An Urgent Call to Action from the CAPE Board of Directors
A statement from CAPE on recent events:
The new presidential administration, in its first few weeks, has upended the US Constitution by unilaterally making cuts to spending on critical domestic and international programs, and by announcing policy priorities that directly threaten the humanity of Americans and youth across the board. These changes threaten the accessibility of high-quality arts education, which we know is critical for student success and community enrichment.
Nyla Forman, a student of the Chicago Academy for the Arts who is currently exhibiting artwork at CAPE, reminds us that art is vital: “My main focus in art is joy. I think there is such a lack of happiness in the world right now, and all I want to do to feel better is to create joy.” Our youth’s creativity will not be stopped.
At CAPE, we believe that:
- all students deserve access to a high-quality education that includes the arts, during the school day, after-school, and in the community year-round.
- artists working in classrooms, in collaboration with school teachers and school communities, provide an added spark of innovation needed to accelerate student learning.
- the arts have the power to expand our horizons, lead us to discover new perspectives, and build growth opportunities for all learners.
- a government that is supposed to be by the people for the people should not sow hate and division by marginalizing, threatening, and imprisoning fellow Americans.
Currently, CAPE receives about 50% of its funding directly or indirectly through the federal government. What would potential cuts in funding from the US Department of Education, the Kennedy Center and/or the National Endowment for the Arts mean to CAPE?
- 3,200+ students would lose the opportunity to learn in and through the arts.
- 300+ special needs high school students will lose access to innovative arts programming that help them develop living and communication skills.
- 100 teachers would lose valuable professional development opportunities that help them meet the complex learning needs of low-income students in struggling schools.
- 75 artists will lose employment opportunities.
CAPE is actively working with local and state partners to explore alternative funding sources, expand community support, and advocate for policies that protect arts education. However, we cannot do this alone — your involvement is crucial!
Here are some things you can do today to make a difference:
Stay Informed:
Read the websites and policy updates from:
CPS policies
https://www.cps.edu/services-and-supports/new-presidential-administration-guidance
Act Now Illinois https://actnowillinois.org/
Arts Alliance Illinois https://artsalliance.org/advocacy/
After School Alliance https://www.afterschoolalliance.org/policyFederal.cfm
Americans for the Arts https://www.americansforthearts.org/advocate
Make a call:
Reach out to your elected representatives to let them know you support arts education
https://www.commoncause.org/find-your-representative/addr/
Make a gift:
Please help CAPE weather this storm of uncertainty by making a financial commitment to our work. Your investment will be amplified by the artwork and experiences created by students. Go to www.capechicago.org/donate to learn more.
Raise a hand:
Armchair activism is out. Working in community is in. This fight is going to take a lot more than each of us speaking in silos. Get involved in CAPE’s expanding circle of influence by joining our team of advocates and volunteers. Do you have an idea for us? Do you want to challenge our thinking on issues? Do you have a resource or relationship you can share? Do you want to get involved and offer direct support in some way? Please let us know! Please click here to submit your idea or share your willingness to help!
Support student artists:
Visit the CAPE gallery in Bridgeport to discover the extraordinary artwork created by student artists in Chicago Public Schools and West Chicago. Greet them, as well as CAPE teaching artists and school teachers during our public events! Visit https://capechicago.org/events/ for more information.
