'Arts Matter Revitalizes Arts Education
In addition to emphasizing the importance of arts in schools, Arts Matter will also run a public art exhibition throughout the city. Artwork by notable LA artists will be displayed on buses and advertising spaces. The exhibition will be divided up into four intervals; the first will consist of artwork by Barbara Kruger, a conceptual artist known for her bold black-and-white photography. Kruger's piece "School Bus" will be featured on a bus wrap.
CBS Outdoor, a division of CBS Corporations that specializes in outdoor media advertising, provided the majority of the funding for the $4 million project. DreamWorks Animation also donated a significant amount to the campaign.
"Arts education is crucial for the success of our vibrant creative economy. If there is no arts education, there can be no companies like DreamWorks Animation," DreamWorks Animation CEO Jeffrey Katzenberg said.
Despite the recent $1.5 million cut in LAUSD budget, the District is working to provide arts education in every student's core curriculum. Studies have shown that arts education improves critical thinking and creative problem solving, skills essential in the current workplace.
"In a district with nearly 80 percent of our student population living in poverty, in the heart of world's creative capital, it is our imperative to ensure that public school students have the resources they need to prepare them for college and for their careers," LA Fund for Public Education Chair Megan Chernin said.
Proceeds from the fundraising campaign will go towards "Arts at the Core," a program that will ensure that the District provides art education in schools.
"I am so proud that Los Angeles' greatest artists, our corporate partners and community have stepped up in such a unique way to support arts education for our students," said LAUSD board member Nury Martinez.
Great News! Would love to do something like this in St. Louis, Missouri, especially for arts education for children and youth with disabilities.