How Music Alum Jessica Key is Empowering Communities Through Art
Since graduating from the Governor’s School in 2017, I have been exploring more of the intricacies of artistry. I am currently studying at Columbia University, pursuing my Master’s in Music Education while working as a 5th and 6th grade music teacher at Teachers College Community School in Harlem. With my background in both performance and pedagogy, I have noticed a divide between teaching and cultural art institutions such as music conservatories and performance halls.
Arts funding has been lacking in public, private and charter institutions for the last decade or so. Fewer and fewer students have access to instruments, classes and arts materials. On top of this, many cultural arts institutions are out of reach both physically and financially for most people in this country. The price of arts activities can cost parents between $30-300 per session, with most on the higher end of that scale. There is also a lack of qualified instructors with pedagogical training within the arts space, which makes the situation even more complex.
With all that is going on in the world, people need an outlet to express themselves. Creating art has been a healthy way in which people have coped with hard times in the past, and art has played an integral role in progressing our society today. I, alongside co-founder Reynaldo Hill, decided to do something about this ever-growing void in an area that was very personal to us. It was then that Empowering Communities Through Art (ECTA) was born with the mission to make arts education accessible to all.
We do this by connecting students, in person and online, with a nationwide network of teaching artists and educators that come from a wide range of backgrounds, each with a distinct skill set and list of accomplishments. Our roster holds credentials from world renowned schools such as the Curtis Institute of Music, The Juilliard School, Columbia University, Manhattan School of Music, San Francisco Conservatory, Alvin Ailey School, as well as Indiana University and Mannes School of Music to name a few. Arts lessons are priced at $40 per hour and students can apply for an ECTA grant to help cover costs.
As the artistic director of ECTA, I work on making connections with others and building community partnerships to provide arts services. Our latest partnership is with the Unicorn Children’s Foundation, which is a Boca Raton-based non-profit dedicated to creating cradle-to-career pathways for kids and young adults with developmental or learning disabilities while helping their families navigate the complex journey. ECTA will provide three virtual workshops—graphic design, digital music, and film—to students with autism spectrum disorders.
ECTA plans to bring about change by offering performances to traditionally overlooked spaces such as elderly homes, homeless shelters, hospitals and orphanages. We also aim to continue providing private and group lessons in a wide range of arts disciplines.
