The Need to Provide Art Education to API Youths
According to Apex for Youth, 1 in 2 Asian American youth live in or near poverty in NYC. 18% of NYC’s population is Asian American, but less than 1.5% of social service dollars go toward organizations serving them.
According to a 2012 National Survey funded by the Ford Foundation and the American Federation of Teachers, art education has significantly declined since the 1980s. Declining trends are most pronounced for students of color, who are more likely than white students to attend under-resourced schools.
According to Americans for the Arts, figures from the New York City Department of Education’s Annual Arts in School Reports, there is a 47% decline in spending to hire arts and cultural organizations to provide educational services for students and an even steeper decline in spending on art supplies and equipment over the past seven years.
The Commission on the Arts at the American Academy of Arts & Science reports that we are at a crisis point, where access to art education is declining steadily.
Following drastic budget cuts from New York City in 2024, the City’s Department of Cultural Affairs and its Cultural Institutions Group stated that the downward cycle of public funding for museums and cultural institutions “is unsustainable for the vibrant cultural system that makes New York a beacon for people to live and work…”
Benefits of Art Education
Builds well-rounded individuals
Broadens the understanding and appreciation of other cultures and histories
Supports social and emotional development
Builds empathy, reduces intolerance, and generates acceptance of others
Improves school engagement and culture
Develops valuable life and career skills
Strengthens community and civic engagement
[Benefits of art education] include broadening students’ understanding of other cultures and history, supporting their social-emotional development and interpersonal skills, and providing career exploration and creative opportunities.
Students at schools with more art education earn higher scores on a standardized writing test, express more school engagement, and are less likely to receive a disciplinary infraction.tudents at schools with more art education earn higher scores on a standardized writing test, express more school engagement, and are less likely to receive a disciplinary infraction.
“...specific skills covered through arts education directly affect a broad swath of careers outside the core arts careers… From the interior designer relying on color theory to the architect who uses 3D software to the engineer who incorporates elements of design, the skills embodied in arts education have wide applications.”
Civil Art’s Previous and Forthcoming Youth Program
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