Members of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable, joined by City Council members and various arts advocates, called for greater transparency in arts education funding during a Tuesday gathering outside of City Hall.
The event, which took place ahead of the City Council’s Joint Oversight Hearing on Ensuring Equity and Access in the Arts, highlighted the urgent need for accurate data regarding students’ access to arts education across the city.
According to Kimberly Olsen, executive director of the NYC Arts in Education Roundtable, poor data and communication negatively affect students’ access to quality arts education.
“Arts education is essential to every student’s success, and the Roundtable is proud to have the Council’s support in ensuring all students have access to the arts,” Olsen said during the April 8 rally. “But right now, our ability to provide arts education — especially to students who need it most — is held back by a lack of transparent data and outdated reporting requirements that fail to identify where public support is needed most.”
Data from the most recent Arts in Schools Report claimed that 99% of schools provide arts instruction. However, advocates argue that since 290 NYC public schools do not have a single certified arts teacher, that data may be inaccurate, urging a need for more precise data.
“New York City cannot ensure equitable access, meaningful participation, or quality arts instruction for all students without greater transparency in how arts funding is spent and how student engagement is measured,” she said.
The rally also supported the relaunch of the campaign “It Starts with the Arts,” which encourages the Mayor and City Council to support arts education funding and improve access to arts instruction. Ralliers are calling for a detailed breakdown of arts education data at the school level, urging lawmakers to take concrete steps toward increasing transparency in funding.
Council Member Carlina Rivera — who attended the rally with Council Members Rita Joseph, Keith Powers, Eric Dinowitz and Mercedes Narcisse — emphasized the importance of arts education.
“Arts education shapes students into well-rounded young New Yorkers and sets them up for success in school, work, and their personal lives… every single student in New York City, regardless of their background, deserves access to the immense benefits of arts education,” Rivera said.
Several organizations and individuals also voiced their support, highlighting the crucial role of arts education in youth development.
“For us, arts education is about supporting young people to build important skills that will help them succeed in life,” Rachel Watts, executive director of ArtsConnection said.
“We’re still not there…,” Council Member Gale Brewer said. “It’s time for the city to finish the job and ensure every student at every school has arts education opportunities — and that starts with greater transparency in understanding our arts ecosystem.”
The NYC Arts in Education Roundtable and its supporters are advocating for a robust list of funding and reporting improvements, aimed at revitalizing the arts education landscape for NYC students.
