With the backdrop of looming budget cuts, artists, educators and administrators gathered in Salinas this morning to form an advocacy group to keep art alive in local classrooms.

The California Alliance for Arts Education (CAAE) picked Salinas as one of 10 places to launch the pilot program designed “to build public understanding and support for the critical role of arts education in the development of every student.”

“We are building voices, advocates for arts education,” said Laurie Schell, executive director of CAAE.

Joe Landon, CAAE policy director, said the alliance is pushing Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger to keep art funding intact despite the state’s ballooning budget deficit. Landon said the state’s $105 million devoted to arts education amounts to $17 a student.

Education officials attending the breakfast meeting at the National Steinbeck Center expressed their commitment to maintain funding for painting, drama, and music classes. Nancy Kotowski, Monterey County superintendent of schools, said No Child Left Behind has pressured educators to focus on reading and math in isolation, but art is very important for students to better learn core subjects. “Arts are critical to the education of the whole person,” Kotowski said. “You can’t cut that off.”

Katie Venza Balesteri, after-school program coordinator for Salinas City Elementary School District, said she is nervous about the future of the district’s art programs because the city is looking to cut half the funding for after-school programs. City staff have recommended taking back $320,000 in after-school Measure V funds.

Doom and gloom aside, attendants aspired to collaborate better with the county’s various art groups and develop shared marketing approaches. Several local leaders will be selected to form the art advocacy network.

Visit CAAE at http://www.artsed411.org/