Initiatives
Election 2009
Candidate Responses On Arts Education Candidate Questionnaire
- The Office of New York City Public Advocate
The following responses to a first-ever candidate questionnaire on arts education policy were received by candidates for the Office of New York City Public Advocate. Candidate questionnaires were delivered to all certified candidates for the office.
The Center for Arts Education is a 501(c)(3) nonpartisan organization that neither supports nor opposes any candidate or political party for office.
Bill de Blasio - VIEW THE CANDIDATE RESPONSE
Loss of Arts Spaces in Public Schools
CAE Advocates for Preservation of Arts Spaces in Schools
Friday, October 3rd, 2008 — At a rally on the steps of City Hall and at a City Council hearing on school overcrowding, The Center for Arts Education sounded the call for the preservation of disappearing arts spaces in New York City’s public schools. Citing a recent survey that found that 25 percent of New York City school principals reported losing their art, music, dance, drama, or foreign language spaces to general education classrooms during their tenure, CAE called on the Department of Education to maintain, expand, and reclaim spaces dedicated to learning in and through the arts.
Download the related report “A Better Capital Plan,” authored by The Task Force on Overcrowding, The United Federation of Teachers, Class Size Matters, and The Center for Arts Education.
State Arts Budget
CAE Joins Fight to Restore Cuts to New York State Arts Budget
In early 2009 the Legislature approved Governor Paterson's proposed $7 million cut to the state arts budget for 2008-2009 as part of the $1.6 billion deficit reduction package. The cut to the New York State Council on the Arts, dedicated to preserving and expanding the rich and diverse cultural resources that are and will become the heritage of New York's citizens, represents more than 5 percent of the total cuts to all state agencies.
Among CAE allies calling for a restoration of the funds in next year’s budget are Alliance of New York State Arts Organizations, The New York City Arts Coalition, National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences, and The American Federation of Musicians.
