Dear Mr. Finkelpearl:
Since 1971 the New York Foundation for the Arts has been providing support to empower emerging artists and arts organizations across all disciplines at critical stages in their creative lives and professional/organizational development. NYFA’s Learning/Professional Development Program, which includes panels, workshops, individual consultations, and training opportunities, has been geared to working artists and college-level students. Although our foundation gives support to several non-profits arts organizations serving school-age children, we have found, as a result of grant research conducted, that high school age students are underrepresented especially in communities embodying the lowest quarter of socioeconomic status. To counteract this downward trend, we have created and are requesting support for NYFA’s Youth Community Arts Program.
According to the Office of the New York City Comptroller’s April 2014 report on the “State of the Arts” 20 percent of all high schools lack even one full-time, certified arts teacher. Reductions in arts education have fallen disproportionately on the City’s lower income neighborhoods, especially in the South Bronx and Central Brooklyn. This report led to a restoration of $23 million in art funding for students throughout the five boroughs compared to $13.6 million spent in school year 2012-2013. However, this still is not up to the level of $25.7 million that schools spent in SY 2006-2007. This is important because inflationary cost increases and possible diversion of funds to other programs are not taken into account. NYFA’s Youth Community Arts Program, by creating an active partnership with these historically underserved high schools in the South Bronx and Central Brooklyn, will ensure that high school students get the arts education they deserve and need.
Arts education is particularly essential at the high school level as it plays an important role in student achievement levels. For low-income schools, arts have the impact of keeping students in school, lowering dropout rates, managing behavior, and improving GPAs and standardized test scores. This is according to a report, “The Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth”, from The National Endowment for the Arts, December 19, 2014. At-risk students who receive a quality arts education are four times more likely to be recognized for academic achievement, have higher rates of graduation and college enrollment, better workforce opportunities, and more civic engagement.
NYFA’s Youth Community Arts Program is currently receiving support from The New York Community Trust’s Edward and Sally Van Lier Fund and the Joan Mitchell Foundation. We are respectfully requesting your consideration of a grant in the amount of $20,000. This amount will help fund our pilot project targeting the top 20% of economically disadvantaged high schools in the South Bronx (District Seven) and Central Brooklyn (District 17) starting in the school year 2015-1016. Prior to the start of the fall semester our staff will provide training, curriculum advise, and aid with interview/hiring of certified art instructors. Expertise in arts career education, entrepreneurial training, and sustainability will be shared by our extensive staff of art professionals through a series of workshops and one-on-one consultations throughout the school year. Students will be encouraged to utilize our online resources and attend offerings from NYFA’s Learning /Professional Development Program.
We believe that the assistance NYFA’s Youth Community Arts Program provides through partnerships to these schools will guarantee that the arts funding provided by the de Blasio administration will be utilized to provide the maximum benefits to their at-risk students. We appreciate your time and consideration of this project. Please find attached a copy of our 501(c)3 letter. Thank you.
Sincerely,
