeholders to create a strategic plan to support City Schools in 1) meeting new Maryland State Department of Education Fine Arts Standards and Regulations, 2) equipping school leaders and educators with a roadmap for building arts rich schools and 3) defining guidelines for quality school and community partnerships, out-‐of-‐school time and summer arts programming.
Listening and planning sessions will be facilitated with support from City Schools, Arts Every Day, Arts Education in Maryland Schools Alliance and Maryland Out of School Time Alliance. To launch the Initiative, Arts Every Day will host a presentation on Wednesday, September 27th from 3-‐5pm at The Motor House, 120 W. North Ave, Baltimore, MD 21201. The event is free and open to the public.
RSVP“Arts education not only taps into students’ creativity, but it’s a way to build learning in every other subject -‐-‐ from literacy to foreign languages, science, and math,” said City Schools CEO Sonja Brookins Santelises. “Arts programs are one of the things that make young people excited about coming to school. Our students need and deserve strong arts programs, and this grant will help us provide equitable arts programming across the district.”
“We are excited to partner with City Schools in this planning process which will result in increased opportunities for all City Schools students to develop their skills in visual and performing arts, support classroom teachers in using the arts to make learning in any subject more dynamic, and assist schools in improving positive parent involvement, school climate, student attendance and achievement.” said Arts Every Day Executive Director Julia Di Bussolo. “We’ve seen significant, positive results in the 40 plus schools we have worked in over the past 10 years. Now is the time to ensure that all City Schools and students can experience the positive “impact” of comprehensive arts education.”
About Arts Every Day
Arts Every Day (AED) is proud to be a driving force in building and sustaining a Baltimore City that values public education through creativity, art, and culture. A 501(c) 3 founded in 2006 as one in only eight organizations originally funded by the Ford Foundation, AED works to ensure all Baltimore City Public Schools students have access to the arts every day through arts education, arts programming, and arts-‐integrated instruction. Arts Every Day works toward this goal through the forging of partnerships with schools and the arts and cultural community over the long-‐term to inspire lasting change. For more information, visit www.artseveryday.org.
About the National Endowment for the Arts
Established by Congress in 1965, the NEA is the independent federal agency whose funding and support gives Americans the opportunity to participate in the arts, exercise their imaginations, and develop their creative capacities. Through partnerships with state arts agencies, local leaders, other federal agencies, and the philanthropic sector, the NEA supports arts learning, affirms and celebrates America’s rich and diverse cultural heritage, and extends its work to promote equal access to the arts in every community across America. For more information, visit www.arts.gov.