An anonymous donor has given the Boston Public Schools a 3-year, $1.65 million grant to help expand music education at schools in East Boston.
Boston Public Schools and EdVestors, a Boston education nonprofit, announced the grant Monday morning at the Curtis Guild School in East Boston.
“The arts is a critical part of education,” School Superintendent Mary Skipper said in a statement. “This work takes a village and it warms my heart when members of our community are willing to give back in such a generous way to contribute to the success of Boston Public Schools. When partners invest resources and go beyond words, it provides us with much needed tangible support and complements what we're doing with our students and takes the impact of our efforts to the next level.”
The donation will support expanded music residencies led by arts partners in collaboration with music teachers, provide free, private music lessons to students, help purchase musical instruments and equipment, provide additional band performance opportunities at festivals and support guest artist residencies and workshops for East Boston schools.
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“We are so grateful to this anonymous donor, who believes - like all of us - in the power of the arts to develop creative, engaged learners,” said Marinell Rousmaniere, president and CEO of EdVestors. “Over the last dozen years, Boston has become a national leader in expanding quality arts education to BPS students through increased public and private investment and sustained partnerships. This gift and the resulting work will allow us to go deeper and for students to have a richer music education.”
EdVestors and Boston Public Schools have been working together to expand arts education since 2009, bringing together local foundations, arts organizations, higher education institutions and city government to create a unified approach for all students.
The goal is for the grant announced Monday to allow music education efforts to be expanded in East Boston, which will then serve as a model for what can be accomplished elsewhere in the city.
