Support arts education providers to have the skills and knowledge they need to provide high-quality inclusive, equitable, and youth-informed programming.

The experiences that young people have learning about the arts can largely be dependent on the quality of their instructors. When well equipped, teaching artists and arts educators increase the skills and knowledge of their students. They do so in ways that are equitable and inclusive, developmentally appropriate, trauma-informed, and continually improving. Well supported teachers also gain a sense of mentorship and comradery in a welcoming community of creators, raising the bar on the field’s shared understanding of what makes high-quality arts education.

In order to improve young people’s experiences learning about arts in Philadelphia, we are focusing on support for arts education providers.

We recognize that there are many ways that organizations and communities can contribute to advancing this objective and are looking for Philadelphians’ best ideas about how to accomplish this in neighborhoods across the city. Possible efforts may include support for teacher training, mentorship, and network-building to make more arts education opportunities available for young people in ways that are equitable, inclusive, welcoming, and relevant.