In 2018, Baltimore City Public Schools adopted a Fine Arts Strategic Plan to increase access to Visual Art, Music, Dance, Theater, and Media Arts. According to School Year 2020-21 district course data, 90% of Baltimore City Schools now offer courses in Visual Arts, and 68% of schools offer courses in Music. However, less than 15% of students have access to Instrumental Music, Theater, and Dance instruction.
With new Federal funding coming, Baltimore City has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to seriously invest in the expansion of Fine Arts by using new funding from the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future and federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding. Arts advocates need your help to make sure the arts are a priority. How can you help?
1.Complete the survey posted on the site - prioritize fine arts: https://www.baltimorecityschools.org/triple-r-2021
2. Sign the petition asking to dedicate funds from ESSER and Maryland Blueprint for Success (Kirwan) allocations to implement the Fine Arts Strategic Plan.
3. Attend a BCPSS Reconnect, Restore, Reimagine session and tell the district why Fine Arts expansion matters to you. To see the list of upcoming meetings and help make sure there is an arts advocate at every session, here is a link to the Sign-Up form. All meetings are open to the public.
For more information, contact our members at Arts Every Day: [email protected].
On a lighter note, how are you preparing for the arrival of Brood X? The cicadas are coming, and you don’t want to miss their merch. Celebrate with a fun laser-cut cicada model from OpenWorks. The laser-cut cicada ships as a flat-pack kit; pop the pieces out and snap them together. Are you interested in your cicada culinary options? Check out this article on how to catch and eat cicadas from The Washington Post yummm. Or perhaps you are looking for an immersive outdoor adventure? If so, the Cicada Parada at Patterson Park may just be for you.
Embrace your inner Brood X,
Jeannie
