Arthur Miller Foundation Receives Donation from John Gore Foundation in Support of NYC Public Schools

Broadway.com and The John Gore Foundation have announced their support of the Arthur Miller Theater Education Program with a donation to support theater education in New York City public schools. The John Gore Foundation will be providing three years of support for new theater teachers hired for the 2017-2018 school year.

"We are extremely encouraged by the generosity of John Gore and Broadway.com, who recognize the incredible value that theater education brings to New York City youth,” said Rebecca Miller & Sandi Farkas, Arthur Miller Foundation Board Chair & Vice Chair. "We would like to express our gratitude for Mr. Gore's leadership in supporting our belief that arts education is a right, and not a privilege."

The Arthur Miller Theater Education Program is a three-year program supporting theater teachers in the New York City public school system. The program provides mentorship, training, and support for new teachers to enhance and increase access to theater education for students in the local public school system. Developed in partnership with the Office of Arts and Special Projects of the New York City Department of Education (NYC DOE), this comprehensive program seeks to establish sustainable theater programs in schools throughout the city.

“We are thrilled to support this vital program that so effectively encourages education in the arts,” said John Gore, Owner and CEO of the John Gore Organization. “The work of the Arthur Miller Foundation’s Theater Education Program is a much needed resource—I don't believe I would have had a career in theater if I had not had a great drama teacher at school. At the moment, so many schools have none at all."

The Arthur Miller Theater Education Program was launched in partnership with the NYC DOE Arts Office in 2015, with the goal of expanding access to dedicated theater education in public schools. The program provides mentorship, training, professional development and classroom resources for new certified theater teachers, who are named Arthur Miller Fellows.

"The Arthur Miller Theater Education Program is off the ground and making a real difference in NYC public schools,” added Jaime Hastings, Arthur Miller Foundation Executive Director. “Yet our start-up non-profit organization has a long road of fundraising and development ahead. The Arthur Miller Foundation is deeply grateful to the John Gore Foundation and Broadway.com for this tremendous level of support so that we can continue to serve as a change agent in creating successful theater teachers, students and schools." In one year, the program has expanded from 15 to 25 fellows, impacting well over 8,500 middle and high school students in public schools throughout the New York metropolitan area. It is one of the few existing programs focused on supporting theater instruction as an integral credit-bearing part of a core curriculum.

“Broadway.com is very excited to support the Arthur Miller Foundation,” Jerome Kane, Co-CEO of Broaday.com said. “We've seen first-hand how theater education can inspire, transform and build confidence in young people. We wholeheartedly support the Arthur Miller Teaching Fellows as they nurture the next generation of theater-makers and theater fans.”

Program supports for each Arthur Miller Fellow include:

Mentorship: Each Fellow is matched with an experienced theater educator who serves as their mentor while they participate in the program.

Cultural Partnerships: Fellows select a multi-week residency for their students on a specific topic of theater, bringing a teaching artist from a celebrated NYC cultural institution into their classroom to work with the students.

Resources: Fellows receive toolkits for their classrooms (including rehearsal cubes, tablets, theater books, DVDs, etc.) and funds for students to attend Broadway shows & other high-quality theater performances.

Professional Development: Fellows are required to participate in professional development workshops and inter-visitations to observe veteran theater educators in action. They are included in a learning community of peers, with whom they network and collaborate. Fellows enjoy special events within the theater community to broaden their repertoire of knowledge in the field.

The Arthur Miller Foundation is dedicated to providing access and equity to quality theater education in New York City public schools, and to increasing the number of students that receive a dedicated theater education as an integral part of their academic curriculum.