In the Cut

On a budget page that proposes massive cuts to education and the arts, the state of New York also expresses its "strong commitment to quality public education". Irony is lost in the confusion--poor thing.

Governor David Paterson's Executive Budget was proposed in January, and has not yet been adopted. In fact, New York State is still operating without a budget, well after the budget deadline has passed. Governor David Paterson has ordered a set of 1-day cost-saving furloughs--but those have been blocked after legal appeals by state worker's unions.

Theoretically, there is still time for your voice to be heard on these cuts.

Find your local representative's contact information at Americans for the Arts' Arts Action Center.

Westchester's Challenge

The Westchester Arts Council's Municipal Challenge grant program matches municipal funds raised by organizations. Only institutions with a funding track-record are eligible, and priority will be given to outdoor and summer events.

Download the 2010 Municipal Challenge Grant Guidelines here (PDF).

For the full application and detailed information, visit ArtsWestchester.org or contact Eric Siegel at esiegel@ArtsWestchester.org.

Your Share

Over at Arts Ed 411, the blog of the Califonia Alliance for Arts Education, an article by Mark Slavkin of LA's Music Center blasts the "arts as charity model" and makes some other fine points. Mr. Slavkin says it's time to " embrace a vision for a “shared delivery model” in which classroom teachers, arts specialists, and community arts resources collaborate and coordinate their efforts so that kids gain access to a truly comprehensive program."

In the midst of an economic crisis that has devasted school budgets in California, and the rest of the country, sharing does seem to be the best course of action.

Quick, someone tell the Lords of Equity. Maybe they can be convinced to give back some significant portion of their recent astronomical earnings?

Sing Out

he Center for Arts Education Staying in School (pdf), a highly anticipated rdicates that you may indeed be doing something meaningful with your life in art.

"High schools in the top third of graduation rates were more likely to have offered students an opportunity to attend an arts activity, such as a theater performance, dance recital, or museum exhibit, than schools in the bottom third."

The CAE report in "dedicate resources to support arts instruction," and

This report collides head on with Governor David Paterson's massive $3 billion deficit reduction plan for New York State. Education will take the force of the blow—losing $480 million of its budget between now and the end of the fiscal year on March 31, 2010.

Tell everyone.

Sing-along

The Promise

Education Week offers a Free Live Webinar in which two reporters will outline how our school districts are handling the ludicrous amounts of new funding for Title I, professional development activities.

Are all those tax dollars ending up where they should?

Education Stimulus: A Progress Report

Thursday, May 21, 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. EST Free registration is now open.

All New

The Community Arts Network   reports that Claudine Brown, director of the Arts and Culture Program at the Nathan Cummings Foundation, may be a candidate for chair of the National Endowment for the Arts. 

Read about it at Daily Kos.