Artists Ben Folds, Ben Vereen, and NY Times’ David Brooks Talk the Importance of Music Education with Arts Leaders in New Talking Up Music Education Podcast

During last month’s Republican and Democratic National Conventions, arts leaders, luminaries, performers, policy makers and advocates joined together to discuss the importance of music and arts education, the current state of arts education, and how music and the arts have influenced their own lives as part of The NAMM Foundation’s podcast, “Talking Up Music Education.” The special Convention podcasts featured a range of contributors, including critically-acclaimed composer and singer, Ben Folds; legendary actor, singer and dancer, Ben Vereen; Turnaround Artist, PBS NewsHour and New York Times contributor, David Brooks; President and CEO of Americans for the Arts, Robert L. Lynch; and Joe Lamond, President and CEO of NAMM.

In this two-podcast series, the contributors shared personal stories of the importance of arts in their own lives and engaged in a passionate discussion, delving into the topics of arts as healing therapy, community engagement, enhanced social and cognitive abilities at all ages, and a variety of subjects which underscore the vital role the arts play in all aspects of our lives. The podcasts can be downloaded here.

The episodes were recorded in conjunction with ARTSSpeak; a national nonpartisan policy forum held at both conventions to discuss the transformative power of the arts to impact 21st century learning, the economy, and healing, especially for wounded military veterans and their families. Produced by Americans for the Arts in partnership with NAMM, the forums included a variety of arts leaders, including Former Arkansas Governor and musician Mike Huckabee; National Constitution Center President and CEO Jeffrey Rosen; Congresswoman Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR); Governor John Hickenlooper (CO); Lieutenant Governor John Sanchez (NM); West Sacramento Mayor Christopher Cabaldon; Oklahoma City Mayor and The United States Conference of Mayors President Mick Cornett; Maria Jukic, director of the Cleveland Clinic Arts & Medicine Institute; Karen Gahl-Mills, executive director of Cuyahoga Arts & Culture; Akram Boutros, MetroHealth CEO; and Arthur Bloom, MusiCorps founder and director, as well as both Mr. Folds and Mr. Vereen. Recaps from the events can be found by visiting: DNC or RNC.

The “Talking Up Music Education” podcast is produced by The NAMM Foundation and features artists, teachers, parents, students and community leaders who share inspiring stories of advancing arts education and policy. The podcast is available to subscribe, download and share by visiting iTunes, Podomatic, Stitcher or Google Play.

Event images from the ARTSSpeak panels are available for editorial use, with credit:

ARTSSpeak @ RNC at The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (Credit: Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)

ARTSSpeak @ DNC at The Philadelphia Museum of Art’s Van Pelt Auditorium (Credit: Lisa Lake/Getty Images) 

About NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a non-profit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its 10,300 members around the world. The NAMM Foundation works to advance active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs. For more information about The NAMM Foundation, please visit www.nammfoundation.org, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.