EdTA Advocacy Update
April 2, 2020
The Advocacy Update is where you can find current national and state news concerning arts advocacy and arts education.
STATE NEWS
Do you have state or province theatre or arts education news you want to share? Send it to Leah at lball@schooltheate.org
Arizona: Ducey budget provides $2M allocation toward Arizona arts (Scottsdale Independent)
Arizona Citizens For The Arts Presents 24-Hours Of Streaming Performances (Broadway World Phoenix)
California: Governor Newsom Announces California Arts Council Appointments (California Arts Council)
Colorado: Bonfils-Stanton helps Denver arts organizations during coronavirus outbreak (The Know)
Connecticut: Curtain Calls: Theater cancellations spread throughout Connecticut (Hartford Courant)
Hawaii: A New Direction for Honolulu Theatre for Youth: Social Distancing Does Not Mean Social Isolation (Broadway World Hawaii)
Illinois: Illinois Just Took A Big Step For Arts Education (Forbes)
Iowa: Student Support Helps DMPS Drama Teacher Keep His Job (WHO Channel 13)
Maryland: Organization bringing live performances to Baltimore residents' front yards (WMAR)
Michigan: Michigan bill would require music, art education in K-5 curriculum (ClickOnDetroit)
Detroit schools unveil expanded arts partnership (The Detroit News)
Minnesota: MCA's Sheila Smith on COVID-19 and the arts: 'It's devastating' (MinnPost)
Missouri: Arts And Education Council Announces New Board Chair and Members (Broadway World St. Louis)
New Jersey: Draft 2020 New Jersey Student Learning Standards - Includes Visual and Performing Arts (State of New Jersey Department of Education)
Murphy Signs Bipartisan Boost for Creative Industries (The Press Group)
New York: How Paul Simon is Helping NYC Students on Their Musical Journey (Spectrum News NY1)
Ohio: Ohio artists and arts organizations are seeing 'devastating economic implications' from COVID-19 crisis, surveys find (Crain’s Cleveland Business)
Oklahoma: Arts for everyone: Allied Arts launches annual campaign to impact Oklahoma (The Oklahoman)
Oklahoma State Department of Education drafts new Programs of Excellence plan to aid underperforming schools - New public metric of performance would allow districts to opt in to earn distinctions in various subjects, including fine arts. (OU Daily)
Oregon: Oregon lawmakers to consider emergency relief funding for arts, culture (KTVZ)
The Show Must Go On (Oregon Business)
Pennsylvania: Report Notes Growth, Inequities In Pittsburgh's Arts Community (WESA)
William Penn Foundation fast-tracks $6.6 million for the arts, adds $5 million for pre-K, loosens grant restrictions (The Philadelphia Inquirer)
South Dakota: COVID-19’s Impact On The Creative Sector (SDPB Radio)
Texas: Education professor to promote arts in education through task force (Victoria Advocate)
Utah: Utah's arts and culture scene takes a $29 million hit from COVID-19 (Fox 13 Salt Lake City)
Advocates want more art teachers in Utah schools and another financial boost for cultural groups (The Salt Lake Tribune)
Vermont: Art in a time of COVID-19 (VTDigger)
Washington: Carnegie Picture Lab is putting art back into schools (Union-Bulletin)
West Virginia: Lawmakers honored for their support for the arts (The Journal)
State Arts Office announces changes to arts grant programs (Charleston Gazette-Mail)
NATIONAL NEWS
Illinois adopts arts as a weighted success indicator in ESSA accountability - The state of Illinois has become the first state to include the arts as a distinct, weighted indicator of K-12 performance in its school accountability system. (Education Dive)
$2 Trillion Stimulus Package Includes Support for the Arts - The $2 trillion emergency stimulus package includes several provisions supporting the nation's arts and culture industry. (TheatreMania)
The Economic Impact of Coronavirus on the Arts and Culture Sector - The latest results from Americans for the Arts' ongoing survey to capture coronavirus-related economic impact reports from artists, arts organizations, and arts agencies of all types, genres, sizes, and tax statuses. (Americans for the Arts)
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Government plans to ‘level up’ access to music education backed by Andrew Lloyd Webber - Andrew Lloyd Webber is backing plans to develop a new government blueprint for music education in the UK, which promises to benefit all children “regardless of their background”. (The Stage)
Wales’ nationwide creative education project granted two-year extension - A program credited with transforming Wales’ creative education has been granted two further years of funding, to reach more children and help schools prepare for a new national curriculum that will embed the arts into teaching. (The Stage)
WORTH READING
Engaging the Arts in 2020’s Top Education Policy Priorities - The arts can be a critical part of the dialogue around the top six trending education policy priorities. (Americans for the Arts)
In the Midst of Crisis, ‘Theatre Is a Form of Knowledge’ - Alexander Santiago-Jirau, director of education at New York Theatre Workshop, discusses how theatre education professionals can be key partners in the field’s eventual recovery after the current crisis. (American Theatre)
The Show Must Go On: Watch the Best #SunshineSongs Amid Coronavirus-Canceled High School Musicals - Broadway star Laura Benanti tweeted a call out to kids whose school musicals were cancelled asking them to post videos of themselves singing so she could be their audience. (Billboard)