March Is National Arts Education Month

Arts Council Programs Provide Service and Support to Local Students, Families

March is National Art in Education Month and the Arts Council Santa Cruz County is a leading regional resource for arts education, touching the lives of thousands of students.

The Arts Council aids Mariposa’s Art which is an after-school program that educates high school students on art concepts and teaching skills. Those students then become after-school art teachers for elementary school students. The Arts Council also supports SPECTRA Teaching Artists in schools, Artist Teacher Partnerships (art teachers and classroom teachers working together to integrate art education into other subjects), and Family Arts Nights, which engage the whole family with first-hand artful experiences and transform parents and grandparents into arts education advocates.

Combined, these programs provide art education programming to over 14,000 students countywide.

“Arts education teaches skills students need to be prepared for the 21st century work force and reinforces the belief that students should receive an education that includes activities that engage them in a fun and holistic way so they are able to learn through seeing, doing, and being. This leads to a richer understanding of themselves and world around them.” – Sarah Brothers Bot, Arts Education Manager at Arts Council Santa Cruz County

Federal core curriculum standards have recently incorporated the Arts into the Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM), now known as STEAM. Yet, many schools in the region receive Title 1 funds, have among the lowest possible rating in California’s Academic Performance Index, and lack sufficient funding for arts education during the regular school day. Schools are striving to provide quality education and meet proficiency standards, while having few enrichment resources to support large blocks of children with exacerbated need.

Support locally and nation-wide continues to gain traction for programs like that of Mariposa’s Art. A recent New York Times article, “A Philanthropist Drills Down to Discover Why Programs Work,” highlights Susan Crown’s focus on programs success being tied to those that foster skills like grit, empathy and perseverance are determinates of future success. Arts Council Santa Cruz County’s sees these important life skills developed through the Mariposa’s Art program which has been serving students in Pajaro Valley for over two decades.

The Arts Council Santa Cruz County steps into the gap by providing arts education and supporting programs that already exist in local schools.

Reflecting back on his experience as a Mariposa’s Art student teacher alumni from 2008-2009, Gerardo Narez says: “I became more flexible, learned time management and patience. In college, I applied to be an R.A., and my experience with Mariposa’s Art really helped me excel in the position.”

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Arts Council Santa Cruz County’s mission is to promote, connect, and invest in the arts in order to stimulate creativity and vibrancy in Santa Cruz County. Learn more at artscouncilsc.org.