The Denver Art Initiative
Our Mission
The core mission of the Denver Art Initiative is to safeguard and promote diverse art forms within schools that are at risk of facing budget cuts or inadequate funding for their art programs. This objective is fueled by a genuine understanding of the significant impact that art and music can have on the lives of individuals. The initiative strives to tackle the unfortunate reality wherein numerous students are deprived of these transformative experiences due to financial limitations within their educational institutions.
To achieve its goals, the Denver Art Initiative mobilizes artists from various backgrounds, uniting them to raise funds and garner widespread support for preserving artistic programs in Denver schools.
“ Just over 28,000 Colorado students attend schools that do not offer formal art education. Only half of our high school students are enrolled in art classes, and educators report that both arts education and community arts partnerships struggle for funds and time in the school day.”
- Colorado Office of Economic Development.
Education in the arts makes up only 4.2% of the entire budget within the DPS district
The funding that does exist for art programs within DPS is also often allocated incorrectly within schools and lacks any guidelines for the standards of their art programs.