Many of you may have read the article that appeared at the bottom of the front page of the Metro section of Saturday's Plain Dealer that detailed significant cuts in the Friends of Cleveland School of the Arts' operations due to shortfalls in fundraising efforts. It seems like every day we read news like this from the local arts & culture sector, but this is one example that is really painful.
The Friends of the School of the Arts (FSA) are the fundraising branch for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District's (CMSD) School of the Arts magnet program. The program is a great success story within the district, consistently producing some of the highest test scores and graduation rates within the system. The FSA has always been considered a model of successful cooperation between the community and the public school system, so the news that they are coming up short despite their very best efforts is quite disturbing. It is my hope that the community rallies behind the FSA, and that their record of significant impact continues unabated into the future. The Music Settlement has several programs that we offer in partnership with the School of the Arts to enrich the arts educational experience for their students. We feel there are few organizations better positioned to reach out to our community and strengthen our school system.
Speaking of the CMSD, another great arts-based program they provide is the All-City Musical (ACM) program, which allows talented students from across the district to be featured in a major musical theater production staged at Playhouse Square. I attended the production of Dreamgirls last year, and can honestly say it was the most impressive high school-aged production I have ever seen, actually one of the best performances I've seen, period. The ACM program this year is called A Decade of Dreams and is a tribute to its first 10 years - an event not to be missed. The production will be presented at the newly renovated Hanna Theatre downtown (a treat in itself) and runs Friday May 29th at 7:30 pm and Sunday May 31st at 3:00 and 7:30 pm. There is also a special gala event/performance on Saturday the 30th beginning at 6:00 pm. Call (216) 241-6000 for reservations. This is an excellent chance to support CMSD's art and culture efforts and have a great time to boot! The Music Settlement also is a major supporter of the ACM, providing training for the singers and pit musicians and underwriting professional musicians in the pit as well.
It often falls to unique partnerships like The Friends of CSA or The Music Settlement's support of both CSA and ACM to fill the gaps that develop in providing quality arts education in public schools. With so much at stake, it's critical that all levels of education offered to our children prepare them for the greatest possible success. Placing the arts squarely in the foundation of the educational plan has been proven to positively influence the academic performance of students in all disciplines. I urge you to help organizations like the friends of CSA and The Music Settlement build that foundation. We need your support- buy tickets, make donations, volunteer. Do not allow such efforts to disappear in the tidal wave of economic hardship. Let's ensure that subsequent news items are all about success, not despair. The future of our children and our community is in our hands. Make the best of it!
Have a great week!
No comments:
Post a Comment