I n schools across the country, mainstream arts education seems to be catching on. Art and music, once seen as gravy to meatier basics like English literature and algebra, are now being linked to a number of benefits for students. E ducating for the Workplace Through the Arts, a 1996 report by the Getty Education Institute for the Arts, suggests that the increasing demand for workers with strong communication skills and technological know-how is changing the way we view the arts. Grants from the Meyer Memorial Trust, philanthropists such as Arlene Schnitzer, and a number of corporations helped pay for much of the school's equipment and furnishings. The school's 20-member board of directors brings together artists, civic leaders, professionals, and executives from such worlds as real estate, lumber, and accounting.
Board members serve as mentors and host job shadows.
What they get in return is a pool of potential employees and a broader network of support for their art or industry. Pink Martini-in addition to CEOs, a veterinarian, a former governor, even a nautical archaeologist. Musician and sound designer Brian Rose first visited the school for a lunch event. Soon afterward, he was recruited to teach sound design and audio engineering. T he comprehensive media arts program allows students to explore how film, audio, and computer applications work together.