Send a Heart to the Arts

By Orli Trumbull and Viola Aderholt (Sophomores)

Many students rely on the arts as a form of self expression and an escape from a monotonous school day. However, as an untested subject, art is usually the first to be cut out of the budget.“I feel like the arts are the most struggling, which is funny because I feel like it’s the most motivating reason to come to school,” said Art Teacher Ms. Coyne when asked about the Obama art department’s situation. 

Students fortunate enough to find art on their schedule this year have noticed that Coyne is now located in the basement. The ceramics studio, previously occupied by Ms. Demark, now holds the only art class available to high school students; the other class is a mix of high school and middle school students led by a full time sub. Last year Demark left Obama, leaving the ceramics room available to Coyne. There are speculations that she left out of concern for the art department budget.

The Obama art department’s funding has always been small, and it has only decreased in recent years. Coyne said that there were previously plans to expand art electives into realms like photography. Unfortunately, these plans could not be fulfilled because of the lack of funding. 

Teachers are looking for other ways to find funding. “We definitely need something beyond teacher responsibility for fundraising, and art teachers are always looking for donors and grants,” said Coyne. “We need more grant writers within the district to share the responsibility.” The art department is also in need of teachers. The lack of art staff has affected the number of classes being held and the quality of the IB visual arts classes. These classes are required for the IB diploma.

All upperclassmen taking the 2023 – 2024 IB Visual Arts course will be taught by Coyne. In previous years, the art class had a limit of twelve students per class, allowing time for individualized support. With the employment situation this year, that number has risen sharply. The available art classes are overflowing. Many students who wanted to take art were not able to because of class size limits. This change affects Coyne’s ability to teach, and the quality of class for students.

 Although many students may not experience art during the school day, there are after school programs available for those who still want to experience art. For example, the Manchesters Craftsmen’s Guild (MGC) is a great resource for students which provides in-depth artistic classes. Coyne recommends MGC for students and says it “exists to expand art offerings and plug some of the holes” in high school art courses. While these programs are not a replacement to art classes in school they are a good complimentary resource available for students who are passionate in arts.