Introduction

In the aftermath of severe budget cuts to education and the arts, and in support of the Wallace Foundation's efforts to further anchor arts education within LAUSD and the County of Los Angeles, local community arts providers have engaged in reflection about the role of professional arts organizations working within schools and in the community. Here are the results of our reflection.

Who are we?

We are a broad cross-section of arts and cultural organizations - large and small - dedicated to working in partnership with Los Angeles County agencies, school districts, parents, and civic leaders to strengthen arts education for all students.

What is our mission?

Our mission is to ensure that the creative vitality of professional artists, arts organizations, and cultural resources in Los Angeles is utilized for maximum impact to support learning in and through the arts for all students.

What is our vision?

As a world-class creative capital, Los Angeles will be known for the well-rounded education - including arts education - provided to its young people. To realize the goal of quality arts education for all, county agencies, school districts, and individual schools will align and coordinate efforts to maximize the positive impact on student learning and teacher growth. In addition to the instruction provided in schools, all students and families will feel welcomed in our region’s arts and cultural venues, and enjoy a sense of connection to the resources artists provide.

What supports this vision?

This is a critical juncture for arts education - and indeed for all education - across California. Important progress in rebuilding arts education is bumping up against severe budget cuts. More than ever, we need to make sure we are making the optimal use of every available resource. We cannot afford to work in isolation, competition, or ignorance of potential partners.

Students deserve access to Music, Dance, Theatre, Visual and Media Arts. The California Visual and Performing Arts content standards provide the scope of student learning in each of the art forms: students are expected to demonstrate technical skills, create art work, place art in a historical and cultural context, express informed judgments about the qualities of an art work, and make connections to other disciplines. Arts education is not a single school subject. Achieving these goals for students requires a team approach. No one can do it alone.

We therefore recognize the need for an overall framework of ‘shared delivery’ for arts instruction which defines the roles and responsibilities of: 1) classroom teachers, 2) arts specialists, and 3) community arts providers. Drawing on the strengths and expertise of each member, this team approach is essential to helping all students achieve in and through the arts.

Truly effective partnerships and collaborations require time to plan. If such planning is to be “built-in” to our schools on a systemic basis, it requires more than the good will of the individuals involved. It requires supportive policies and funding at the school and district levels. The same spirit of partnership and collaboration needed in the classroom needs to exist around the decision-making tables of county agencies and school districts in order to create robust, sustainable approaches to sequential arts learning for all students.

We believe the distinguishing trait of arts education programs is the ‘shared delivery’ model. This innovative format connects schools to their communities and engages professionals in the education of future generations. At a time when we seek to reduce the isolation of our schools, arts education programs provide a powerful model for reaching out to all students.

What do we provide for schools?

Professional community arts providers:

• create opportunities for children to interact with professionals in meaningful ways

• are models of creativity, sharing the resources and experience of professional artists working in the field

• offer targeted, cost-effective services to school districts

• work in concert with classroom teachers, arts specialists, and other stakeholders to ensure the instructional excellence, artistic quality, and creative vitality of programming

• elicit awe and promote cultural engagement and understanding through live arts experiences

• allow students and teachers to visit art and cultural institutions, deepening their relationship with their community

• provide models of interdisciplinary teaching strategies through professional development programs

• bring the arts to classrooms that do not otherwise receive regular instruction

• supplement or assume the delivery of discrete technical skills

• complement and illuminate mandated curriculum, helping students develop cognitive skills

• showcase career options in the arts, linking classroom study with personal and professional worlds

• are key partners in developing and sustaining safe, tolerant environments for children’s expression and personal growth

• build community and bridge generations through the arts

• constitute a model for 21st century learning partnerships and a gateway to innovation in education

• contribute ongoing research and development to the field

From professional development to performance, from residencies to after-school programs, community arts providers are woven into the fabric of arts education K-12 throughout Los Angeles County. Through greater collaboration and coordination, we aim to take the impact of our efforts to the next level.

What is our agenda?

Our aim is to:

• give community arts providers a united voice which represents their best interests and best practices

• work together with county agencies and school districts to design new models and delivery systems in alignment with community arts resources

• make it easier for districts and individual schools to make informed decisions about which community arts resources can best support their specific needs and learning goals

• assist in the evaluation of current arts plans, curricula, and programs at county, district, and school levels

• collaborate in the development of an evaluation template to help determine both the quantitative and qualitative impact of programs

• provide mentorship and professional development to emerging providers, arts specialists, parents, district administrators, and classroom teachers

• document and share our experience delivering arts education programs throughout the county

• increase the quality and impact of programs through improved communication and peer interaction

• collaborate in a systemic manner with arts education stakeholders (Los Angeles County Arts Commission, Los Angeles unified School District, Arts For All Districts, PTA, civic leaders, etc.) and regularly inform the field of community arts providers

• coordinate and align our advocacy work with other leadership organizations, such as Arts for L.A. and California Alliance for Arts Education

• heighten visibility and appreciation for our work

By this statement, we declare our resolution to come together as a consortium of professional Los Angeles artists, arts organizations, and cultural institutions dedicated to supporting learning in and through the arts for all students.