Disappearing Funding in Fine Arts

https://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/therootdc/post/will-less-art-and-music-in-the-classroom-really-help-students-soar-academically/2012/12/28/e18a2da0-4e02-11e2-839d-d54cc6e49b63_blog.html

For a long time, it has always been the story that the arts are losing money and have to find ways to keep the programs going by charging more or doing fundraisers in order to let these activities go on. This scenario was showcased in the movie with Kevin James called, "Here Comes the Boom", where he decides to wrestle in the WWE in order to get funding for the orchestra program to keep going. While he is able to achieve his goal and keep the program well-afloat, some other schools aren't always so lucky. Many schools these days are cutting fine arts out of schools or just simply leaving them with less and less funding as the years go on. As someone who was actively involved in the fine arts, I was fortunate enough to be able to go to a school where the fine arts did well enough to have a solid program to where all who participated were give an exciting and individual experience. I think by participating in the fine arts such as choir and theater, I was able to achieve skills of performing in front of strangers as well as peers, which are skills that easily translate into the classroom.

What this articles talks about is how "schools in areas serving children from low-income families have reduced or completely cut their arts and music programs due to the fact that these programs tend to be the first casualties of budget cuts in hard-pressed school districts already struggling to meet other demands of the curriculum." When federal budget cuts are something you have to worry about when funding these types of programs, there is really not much you can do in those situations. When it comes down to it, getting the materials to teach the students actual curriculum always need to come ahead of the extra stuff. At the same time, however, it is important that these young kids, or even older kids, need to have those opportunities to participate in music and theater programs in order to develop those skills that I had the opportunity to develop throughout my theater experience. Though it seems like this will be difficult because it gets expensive, in the end its an investment that will have payoff in the future when you helped fund programs for future directors and teachers. Many language arts teachers get their beginnings from these types of programs, and I'm sure they are a reason why they are able to have a slight advantage over those who chose to not do those programs. Though it may be small, the difference still exists.