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PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Lucy Sexton, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Culture and Arts
3:41:51
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Lucy Sexton, Executive Director of New Yorkers for Culture and Arts, testified in support of transparency in arts education data and increased funding for arts programs in NYC schools. She emphasized the importance of identifying which students lack access to arts education and highlighted research showing the significant positive impact of arts and culture on low-wealth neighborhoods.
- Sexton called for the restoration of $41 million in arts education funding and an additional $75 million for the Department of Cultural Affairs.
- She cited a University of Pennsylvania study showing 91% higher test scores in low-wealth neighborhoods with robust arts and culture presence.
- Sexton stressed the need for data to identify and address gaps in arts education access, particularly in low-wealth areas.
Lucy Sexton
3:41:51
I am here.
3:41:52
Can you hear me?
3:41:52
Okay.
3:41:53
Good.
3:41:54
Thanks so much for, allowing me to testify.
3:41:56
I was there in person at the amazing rally put put on by the New York City Arts and Education Roundtable, this morning.
3:42:03
My name is Lucy Sexton.
3:42:04
I'm with New Yorkers for Culture and Arts.
3:42:07
I'm here to, support the, roundtable's call for transparency.
3:42:14
If we do not know the problem, we cannot attempt to solve it.
3:42:18
We need to know who are the kids that are not getting arts and education in their schools.
3:42:22
It is not enough to say we have this many that are getting it.
3:42:26
Where are they and who's not getting it and how do we fix that problem?
3:42:29
But we need the data in order to do that.
3:42:32
I want to put forward one other bit of information in terms of where and who.
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There was an extraordinary, reupdate to the Social Impact of the Arts Project report done by the University of Pennsylvania, extremely rigorous, research effort.
3:42:48
And in the update, which was just done and just released, it said that the robust arts and culture in a neighborhood has the most impact on low wealth neighborhoods.
3:42:59
So when you have a low wealth neighborhood that has lots of arts and culture, the kids' test scores are 91% higher than in a comparable low wealth neighborhood that lacks culture and arts.
3:43:12
So we may not be able to do everything that is necessary and that those neighborhoods need, but we can do this.
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We can afford to do this, and in fact, we can't afford not to do it.
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We need to know where the holes are.
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We need to make sure those holes are being addressed and that every kid, particularly in low wealth neighborhoods, has access to robust arts and education in their schools, after school, and in their neighborhood.
3:43:39
I support the roundtable's call for restoration of the 41,000,000 in arts education and the call for transparency, and I also support a call for a set an additional $75,000,000 added to the baseline of the Department of Cultural Affairs, supports so many of those cultural organizations which partner with schools and provide services to those kids.
3:44:01
Thanks so much for hearing my testimony.