Your guide to NYC's public proceedings.
PUBLIC TESTIMONY
Testimony by Lulu Fogarty, Director of Education at Symphony Space
5:39:38
ยท
166 sec
Lulu Fogarty, Director of Education at Symphony Space, testifies about the importance of arts education in NYC public schools and the impact of Symphony Space's programs. She emphasizes the need for increased funding and support for arts education in the city.
- Symphony Space has reached over 300,000 NYC students through its education programs since 1980
- Their Global Arts program served 17,000 public school students in 50 schools this year alone
- Fogarty calls for initiatives such as baselining arts education funding and increasing funding for DCLA
Lulu Fogarty
5:39:38
Thank you.
5:39:39
Hello, and thank you to chairs Joseph and Rivera and the city council for your support of arts education.
5:39:45
I'm Lulu Fogarty, a New York City public school kid and director of education at Symphony Space.
5:39:50
I'm also a new mom of a future New York City public school kid, and I'm calling on our city to prioritize funding for arts in New York City schools.
5:39:59
Symphony Space is a performing arts and arts education organization located at 90 Fifth And Broadway.
5:40:05
Since 1980, our education programs have reached over 300,000 New York City students in all five boroughs, from the pre k to twelfth graders who participate in our global arts workshops and performances to the ESOL and ABE learners in Alright, our unique model for arts based adult literacy.
5:40:22
And Dan Gutman visited our day camp for book lovers two summers ago.
5:40:26
For over forty years, our global arts program has led New York City School Students on a journey of exploration and celebration of traditional arts from around the world.
5:40:36
We've served over 17,000 public school students in 50 schools this year alone.
5:40:41
For some students, these programs are a window into unfamiliar cultures.
5:40:45
For others, our programming provides a mirror in which they see their own histories represented and valued.
5:40:51
As for conveying our impact, I leave that to a teacher at PS seventy five who said, as a result of what your Native American teaching artists do, my students are able to see and witness that native American culture is very much alive.
5:41:04
While we can't change the past, we can preserve history to teach the young people that will lead in the future.
5:41:10
That is what the arts do.
5:41:11
On our stages and in our classrooms, they open up the world.
5:41:15
Our artists and staff prove that the arts aren't merely add ons to the school day, but that careers in the arts are essential to the economic tapestry of our city.
5:41:25
We all agree that every child should have access to the arts, and we've heard the statistics all day.
5:41:30
Arts organizations like Symphony Space are an essential stopgap for student access to the arts.
5:41:36
And as education, art, and basic human rights are under attack nationally, New York City has the opportunity to be a shining beacon for the nation by investing heartily in arts education just as we've enshrined equal rights into our state constitution.
5:41:51
That is why I joined my colleagues of the It Starts With The Arts coalition to call on you to support initiatives such as baselining arts education funding, requiring DOE funding to be spent on the arts, increasing funding for the DCLA, and prioritizing timely processing of contract renewals and extensions.
5:42:09
The support of the city council and this dedicated committee is crucial as we collectively keep New York City the most vibrant arts landscape in the world.
5:42:17
We are so grateful for your service and for your tenacity in this challenging time.
5:42:22
Thank you for your time and consideration.