NYC Arts in Education Roundtable Urges City Lawmakers to Support Arts Education

NEW YORK, NY (01/17/2024) (readMedia)-- Today, in response to Mayor Eric Adams' preliminary budget proposal, Kimberly Olsen, Executive Director of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable issued the following statement:

"The arts are essential to a thriving New York City, and affect every part of our city by boosting mental health, improving public safety, and fostering opportunities for student growth and engagement. Arts are not optional - they are core to a well-rounded education and integral to our city's approach to an improved future for all. Mayor Adams' preliminary budget falls short of what is needed -cuts to the Department of Cultural Affairs harm the heartbeat of our city's cultural economic engine alongside future generations of New Yorkers who rely on arts and arts education for their wellbeing. Culture cannot be discarded amid difficult discussions, which is why the Council and the Administration must protect that funding in their negotiations in the coming months. Culture and arts education should not be the first thing on the chopping block, and we're determined to make sure that isn't the case this year."

Background:

Two years ago, the New York City Arts in Education Roundtable launched "It Starts with the Arts," a campaign to highlight the importance of arts education and urge city lawmakers to guarantee access to arts education for all students.