By Roz Cauthen
In communities across Baltimore, arts education is often treated as enrichment — something nice to have when budgets allow. But for many Black students and families, access to the arts is not a luxury. It is a lifeline.
Credit: Courtesy photo
As Maryland leaders debate how to close a state budget gap, arts programs are once again vulnerable. When funding tightens, enrichment programs are often the first to face reductions. Those cuts are not neutral. They disproportionately affect students whose families cannot afford private lessons, summer intensives or after-school opportunities.
At the Baltimore School for the Arts, I have seen firsthand how early access to arts education transforms young people’s lives. Students who may not initially see themselves as leaders discover confidence, discipline, and purpose through rigorous creative training. They learn to collaborate, to take risks and to use their voices.
Programs like TWIGS, BSA’s free after-school and weekend arts program for elementary and middle school students, provide critical entry points. For many families, it is the first time a child has access to high-quality arts instruction without financial barriers. It is often the first moment a young person begins to see themselves as capable, creative and deserving of investment.
When those programs are cut, the message is clear: opportunity is reserved for those who can afford it.
Arts education is directly tied to student engagement and attendance — two areas where many districts are working to rebuild momentum. At BSA, where arts and academics are fully integrated, attendance remains in the high 90s and graduation is 100 percent. Those outcomes reflect what happens when students feel seen, challenged and connected to something meaningful.
If we are serious about equity in education, we cannot allow arts access to shrink when budgets tighten. For many students, especially those in under-resourced communities, arts education is not extracurricular. It is foundational.
Access to the arts is not an extra. It is part of how young people discover who they are and who they can become.
The opinions expressed in this commentary are those of the writer and not necessarily those of the AFRO.