EdVestors, a Boston-based school improvement organization, on Monday June, 10, awarded $485,000 in grants to over 30 nonprofits working with 60 Boston Public Schools (BPS) to support equitable, quality arts education for the 2024-2025 school year.
In the South End, Blackstone Elementary and Melvin H. King South End Academy will benefit from their partnerships with local arts organizations, including Art Resource Collaborative for Kids (ARCK), Boston Music Project, and The Huntington Theatre. Through these grants, South End students will continue to receive a robust, quality arts education
Since its inception in 2009, BPS Arts Expansion has increased the number of BPS students receiving arts education by nearly 17,000 annually, establishing Boston as a national leader in expanding access to arts education.
"The importance of BPS Arts Expansion and its tangible impact on students cannot be overstated," said Mary Skipper, Superintendent of Boston Public Schools. "I am grateful for the ongoing partnership between the BPS, EdVestors, funders, and so many others that has made progress possible over 15 years. An enriching arts education is paramount, particularly in the aftermath of the pandemic, to help students re-engage with their peers and teachers, provide students with a sense of belonging, and to improve their social-emotional skill development, and overall well-being."
The announcement of this year's grants follows the recent annual BPS Citywide Arts Festival, which took place last week on the Boston Common and at the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building. The three-day event celebrated the importance of the arts in BPS and featured music, dance, and theater performances from nearly 1,000 students across the school district.
"For 15 years, BPS Arts Expansion has played a critical role in increasing equitable access to quality arts education for students across Boston," said Marinell Rousmaniere, President & CEO of EdVestors. "The arts play an important role in the personal, academic, and social-emotional development of young people. These grants will ensure that Boston continues to lead the way in arts instruction, together with the robust investment made by the Boston Public Schools for the year ahead. None of this is possible without the unwavering support of BPS leadership, the Mayor's Office, and our dedicated funders and nonprofit partners."
The positive impact of arts education goes beyond bringing out the creativity in students. Research has shown that arts education improves student engagement, including increasing attendance among chronically absent students. Students reported greater levels of belonging at school and engagement in learning when their school days included arts education.
BPS Arts Expansion brings together local foundations, the school district, arts organizations, higher education institutions, and the Mayor's Office. Lead funders include the Barr Foundation, Catherine and Paul Buttenwieser Foundation, The Klarman Family Foundation, Linde Family Foundation, and the National Endowment for the Arts.