With the recent announcement to close the Trump Kennedy Center for two years for renovations, much is in limbo. Not only would this closure affect its performances, but also other significant programs that will affect Chattanooga.
It has been my distinct honor and privilege to work with The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts for more than 20 years through two of its education programs, and to serve on one of its advisory committees for three years. With the recommendation to close the Kennedy Center for renovations, it is important for the public to understand that there is more to this distinguished organization beyond the building.
Through the leadership and guidance of the Kennedy Center, thousands of teachers across the country have received training and resources to advance overall learning through arts instruction strategies. Arts offerings have increased in school districts, and college students have received professional training and support.
A faithful team of local school administrators and arts educators travel to the Kennedy Center each year to network with others from all states. Our team has shared the Chattanooga story at the gathering, and it has made an impact. At one conference, I randomly sat at a luncheon table and the person next to me from Texas, discovering that I was from Chattanooga, enthusiastically shared how they were replicating ArtsBuild’s Imagine! Initiative that provides free arts experiences for elementary students in her school district. She had learned about the program during a session led by our team.
Here in Chattanooga, through Kennedy Center partnerships with Hamilton County Schools, ArtsBuild, UTC’s Arts-Based Collaborative, WTCI and the Chattanooga Theatre Centre, hundreds of local teachers have received professional development in arts-based teaching strategies. As a result of the community’s participation in the Kennedy Center’s Ensuring the Arts for Any Given Child program, the number of elementary school visual arts teachers increased from a handful to at least one art teacher in every school. Chattanooga is one of only 28 communities in the country participating in this program.