First hour: Examining the state of arts funding in Monroe County
Second hour: How are local school districts heading into the start of 2021?“If Rochester is a 'City of the Arts,' why don't we fund the arts?” That’s the central question and the title of CITY Magazine’s January cover story. In a deep dive on the state of local arts funding, CITY editor David Andreatta and arts editor Rebecca Rafferty report that “Although dozens of organizations make up Rochester’s arts and cultural scene, Monroe County legislators did what they have done for decades and allocated most of the largesse to a handful of stalwart groups.” The formula and distribution process leave smaller groups with nothing or scrounging for leftover funding. Representatives for various arts organizations interviewed for the piece argue that for an arts city of such caliber, there should be more public support for artists and their work, and a distribution process that's less confusing and more equitable. This hour, we examine how county funds for the arts are allocated and what arts advocates want to see changed. Our guests:
- David Andreatta, editor of CITY Magazine
- Rebecca Rafferty, life editor for CITY Magazine
- Simeon Banister, vice president of community programs at Rochester Area Community Foundation
- Dawn Lipson, longtime patron of the arts who heads the Arts and Cultural Council of Greater Rochester
- Bleu Cease, executive director of the Rochester Contemporary Art Center
Then in our second hour, how are local school districts heading into the start of 2021? We talk with the superintendents of Brighton, Greece, and West Irondequoit Central School Districts about their plans for the pandemic winter. Parts of each of those towns were designated as Orange Zones before Thanksgiving. Under the state’s rules, school buildings within Orange Zones must close to in-person learning for at least four calendar days and cannot reopen until testing criteria is met. During his press briefing Monday, Governor Andrew Cuomo touted the benefits of in-person learning, but said it’s up to the districts to make the final decision about when schools reopen after meeting criteria. This hour, the superintendents discuss their districts’ learning models, how students and staff are adapting, and what they expect in their schools for the next several months. Our guests:
- Kevin McGowan, superintendent of the Brighton Central School District
- Kathleen Graupman, superintendent of the Greece Central School District
- Aaron Johnson, superintendent of the West Irondequoit Central School District
