FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

If you have additional questions, please send
us an e-mail or call 877-434-ARTS x300.

Q. What does The Center for Arts Education do?

A. The Center for Arts Education (CAE) is committed to restoring, stimulating and sustaining quality arts education as an essential part of every child’s education in the New York City public schools. We create, identify, fund and support exemplary partnerships and programs that utilize the arts to contribute to learning and student achievement.

Under our new Strategic Plan, we will develop citywide programs, events and initiatives in two broad areas, public engagement and capacity building, in order to meet the following primary goals:

  • Ensure that all New York City public schools integrate high-quality arts learning and teaching into the education of every student.
  • Mobilize a broad community of supporters for school-based arts programs and experiences.
  • Improve the quality of teaching and learning through grant programs, professional development, cultural partnerships and other initiatives.
  • Increase the resources available for arts education in the schools and for the larger field.
  • Raise awareness of arts education and the work of CAE.

Q. How does CAE work with schools?

A. CAE works with schools in the following capacities:

  • Parents As Arts Partners grants fund programs that are developed and implemented by schools in collaboration with arts organizations, community-based organizations, and cultural institutions. PAAP grant programs increase parental support by teaching families the value of art in education. In offering these grants, CAE’s overall goal is to encourage parents to become advocates who will influence the public school system to increase and sustain the arts as a part of every child’s education.
  • Career Development Program
    CAE’s Career Development Program creates outstanding opportunities for high school students and educators to participate in school-to-career activities in the arts and related industries. The program’s primary goal is to expose students, teachers, counselors and administrators to the many career options in New York City’s over $13 billion arts industry.
  • Professional Development & Peer Exchange
    From time to time, CAE offers Professional Development & Peer Exchange resources and workshops to support school and cultural organization representatives from our grant programs. Professional Development & Peer Exchange offerings have included sessions on Looking At Student Work and Evaluation & Assessment, Inter-visitations to other CAE-funded schools, and publications such as the Career Development Handbooks.

Q. How will CAE’s programs change under the new Strategic Plan?

A. CAE will complement its most identifiable, historic programs with a wide range of new efforts. These include creating citywide programs and events, as well as initiatives to stay informed and responsive to the rapidly changing school system environment. Additionally, CAE will work with a broad range of partners – deepening its core relationships with the Department of Education, Department of Cultural Affairs and United Federation of Teachers, while establishing new ones. See the Strategic Plan brochure for a list of our new initiatives.

Q. How can I get CAE involved in my kid’s school?

A. CAE will complement its most identifiable, historic programs with a wide range of new efforts. These include creating citywide programs and events, as well as initiatives to stay informed and responsive to the rapidly changing school system environment. Additionally, CAE will work with a broad range of partners – deepening its core relationships with the Department of Education, Department of Cultural Affairs and United Federation of Teachers, while establishing new ones. See the Strategic Plan (link to Plan) for a list of our new initiatives.

Q. Why are the arts important?

A. The arts provide students with a powerful opportunity for self-expression, collaboration, and confidence building, as well as the development of skills in and knowledge of music composition, dance, choreography, acting, script writing, visual art making, design, and more. Arts programs motivate structural or organizational improvements and offer alternative approaches that can improve both teaching and learning.

Q. What is the current role of arts education in the New York City school system?

A. Since the devastating system-wide cutbacks of the 1970s, the arts have been returned to New York City schools – but they have not been fully restored. Access to arts instruction remains a critical issue, with hundred of thousands of students underserved. For example, the school system has just one licensed music teacher per 1,154 students. Hundreds of schools have no licensed arts specialists at all.

Q. I’m a parent. Where can I learn more about getting my child involved in the arts?

A. On our website, you can access CAE Related Publications that offer arts education resources for parents, as well as tips from our Family Engagement Expert. In addition, our Resources for Parents
and Families page provides links to organizations that offer information on arts programs for young people, such as the Partnership for After School Education, the Alliance for the Arts, and the National Art Education Association. CAE will also be offering a Parent Guide in fall 2007, providing parents in the New York City school system with resources and information about arts education.

Q. How can my child’s school access the resources provided by CAE? What grants or funding opportunities do you offer to schools?

A. Nearly ever school in the New York City school system is eligible to apply for CAE’s Parents As Arts Partners grant, and applications for the program are accepted in the fall. Work with representatives from your school to plan ahead if you are interested in applying.

Q. I’m a teaching artist. Where can I get a job?

A. CAE generally does not hire or contract directly with teaching artists. The schools we fund shape their own arts education programs and choose the arts organizations and artists that they wish to include in their arts partnership. Please contact individual arts organizations directly about employment opportunities. We also welcome you to explore our Resources for Teaching Artists link.

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