City proclaims Arts in Education Week

The Office of Arts & Culture launched Arts in Education Week, celebrated nationally September 8-14, with a proclamation reading during an elementary music class at Parklane Elementary School in Centennial School District. District and building leaders, together with members of the Office of Arts & Culture, attended the event to listen to Director Chariti Montez read the proclamation and first grade students share a song.

Arts in Education Week is a national celebration recognizing the transformative power of the arts in education and was designated by Congress in 2010 through House Resolution 275. The Every Child Succeeds Actelevated the importance of arts education by naming it as an integral part of a well-rounded education. In Portland, we understand access to the arts is an essential part of the human experience, so we guarantee an arts education for our youngest learners, knowing that arts education in the elementary years allows for more equitable participation in middle and high school. The City's Arts Access Fund, funded by Portlanders through the Arts Tax, has ensured access to an arts education for every public elementary school student since the 2013-14 school year.

Among many benefits arts in education:

• Cultivates multiple, dynamic literacies allowing children varied ways to develop and express their understanding of the world.
• Supports children connecting more deeply with their communities.
• Promotes school attendance and increases student and family engagement.

The Office of Arts & Culture plans continued celebrations in March 2025 during Arts in School Month. To help share the good news of arts education, public elementary students are invited to participate in a poster contest. Winning posters will be displayed around Portland to share the positive impact of access to arts education on our City's children. Read these directionsfor more information and to help a child submit a design.