5 Council Members, Including Speaker Menin, Release Videos to Celebrate Arts and Music in Our Schools Month

NEW YORK, NY (03/25/2026) (readMedia)-- In celebration of Arts and Music in Our Schools Month, New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin and Council Members Kamillah Hanks, Lynn Schulman, Selvena Powers, and Amanda Farías released a series of five videos highlighting the importance of arts education in their own lives and calling on the city to protect and expand access to quality arts instruction for all students in this year's budget.

WATCH HERE.

The video series features each elected official speaking directly to the role arts education played in their lives and the urgent need to invest in the teaching artists and cultural organizations that make it possible.

"For so many young people, the arts are where they discover their voice, build community, and develop skills that stay with them for the rest of their lives. Arts education is fundamental to a well-rounded education, and to the future of our city," said Speaker Julie Menin.

"As a Puerto Rican and Dominican Latina who grew up in the Bronx, music and art were always a part of everyday life. In those moments, you're not just watching a performance – you're witnessing history, identity, and pride being passed down in real time," said Council Member Amanda Farías.

"When I was 8 years old, I started going to Snug Harbor Arts Cultural Center. It helped me get into LaGuardia Music, Art and Performing Arts as an art major," said Council Member Kamillah Hanks.

"In junior high school, I was a member of the band and played the trumpet, which is unusual for somebody who's female. I learned how to read music, how to push myself to play better and better, and I participated in parades and all kinds of events. I'm a much better person for it," said Council Member Lynn Schulman.

"My daughter and I got to perform in the same show at her recital last year. She got to see me rehearse the way she has to rehearse. The arts allow an outlet to release energy and express ourselves, and that's why I love dance," said Council Member Selvena Brooks-Powers.

There are over 900 cultural organizations working in schools, employing a workforce estimated to be nearly 11,000. Yet despite this reach, significant gaps remain. According to the NYC Department of Education's most recent Annual Arts Education Report, tens of thousands of students still lack consistent access to certified arts instruction. Research consistently shows that students with access to arts education demonstrate stronger academic outcomes, improved attendance, and greater social-emotional wellbeing.

Since the beginning of the COVID pandemic, schools nationwide have reported a growing disparity in students' academic success across income levels. The arts are a proven tool for not only improving students' mental health, but also increasing student engagement and improving their social and developmental progress. Research shows students from low-income communities who are highly engaged in the arts are more likely to obtain gainful employment, complete college, and volunteer in their communities than peers with low arts involvement.

BACKGROUND:

The city can help teaching artists and students by:

ADDRESS COST-OF-LIVING CRISIS FOR ARTS EDUCATION WORKFORCE

• Continue reforms to contracting with city agencies. specifically targeting NYCPS' Multi-Task Award Contract (MTAC) and CASA contracts, to ensure timely contract remittance and payments, accessible processes, and fair per-class rates that reflect the true cost of programming and labor.
• Launch insurance pilots to support teaching artist affordability. Aligned with Creatives Rebuild NY and the Center for an Urban Future, NYC can reduce economic precarity for the arts workforce by piloting a freelancers portable benefits program and a pooled insurance program for smaller orgs.
• Restore and Baseline Funding for the Department of Cultural Affairs ($30M). Baselining this one-time addition supports arts organizations and workers city-wide, offering sector-wide stabilization and preventing further artist displacement.

PRESERVING & IMPROVING ARTS EDUCATION IN SCHOOLS

• Restore and Enhance "Support for Arts Instruction" initiative funding. Increase allocation from $4M to $6M to meet city-wide demand for increased arts learning opportunities.
• Require NYCPS arts funding be spent on the arts. Boost the per student arts allocation to $100 from $89.76, and require that money be spent on arts education.
• Ensure Every School Has a Certified Arts Teacher: Ensure that all schools have at least one certified arts teacher, in part by reviving the successful supplemental arts certification program ($4M) and funding a PE Works-inspired improvement plan using the already baselined arts education funding.
• Improve arts education data transparency. Require mandatory reporting on school-level arts education access, participation, spending, and MTAC procurement (R1129/R1180) via T&C.
• Update the NYCPS Blueprint for Arts Learning to define sequential pathways for arts learning that integrate culturally-responsive pedagogy and reflect rapid advancements in media and technology (last updated in 2015).