Photo credit: The Miami Music Project/YouTube
This week, President Donald Trump proposed the elimination of the National Endowment for the Arts, Humanities, The Institute of Museum and Library Services, and the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, according to The Atlantic, in an attempt to “slash spending it sees as ‘wasteful’.”
About Trump’s proposal, National Endowment for the Arts chairman Jane Chu, stated the following: “We are disappointed because we see our funding actively making a difference with individuals of all ages in thousands of communities, large, small, urban and rural, and in every Congressional District in the nation.”
Chu added that it is important to take this opportunity to discuss and advocate for the arts.
Hence, it is important to acknowledge and support the work that the Endowment has done, as well as local organizations, to support arts education. A great example is the Miami Music Project , a non-profit that believes that the arts are essential in children’s development and their transition to become responsible and thriving adults in society.
Miami Music Project: Coldplay at Boot Camp: https://t.co/OKUKzkQuZk via @YouTube
— Miami Music Project (@MiaMusicProject) February 28, 2017
The Miami Music Project uses music to drive social change in communities: “The sequential nature of developing musical skills helps children unlock intellectual potential for academic achievement and gain the self-confidence needed to succeed, ultimately overcoming the disadvantages of poverty and inequality,” reads the organization’s website.
Music also creates a path for healthy outcomes: “Although research on the impact of music education is still nascent, youth involvement in music education has been linked to lower rates of substance use, elevated performance on standardized tests (math and verbal SAT scores), higher GPA, elevated self-esteem, and improved conduct.”
Now that the government is attempting to reduce support to arts education, it is the perfect time to donate to organizations such as the Miami Music Project, in order to continue to foster development and love for the arts in our communities.
