The Center for Arts Education is committed to ensuring that all New York City public school students receive quality arts instruction as part of their pre-K-12 education.
The Center For Arts Education
Established in 1996, at the peak of an arts education crisis in New York City public schools, CAE has been a stalwart advocate for and provider of quality arts education for more than two decades.
Today, CAE takes a uniquely comprehensive approach to arts education, focusing on providing future-oriented teaching and learning at all grade levels and in all disciplines; increasing college and career readiness for teens; family and community engagement initiatives; professional development for educators; and model programs and research.
Expand to read more about CAE's history
In its first five years, supported by the Annenberg Challenge, CAE created and granted funds for "arts partnerships" in which schools -working with orchestras, museums, dance and theater companies, community-based organizations, and other groups- would institute arts programs to drive school transformation. By supporting the use of the city’s cultural resources, CAE provided a link that promoted cultural institutions as an integral part of the public school system. Upon witnessing the achievements of CAE and its partners in revitalizing arts education, the Annenberg Foundation pledged a second five-year challenge grant in 2000, and a final two-year grant in 2006.
In 2008, CAE became a direct services provider, focusing on a comprehensive suite of programs and activities still active today: arts education programs in all four disciplines for students and parents; professional development and career education for educators and high school students; and research and model program development and dissemination. In 2011, CAE took another step by employing and developing its own cadre of teaching artists, further ensuring the content and quality of its in-school arts programs, research programs, and professional training.
CAE has also spearheaded citywide advocacy efforts, drawing attention to challenges in equitable delivery of quality arts education and the development of policies, initiatives, and programs to support improving and expanding the delivery of arts education in the public schools. These efforts complemented CAE’s work in schools while raising awareness of the importance of arts education among parents, educators, and elected officials.
Today, CAE is a recognized leader in the arts education field, especially with regard to innovative initiatives that prepare students for success in the 21st century.
The combination of our research-based school programs, professional learning sessions, and our advocacy and public engagement efforts has brought the arts into more public schools and shaped the discourse on education reform. We continue to respond to the needs of the NYC community when planning and implementing our programs, and we envision a world where ALL students receive the arts education they deserve.
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They taught us to believe in ourselves, which allowed us to shine.”
— Student, Career Development Program
Our Team
Our Supporters
The Center for Arts Education is supported, in part, through public funds from: United States Department of Education; New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the New York City Council; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo and the New York State Legislature; New York City Department of Education; and New York City Council Members Rory I. Lancman, Brad Lander, Stephen Levin and Ydanis Rodriguez.
Vital support is also provided by CAE’s Board of Directors, our numerous generous individual donors, and: American Academy of Arts and Letters, Arison Arts Foundation, Blanche T. Enders Foundation, Gertrude and Edward R. Weiner Charitable Trust, Con Edison, Anna-Maria and Stephen Kellen Foundation, The Laura B. Vogler Foundation, Inc. Witt-Hoey Foundation, BlackRock, Macquarie Group, Tiger Baron Foundation, Avery Arts Foundation, The Lehman Foundation, Linden Arts Fund for Children, People’s United Community Foundation.
Our Partners
The Center for Arts Education regularly works with community and cultural partners such as: City Parks Foundation; District 29 Queens; Council of School Supervisors & Administrators; NYC Department of Education; United Federation of Teachers; Casita Maria; Camp Henry; Carnegie Hall; Guggenheim Museum; Harlem School of the Arts; New York City Ballet; Roundabout Theatre Company; Staten Island Arts Council; United Activities Unlimited / PS 18; Art 21; Watershed Collaborative; Joy2Learn; 92nd Street Y, and more.
The Center for Arts Education is a member of Americans for the Arts; Arts Education Partnership; Arts Education Roundtable; New York State Blue Ribbon Commission; Teaching Artist Project.
As part of our Career Development Program, we place high school interns at cultural partners such as: Ballet Hispanico; Brooklyn Arts Council; City Parks Foundation; Children’s Museum of Manhattan; Fashion Institute of Technology; Flamenco Vivo; Harlem School of the Arts; Joyce Theater; LeAP; Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts; Midori & Friends; Museum of the City of New York; Orpheus Chamber Orchestra; Roundabout Theatre Company; St. Nick’s Alliance; Studio Museum in Harlem; Sugar Hill Children’s Museum.
