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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Ginger Meagher, VP of Programs at Theater Development Fund (TDF)
5:22:48
ยท
3 min
Ginger Meagher, VP of Programs at TDF, testified in support of a $75 million baseline budget for arts and culture in FY26 and urged the city council to support organizations connecting New Yorkers to the arts. She highlighted TDF's programs that bring thousands of public school students to theaters and provide accessible performances for students with hearing and vision loss.
- TDF's school programs serve over 13,000 students from 49 council districts annually, with 80% of schools having TDF as their sole arts partner.
- The organization launched the Graduation Gift initiative, offering free TDF membership and a Broadway show to NYC public and charter school graduates.
- Meagher emphasized the importance of city council initiative funding for TDF's ability to reach more students, as they are not eligible for CASA funding.
Ginger Meagher
5:22:48
Good afternoon, and thank you for the opportunity to speak to this joint oversight hearing and for chairing this, council members Joseph and Rivera.
5:22:57
My name is Ginger Mayer and I am the VP of programs at TDF, formerly the Theater Development Fund, the nation's largest nonprofit service organization dedicated to building and sustaining audiences for live performance.
5:23:13
I'm here today to speak in support of setting a baseline budget of $75,000,000 for arts and culture in f y twenty six and to urge the city council to support the individuals and organizations that connect New Yorkers to the arts, many of whom have spoken today and who are our partners.
5:23:32
TDF is driven by the conviction that the arts belong to all of us.
5:23:38
Access to the arts is correlated with benefits for individuals and communities associated with lower rates of depression and loneliness, lower crime rates, and increased civic engagement.
5:23:52
At TDF, we realize these benefits by lowering the barriers to access for all, but especially for young people.
5:23:59
Each year TDF school programs bring over 13,000 public school students from 49 council districts to the theater free of charge.
5:24:11
We supplement tickets to shows with in class workshops with trained teaching artists or post show discussions with theater luminaries.
5:24:20
For students with hearing and vision loss, we offer accessible performances featuring open captioning, ASL interpretation, audio description, and touch tours.
5:24:32
In 80% of the schools we serve, we are the sole partnering arts providers.
5:24:39
We do this to ensure that young people feel welcome to their birthright of New York City theater and are represented in all of their glorious diversity.
5:24:49
And we see results.
5:24:51
Last year, 94% of teachers we worked with observed in their students higher self esteem and confidence and a greater ability to empathize with their peers.
5:25:02
To further this, last year we launched a new initiative called the Graduation Gift that invites all New York City public and charter school graduates to get a free tdf membership and come and see a free Broadway show on Grad Night this year, May 7.
5:25:17
To date, we have enrolled 5,500 graduates.
5:25:22
I wanna thank you for the many years of support the city has provided to TDF.
5:25:26
This year, we've applied for new funding for TDF school programs through the speaker's list, education programs for students, and support for arts instruction.
5:25:36
TDF is not eligible for CASA, so city council initiative funding is critical to our ability to reach more students, teachers, and schools.
5:25:46
In a time when fear and uncertainty are daily feelings for the students in this city, we can give them tools and ways to express themselves with joy and humanity.
5:25:59
We can help them to resist oppression and speak in their authentic voices because art and theater give us those tools and make us better for it.
5:26:11
Thank you for your time today.