September 13-19 is Arts in Education Week, both nationally and in the City of Hartford, and Hartford Performs is celebrating.

In honor of the occasion, Hartford Mayor Pedro Segarra issued a proclamation stating, in part, “Hartford is a community with a wealth of artists and arts organizations who devote their resources and talents to engaging Hartford students in educational arts experiences both in the classroom and beyond through programs such as Hartford Performs.”

Hartford Public Schools Superintendent Beth Schiavino-Narvaez, meanwhile, sent an email to all district principals, teachers and staff “in appreciation for the artist in each of you.”

Narvaez said she agrees with U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan’s assertion that “all children should have arts-rich schools.” She said, “Student art work enlivens our schools’ hallways and classrooms, and brings parents and families into our auditoriums beaming with pride as their children take the stage to perform. So often, the arts provide an essential outlet for students to express themselves and tell their stories. Just as important, the arts can help students understand other subjects, helping them find a way in to complex science concepts or understand other cultures.”

At Hartford Performs, every week is about Arts in Education. This month, Hartford Performs staff is working with teachers in 32 of the city’s PreK-Grade 8 schools to help them select more than 800 student-centered programs that combine an art form with a core subject. Programs will run throughout the school year, giving 14,000 Hartford students arts-education experiences that will spark their creativity, help them learn and bring joy to their school day. Students will work with artists in their classrooms, gyms and auditoriums, and will take field trips to visit museums and see professional productions of music, dance and theater.

National Arts in Education Week was established by Congress in 2010 and is marked by organizations and individuals throughout the country who understand the transformative power of arts education. See more at #ArtsEdWeek

Hartford Performs is a nonprofit arts education collaborative of schools, arts providers, community organizations, funders and other supporters working together in a planned and integrated way to provide a rich array of arts experiences to Hartford’s students through three mutually reinforcing areas: in-school arts instruction; out-of-school-time arts programming; and arts-integration programs. Hartford Performs’ mission is to ensure that all Hartford Public School students have access to quality arts education delivered by in-school teaching staff in partnership with the region’s vibrant arts community.