Creative & Performing Arts

EQUITABLE ACCESS TO CREATIVE & PERFORMING ARTS

The inequities of arts education in lower-income communities leads to poor children falling behind their peers in feelings of self-esteem, low test scores, illiteracy, and the inability to think critically and logically. PFF focuses grants in the arts for low-income children to support consistent engagement in the arts through the early years, leading to developing necessary life skills children need.

Arts education, engagement,  and participation are essential to the advancement of the human experience.  Connecting to and maintaining involvement in cultural activities at an early age—whether it is hand’s-on art-making,  writing,  theater,  music,  or dance—is fundamental.  But it is mostly out of reach to children living in poor and disadvantaged communities, especially where there has been disinvestment in arts funding in schools. The inequities of arts education between higher-income communities and poorer ones, even in the same cities, leads to poor children falling behind their peers.  They often experience low self-esteem,  low test scores, illiteracy, and the inability to think critically and logically. Research has shown that a robust connection to and consistent engagement in the arts through the early years leads to developing the necessary skills children need to thrive as adults.