In This Issue: Act Now: ERTC Reinstatement Gaining Support; States Now Processing FEMA Safe Opening Assistance; U.S. Copyright Office Opens Talks on ‘Bots’; Shuttered Venue Grants in Action Nationwide; NEA American Rescue Plan Grants to Aid 24 Orchestras; New Engagement by U.S. Department of Education on Arts Learning; Engaging International Artists? Explore Consular Waivers, Confirm Approved Vaccines
National Arts in Education Week takes place September 12 through 18 this year, and as always the League invites orchestras to join in celebrating and promoting the importance of music education that takes place within schools.
With a mobile, state-of-the-art shipping container as a stage, the New York Philharmonic partnered with six organizations and more than 100 artists to present four weekend-long festivals across New York City and deepen their connection with communities as part of NY Phil Bandwagon 2.
Given the extremely challenging learning circumstances amid the COVID-19 crisis, our collective commitment to improving music education opportunities in school for all children is stronger than ever.
While last week officially marked National Arts in Education Week, dedicated advocates know that school-based music education requires advocacy throughout the year. COVID-19 is disrupting how, where, and what students are learning in unprecedented ways, but the value of arts education remains high: Arts Education Is Essential.
For far too long, inadequate data about the state of arts education in schools has allowed structural inequities to persist, which has prevented many students from experiencing, learning about, and becoming practitioners of the arts in their schools. Earlier this month, the National Endowment for the Arts and Education Commission of the States released a new suite of resources that has been two years in the making–the Arts Education Data Toolkit.
The League joined more than fifty national organizations issuing the statement, Arts Education Is Essential (PDF), which succinctly reminds school administrators and the public that — especially in the context of COVID-19 — arts education contributes to the social and emotional well-being of students, encourages student expression, and is essential to a well-rounded education for all students.
Last month, the Appropriations Committee of the U.S. House of Representatives advanced all twelve of its funding bills for FY21, followed shortly by passage by the full House of a package containing nearly all of them.
Late last month, the League joined a group of more than 50 national organizations that collaborated to issue a statement of support for arts education particularly in the context of COVID-19.
Federal emergency funding provided in the CARES Act is now available to states through block grants and emergency relief resources intended to support the new costs of adapting to learning needs amid the COVID-19 crisis. Funds are primarily targeted to Title I schools, and state and local education policy leaders are given opportunities to choose how to direct these COVID-19 relief resources.