First Lady Stresses the Importance of Arts and Arts Education
In a recent visit to New York City for the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Metropolitan Museum of Art American Wing, First Lady Michelle Obama stated, “The arts are not just a nice thing to have or to do if there is free time or if one can afford it. Rather…they all define who we are as a people and provide an account of our history for the next generation.” You can read the entire text of her remarks
here.
PlayhouseSquare's Commitment to Advancing Arts Education
PlayhouseSquare places incredibly strong emphasis on arts education and believes that it is essential to improving the quality of life in our community. Through a variety of workshops and classes designed for people of all ages, the Community Engagement & Education Department offers avenues to discovery, appreciation and development in and through the performing arts, connecting participants with national and international artists in unique and meaningful ways. PlayhouseSquare initiates collaboration among educators, artists and other community organizations, and actively forms mutually beneficial partnerships with local arts organizations to create and present arts education experiences of the highest quality. Always striving to fulfill its role as an asset to the Northeast Ohio community, PlayhouseSquare is an active leader in advocating arts education both locally and within the performing arts industry.
Through the generosity of donors, sponsors and grantmaking institutions, PlayhouseSquare invests $1 million annually in arts education programs. In September 2005, we opened a new home for these programs, Idea Center at PlayhouseSquare. Built in partnership with WVIZ/PBS and 90.3 WCPN ideastream, Idea Center is the headquarters of ideastream and site of workshops, classes, artist residencies and other events and programs presented by the Community Engagement & Education Department at PlayhouseSquare.
Why does PlayhouseSquare value arts education?
We believe that arts education is for children, adults, business professionals, seniors, educators, parents, students--everyone. Arts education challenges students of all ages.
We believe that arts education is important for all children because it improves cognitive learning. Through storytelling, drawing, playacting and dancing, they make connections and remember what they’ve learned and experienced. Attending performances builds their listening and observation skills.
We believe that arts education provides opportunities for students to explore their interests and talents. Through the arts, they learn to make judgments in the absence of rules and discover that problems can have more than one solution. They learn to express themselves.
We believe that arts education plays a key role in building the workforce of the 21st century. Creativity and innovation are vital skills in all fields.
We believe that arts education stimulates academic performance and economic growth. More than that, arts education connects us to one another and brings joy to our lives.
Click here to read the “Voices in the Arts” article written for The Plain Dealer by Director of Community Engagement & Education, Colleen Porter.
Arts Education Links
Americans for the Arts
The Arts Education Partnership
National Art Education Association
Community engagement and education at PlayhouseSquare is made possible by the generous support of the following foundations, corporations and organizations:
The Abington Foundation
Alcoa Foundation
The Althans Foundation
Arts Midwest
Eva L. and Joseph M. Bruening Foundation
Charter One Bank
Katherine and Lee Chilcote Foundation
Children's Theatre Endowment established by The Junior League of Cleveland, Inc.
The Cleveland Foundation
Cuyahoga County residents through Cuyahoga Arts and Culture
Dominion East Ohio
First Energy
The Huntington Bank
JP Morgan Chase Foundation
Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
Patricia Kalbac
Laub Foundation
John P. Murphy Foundation
Newman's Own Foundation
Ohio Arts Council
The Michael Pender Memorial Fund
The PNC Foundation
The Thomas H. White Foundation
Special thanks to the following sponsors of
Oh, What a Night, a gala celebration benefiting the arts education programs of PlayhouseSquare on June 21, 2008:
Corrine L. Dodero Trust for the Arts and Sciences
National City
Thomas & Joann Adler
Charles & Julia Bolton
Glenn & Jenny Brown
Chuck & Char Fowler
The Plain Dealer
Ralph & Luci Schey Foundation
Contact Us
216-348-7909
artseducation@playhousesquare.org 
