Las Vegas was recently chosen as the fourth partner city for an arts education program, Any Given Child, created by The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The Kennedy Center will work with local arts and education organizations, including the Clark County School District and The Smith Center for the Performing Arts to address the specific arts education needs of the Las Vegas community.

“A strong arts education benefits students in their intellectual, personal and social development,” said Kennedy Center President Michael M. Kaiser. “The Kennedy Center wants to ensure that every child receives a solid, meaningful arts education from kindergarten through eighth grade. I commend Mayor Goodman for his leadership and commitment to enriching the lives of Las Vegas students.”

In comparison to subjects such as mathematics, arts instruction is often intermittent and irregular from year to year. By partnering with local organizations and utilizing existing resources in Las Vegas, the Kennedy Center hopes to ensure that children are guaranteed a full arts education while keeping administrative overhead low.

Phase one of the project involves conducting a comprehensive audit of existing programs, resources and offerings and creating a plan based on the findings. During Phase two, the committee will make recommendations to the school district and various art groups. The Smith Center will serve to convene the community organizations and entities through the duration of this initiative to ensure equity and access to the arts for all children in the community. 

Las Vegas joins Sacramento, Calif., Springfield, Miss. and Portland, Ore. in the Any Given Child partnership.

For more information about Any Given Child, please visit www.kennedy-center.org/education/anygivenchild/

Photo: Kennedy Center artist Kimberli Boyd worked with students at Clyde C. Cox Elementary School last spring as part of the Partners in Education program.