Kennedy Center program that links arts groups with struggling schools could reinvent education

Kennedy Center program enlists art groups to teach

WASHINGTON — The Kennedy Center is announcing a new program that could reinvent arts education for schools struggling with budget cuts and fewer art teachers.

The center says a pilot project in Sacramento, Calif., that was announced Friday could expand to three cities each year. Local arts groups will partner with schools to help carry out instruction for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

Kennedy Center President Michael Kaiser says schools need a systematic way of teaching the arts.

Sacramento Mayor Kevin Johnson says the initiative could not have come at a better time as school districts face budget cuts. He says groups like the Sacramento Theater Company and Crocker Art Museum will also benefit by fostering a new generation of patrons for theater, ballet and art.