After a recent field trip to Coconino Center for the Arts, students in a high school English class for nonnative speakers reflected that it was the best experience of the school year. But experiences like this typically come with a price. Their teacher explained, “Field trip costs are passed onto the families, and many students would not have been able to attend if it were not for CCA’s free field trip opportunity.”
Even though Arizona is one of the lowest ranked in education funding nationwide, CCA remains optimistic about the role of Arts Education to increase high school graduation rates, improve social development, and foster the next generation of artists and creative thinkers.
Amidst reductions in federal funding for the arts, we are committed to maintaining and expanding programs that have the greatest community impact, such as Youth Arts. We are delighted to have been awarded a Robert Lehman Foundation grant for partial funding to create a dedicated Interactive Space to provide year-round engagement and access to art, science, and culture at CCA. We need your help now to bring this project to fruition by this fall.
There is clear need for this infrastructure. This year’s Youth Arts exhibition featured a record 510 art pieces by over 300 regional youth artists; and CCA’s upcoming summer Creative Camps are already full, with a waitlist! Parents of children with emotional needs tell us, “We saw a leap in confidence, joy, and social skills after camp” and “This experience helped build confidence in trying new things in a new place.” With the support of sponsors and individuals like you, we have been able to provide scholarships for every request to ensure every child can explore the arts.
