Eliot School Receives EdVestors Arts Expansion Grants

Students attending the Eliot K-8 school will continue to receive arts education by partnering with the North End Music and Performing Arts Center (NEMPAC) thanks to a grant from EdVestors.

The Eliot was among 66 Boston Public Schools to receive EdVestors Arts Expansion Grants totaling $455,000.

Throughout the 2022/2023 NEMPAC will work with students at the Eliot to expand art opportunities at the school.

“Arts education enables students to express themselves and succeed in ways they often don’t in other subjects, and is a powerful motivator for students to want to attend and engage at school,” said  President & CEO of EdVestors Marinell Rousmaniere. “We couldn’t have made this much progress without our committed funders and dedicated partners who continue to support our mission of increasing equitable access to quality arts education for all of Boston’s public schools students.”

Rousmaniere said since 2009, these grants have helped increase the number of students receiving arts education in Boston by 17,000 annually by providing more opportunities for students to become involved in the arts. The grants were announced as part of the annual BPS Citywide Arts Festival, which returned to the Boston Common in person for the first time in three years.

“These grants are essential in ensuring that high-quality arts education will continue to be accessible to Boston Public Schools students,” said Boston School Committee Chair Jeri Robinson. “We all know how important in-person learning is, which is why this year’s event on the Common was such a great opportunity to help our youth re-engage with the community and showcase the magic that comes from being back in the classroom inspiring one another through the arts.”

Robinson added that BPS Arts Expansion is marking its 13th year, having built a partnership that has continued to improve access to quality and equitable arts education for all students. “This collaborative effort has allowed Boston to emerge as a leader in arts education,” she said. “BPS arts teachers working in partnership with community-based teaching artists and organizations have made this work possible. The initiative continues to focus on expanding access to equitable arts education and deepening arts experiences, while building systems to sustain a high level of arts education long into the future.”