TESTIMONY
Nicole Gardner, Director of Advancement for Building for the Arts NY, on supporting NYC's cultural ecosystem through theater renovations and expanding music education
4:59:12
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138 sec
Gardner testified about Building for the Arts NY's requests for council funding support.
- The nonprofit seeks funding for modern lighting systems in their 5 theaters to provide subsidized access for artists and audiences
- They also aim to expand their Music and the Brain program, which offers school day music education and piano instruction in over 145 K-8 NYC schools
- The program has proven social-emotional and academic benefits, especially for Title 1 schools
- Gardner requested an additional $53 million in the city budget to reverse funding cuts and support their projects
Nicole Gardner
4:59:12
I'm Nicole Gardner representing the nonprofit building for the arts.
4:59:17
Thank you, council members, for all that you do to support culture in New York City.
4:59:24
Building for the arts was founded as the 42nd Street Development Corporation in 1976.
4:59:31
And we helped revitalize Hell's Kitchen by founding Theater Row.
4:59:35
And we're still here, providing supportive, subsidized theaters, studios and offices to artists and companies who do not have a permanent space of their own.
4:59:47
This year, we are asking city council for desk fratly needed modern lighting systems in our 5 theaters, which in turn each year will give a diverse group of 3000 artists 300 companies, and their audiences subsidized access to a level of artistry that they deserve, and which supports the NYC cultural ecosystem.
5:00:09
I'm also here for our music and the brain program, which brings school day music education and piano instruction to every student in more than 145 K through 8 NYC Schools.
5:00:23
Including schools in each of your districts free of charge.
5:00:28
Our program like all quality arts and education arts education programs has proven social emotional benefits, and our partner schools, 85% of which are Title 1, have seen better than average ELA and math tests.
5:00:43
Scores.
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Our goal is to bring all students the opportunity to learn to read music and play an instrument.
5:00:50
Please find our request for discretionary and initiative funding for music in the brain, allowing us to sustain and expand our proven School Day Music Education Program, which reaches over 55,000 NYC students each school year.
5:01:05
Culture makes up 13% of the city's economy and is the main tourism driver for NYC.
5:01:13
But funding cuts Cuts are crippling us.
5:01:16
Please add 53,000,000 to the adopted budget, reverse the cuts, and please also fund building for the arts to regressionary initiative and capital requests so that all New Yorkers can access the transformative power of the arts.
