Sorenson, an arts philanthropist who unveiled a blockbuster gift to the University of Utah on Monday, was pondering the toll on school children stemming from the disappearance of arts education in elementary schools, according to her son Jim Sorenson. Can the arts channel the energy of at-risk children into more productive and fulfilling paths?
While no one can say whether Maria would still be alive if the arts were taught in Salt Lake City's schools, the Sorensons believe that the arts help. Thanks to the family's support of a new ground-breaking interdisciplinary arts program at the U., Utah school kids will have more access to music, dance and visual arts than they've had in recent years.
"I feel overwhelmed," Beverly Sorenson told U. trustees Monday at a ceremony announcing her family's $12 million gift, the U.'s largest ever gift supporting the arts. "Art education is essential to the success of children as individuals and as citizens. But no single group can bring quality art teaching programs to Utah schools; we all have to work together."
The donation, which goes toward the construction of the $30 million Beverley Taylor Sorenson Arts and Education Complex, comes through the Sorenson Legacy Foundation, a philanthropic enterprise funded by the fortune amassed by Beverley's late husband, the entrepreneur James Sorenson.
"Integrating arts into the education of our young students early in their development will have a profound effect on their future learning, not only in the arts, but in all areas, including math, sciences and language," U. President Michael Young said. Studies indicate that art instruction can also reduce behavior problems and absenteeism, but budget cuts over the past generation have all but eliminated public funding for elementary art programs, added Jim Sorenson.
A former school teacher, Beverly Sorenson has been working since 1995 to expose Utah students to the visual and performing arts with her organization Art Works for Kids. This year she successfully lobbied the Utah Legislature to invest in arts instruction, and now she is kicking in some of her family's substantial wealth. In June, she donated $4.5 million to Brigham Young University to support a similar program.
The U. program is a collaboration between the colleges of Fine Arts and Education in what is being hailed as a "one-of-a-kind" effort to train teachers across academic and artistic disciplines to instruct kids how to draw, sing, dance, act and sculpt.
"The arts can profoundly change children's lives and is a critical tool for improving student achievement," said education dean Michael Hardman. "What makes this gift so visionary is that faculty from across the university will be working side-by-side - with other institutions of higher education, schools, families, and arts organizations - to explore and promote this phenomenon."
In practice, the program is expected to prepare fine arts students to work as school specialists. In addition, education students would have the option to specialize in arts disciplines, so they would become more fully versed and confident in using techniques drawn from drama, visual arts, music or dance in teaching core subjects.
"Part of what's exciting is that the College of Fine Arts is partnering with the college of Education in a multi-pronged effort to make the arts more fully integrated into the core curriculum," said theater department chairman Bob Nelson.
