Arts education gets $1.8-million in foundation funds

Some good news for arts education: The Wallace Foundation today announced a $1.2-million grant to the Los Angeles County Arts Commission and a $600,000 planning grant to Los Angeles Unified School District.

M. Christine DeVita, president of the foundation, explained why the money was being given: “We believe every child –- and our broader society –- benefits from high-quality arts learning and that arts education deserves a secure place in our communities. Arts learning can enhance a child’s ability to learn how to learn; it can develop skills of persistence and teamwork; it can enhance the school experience for students -- sustaining their interest and enthusiasm for learning; and it can nurture empathy and foster imagination through experiences that the arts uniquely provide."

The $1.2-million grant will enable the Arts for All program to build on its first six years. The strategies the grant supports call for deepening Arts for All’s partnerships with the 28 Los Angeles County school districts which joined the initiative.

Several new elements will be added: coaching customized to meet district-specific needs and building a national cadre of specialist coaches to augment local expertise; the creation of a leadership fellows program to enhance the arts education knowledge of district leaders; and the launch of a professional development program to increase the capacity of arts coordinators and teachers to deliver quality arts instruction.

The grant to L.A. Unified will support research on arts instructional practices that involve arts teachers, classroom teachers and the arts community.

There are two primary components to the Wallace Arts for Young People Initiative at LAUSD.  The first involves the convening of seven groups to consider, think, plan and make recommendations for for arts education in the district. These convening groups include teachers, arts teachers, large budget arts organizations, public education administrators, national arts experts and the public and parents. 

The second component is the retrieval of essential information and data related to the implementation of arts education for all students. 

-- Mary MacVean

Photo: Dance class at Rockdale Elementary School. Credit: Clarence Williams / Los Angeles Times