Memphis has made incredible contributions to the world of arts and culture—too many to name. It’s the birthplace of Rock and Roll and the starting ground for artists like Aretha Franklin, Three 6 Mafia, Young Dolph, and Isaac Hayes, not to mention Jazz greats Mulgrew Miller and James Williams. Memphis has had a profoundly influential impact on multiple genres of music.
Memphis natives Morgan Freeman and Kathy Bates are among the most critically acclaimed actors in the industry. Memphis-born artist Derek Fordjour is leaving his indelible mark on the contemporary art scene. There’s Lowell Smith, who became the star of Dance Theater of Harlem in the 1980s, and Memphis Jookin’ has become a global phenomenon. There appears to be a well of talent across all art forms, just waiting to be nurtured.
It is disappointing, then, that nearly half of middle and high school students in Memphis receive no arts education in schools. Understandably, budget constraints and teacher shortages play a significant role in this reality. We have seen, however, what intentional partnerships with organizations like New Ballet can do to fulfill the needs of the whole child and change the trajectory of their educational experience. We should invest more in these types of operations so that the children of Memphis can receive the education they deserve and forge their own path to impacting the rich culture our city has created.
We believe in systemic solutions—how do we ensure every child in Memphis and Shelby County has access to a world-class music and arts education? Innovative ideas like repurposing a school that played a role in educating one of the most globally renowned musical artists in history to educate the next generation of our city’s artists would be a fitting piece to that bigger solution, and we are excited to see this plan come to fruition.
We will update you regarding New Ballet’s proposed school, MEMArts, as we learn more. In the meantime, you can read more about New Ballet’s proposal to repurpose Humes and invest $50 million into the campus in the words of their founder, Katie Smythe, here.
