Maryland is entering another year of difficult budget decisions, and once again, arts education finds itself on the chopping block. When I think about what’s at stake, I think about the transformation I’ve witnessed over my 10 years at the Baltimore School for the Arts: nervous ninth graders unsure of their own talent, and seniors who leave standing in their confidence — ready to take on the world.
That kind of growth doesn’t happen by accident. It happens because students have access to rigorous training, consistent mentorship and opportunities that help them discover who they are. And those are exactly the experiences at risk when arts programs become the default place to cut.
When districts reduce arts funding, we lose far more than electives. We jeopardize Maryland’s long-term talent pipeline.
Across technology, cyber, life sciences and health care, Maryland employers consistently identify the same needs: problem-solving, communication, collaboration and adaptability. These abilities are shaped long before a young person applies to their first job.
According to the World Economic Forum’s 2025 Future of Jobs Report, creative thinking remains one of the most in-demand skills for the future of work. Yet the programs that most effectively cultivate those abilities — dance, film, visual arts, music, theater and design — are often first to shrink when budgets tighten.
We cannot demand an innovative workforce while defunding the programs that produce innovative thinkers.
Arts programs drive student engagement, attendance and achievement. When they disappear, schools lose one of the most effective tools for improving outcomes.
At the Baltimore School for the Arts (BSA), where arts and academics reinforce one another, we see this every day. Even without academic entrance requirements, our students consistently exceed city, state and national benchmarks. Recent data shows 96-98% attendance, a 100% graduation rate, strong AP results across 15+ subjects, #1 English/ELA performance in Baltimore City and more than 40% of students holding a 3.5-3.99 unweighted GPA.
Those results reflect what happens when young people experience challenge, discipline, collaboration and creativity every day — skills directly tied to academic success.
Budget cuts widen equity gaps, especially in Baltimore
In Baltimore, early arts access is one of the city’s most powerful tools for equity. Programs like TWIGS, BSA’s free after-school and weekend arts program for 515 students in grades 2–8, give families high-quality instruction at a formative age.
For many children, TWIGS is the first time they see themselves as capable, creative and full of possibility. That confidence carries into the classroom and into adulthood. I think of students who arrive unsure and withdrawn, and within a few years carry themselves with a confidence their families tell us they never imagined. That transformation is what early-access programs like TWIGS make possible.
When budgets shrink, these programs are often the first to lose support — harming the students who benefit most.
Arts schools are economic engines, not luxuries
Arts education plays a critical role in Maryland’s economic competitiveness, and this year, the stakes are even higher.
Schools like BSA create long-term value by producing graduates who succeed across industries, lead companies, launch businesses and bring creative problem-solving into workplaces that urgently need those skills. Our alumni hold roles in health care, finance, education, tech, law and public service.
Cities across the country are investing in creative infrastructure because they know culture fuels growth. Baltimore already has that foundation. Weakening it now would be a costly step backward.
Budget pressures are real, but so is the cost of underinvesting in the next generation. Maryland is strengthening its standing in AI, cybersecurity, biotech and other high-growth fields. These sectors require workers who can think critically, collaborate across teams and imagine solutions we haven’t yet conceived.
Those abilities don’t develop in rote learning environments but through exploration, critique, and creative practice. If we continue to deprioritize arts programs, the consequences will echo far beyond the classroom.
As district and state leaders prepare for the next budget cycle, I urge them to protect arts programs from disproportionate cuts, ensure funding formulas value creative skill-building, sustain and expand early-access programs like TWIGS and recognize arts education as essential workforce development.
We cannot shrink our way to a stronger future. Maryland’s economic competitiveness depends on cultivating thinkers, innovators and leaders. Arts education is not optional; it is foundational. And in this year’s budget cycle, the stakes are too high to ignore.
Roz Cauthen (rcauthen@bsfa.org) is the executive director of the Baltimore School for the Arts.
