Opinion: Arts organizations are stepping up

Jack Russell is the president of the Long Island Philharmonic, and Larry Austin is its chairman.

If Congress passes a recently proposed House bill, innocuously called the "Setting New Priorities in Education Spending Act," the impact on local arts education programs and organizations could be devastating.

The bill would repeal funding for the federal Arts in Education initiative, which distributed more than $100 million to underprivileged schools around the country to develop arts programs for elementary and secondary schools. Although it's unclear exactly how Long Island communities and organizations might be affected, Regent Roger Tilles believes Long Island schools would feel the impact of the cuts as soon as next school year.

Till now, most Long Island schools have been able to resist the trend to lay off arts educators. But we are starting to see losses. That means that, as funding from Washington and Albany continues to be reduced, local organizations must work harder to supplement arts education. And they will need help from all Long Islanders.

Music classes and programs in particular are on the chopping block at public schools across the nation, including here. And that's tragic. Music education teaches more than simply how to play an instrument. Study after study shows that music education teaches children about self-discipline, giving them a sense of self-esteem and pride. And that doesn't even touch on the proven academic benefits in math and reading test scores.

The key to educating children in the arts lies in a healthy mix of programming from organizations such as the Long Island Philharmonic, the Tilles Center and others, to supplement in-school classes and curriculums.

The Long Island Philharmonic, for example, brought classical music to 13,000 Long Island students this year by sending orchestra members into public school classrooms -- many in low-wealth communities -- to offer lessons to high school students and to perform in a culminating concert, with students and professional musicians playing side-by-side. We led thousands of elementary school students in bopping their heads to Beethoven's Fifth when they attended our free classical concerts.

The Tilles Center combines in-school and in-theater programming with educator instruction that ensures a true partnership between the educators, students, and musicians and artists. This comprehensive approach reached 17 schools in Nassau and Suffolk counties last year.

What makes the program especially successful is that teachers are involved and get training themselves. That means they can continue the education that the students receive at the performances, arts museums and workshops afterward in their classrooms.

The Philharmonic and the Tilles Center are only two of the arts organizations throughout Long Island that support young artists and musicians by offering classes, programs and recognition for these students. It's important to ensure that students continue to learn about the arts in ways that support their growth academically, culturally and as responsible citizens.

The Long Island Philharmonic, the Tilles Center and other arts organizations have lost funding during the financial crisis, and not just from government funders. Corporations and individuals have also felt the pinch and have cut back on donations. But we remain loyal to our educational mission.

It's up to Long Islanders and their leaders in business and politics to step up and help keep arts programming alive. Without a reliable and sustainable base of financial support, arts organizations will have a more difficult time giving children the gift of music. When you ask if supporting the arts organizations is vital right now, you are talking about programs aimed directly at our Long Island communities -- programs that enhance our quality of life and our children's futures.