The Cost of Cutting the Arts — Why Fine Arts Funding Isn’t a “Nice to Have,” It’s a Must-Have
Administrators, board members, and band/choir/theatre parents—this is the episode. We unpack what really happens when schools cut arts education: student engagement drops, attendance slips, discipline spikes, and campus culture weakens. We connect the dots between band, choir, theatre, visual art and outcomes schools care about—writing proficiency, graduation, mental health, SEL, belonging—and we bring real voices from the parent community, including the story of Emma, a teen who says music literally saved her life.

From a Midwest drumline dad with Kansas/Oklahoma roots: this is a clear, practical case for keeping fine arts protected in every budget cycle. You’ll get plain-English research, parent stories, and actionable steps leaders can use before the next board vote. If you’re a superintendent, principal, school board member, or booster leader, start here—and share it widely.

What’s inside:
• How cutting arts shifts costs to absenteeism, remediation, and discipline
• Why belonging in band/theatre/choir stabilizes schools
• Parent stories you can take to your district cabinet and Board of Education
• Simple actions to protect fine arts funding (without adding noise)

If you or a student needs support: call/text 988 (US).

Sources:

• Bowen, D., & Kisida, B. (Rice Kinder Institute / NEA). Experimental evidence from Houston’s Arts Access Initiative—RCT showing reductions in discipline, gains in writing, engagement, compassion. Kinder InstituteNational Endowment for the ArtsInstitute of Education Sciences

• NEA (Catterall, Dumais, Hampden-Thompson). Arts and Achievement in At-Risk Youth—longitudinal associations with graduation, college, civics. National Endowment for the ArtsERIC

• Americans for the Arts (using College Board data). SAT Scores and the Arts—~90–100 point average differences with 4 years of arts coursework. Americans for the Arts+1

• Attendance & arts: recent analyses linking arts expansion to improved ADA and less chronic absenteeism. SAGE Journals

• ESSA/Title IV-A—arts in well-rounded education; federal profile & ED resources. U.S. Department of Educationaaec.ed.gov

• WEF. Future of Jobs 2023—creative thinking among top skills needed by 2027. World Economic ForumWorld Economic Forum

• BEA/NEA. Arts & Cultural Production Satellite Account—arts/culture at $1.2T (4.2% GDP) in 2023. National Endowment for the ArtsBureau of Economic Analysis

• Vignettes:

  • Johnny Croft, Cane Ridge HS—CMA Foundation recognition; community visibility at CMA Fest; profile coverage. CMA Fest presented by SoFiApple PodcastsFacebook

  • Emma Jedow—local coverage and broadcast on anti-bullying song and its impact. manchester.inklink.newsWMUR

  • Gambell, Alaska—Pacific Standard feature and project documentation. Pacific Standardblog.kiliii.com

  • Rikers Drama Club—program piece on improv’s effects with incarcerated youth. Teen Vogue

What does it really take to thrive inside the drumline? In this episode of the SoundstageEDU Podcast, Mike DeJohn dives deep into the drumline mentality—the mix of discipline, grit, teamwork, and focus that separates good percussionists from great ones. Whether you’re a marching band student, a drum corps rookie, a high school percussionist, or a band director trying to build culture, this conversation unpacks the mindset behind clean hands, locked-in ensemble timing, and unstoppable confidence.

We’ll talk about mental preparation for rehearsals and performances, handling pressure on the field, the brotherhood and sisterhood of the battery and front ensemble, and how adopting a championship mindset changes the way you play—and the way you live.

If you care about DCI culture, indoor percussion, marching percussion technique, and student leadership, this episode is for you. Tune in, share with your line, and start building the mentality that wins not just shows, but respect.

Every booster group starts strong, but how do you make sure the momentum doesn’t fade after one season—or after the same five parents burn out? In this third episode of the Booster Culture Series, we dig into how to create booster organizations that are strong, healthy, and built to last.

You’ll learn:

• ✅ Why booster traditions are the glue that keeps parents coming back

• ✅ How to shift from “the same 5 parents” to shared ownership and teamwork

• ✅ The importance of succession planning and mentoring new booster leaders

• ✅ How booster parents can model unity and avoid the cliques that drive people away

• ✅ Why every shift, fundraiser, and volunteer role adds up to a student’s legacy in the arts

This is the blueprint for growing sustainable band boosters, choir boosters, and theater boosters that thrive year after year.

🎧 Listen now—and share this with your booster club or parent volunteer team to spark the culture change your program needs.

🎙️ No More Gloves: Not Just Nerd Stuff

This drop-in episode is raw, unfiltered, and straight from the gut. I’m done being quiet about how marching band, theater, choir, and orchestra get dismissed as “nerd stuff” or “just a hobby.”

In this episode, I call out the culture that devalues fine arts, share the stories of kids whose parents don’t show up, and lay out why these programs matter more than ever. Band kids, theater kids, orchestra kids, choir kids — they are building leadership, resilience, and community. And they deserve to be seen.

If you’ve ever had to defend your child’s passion for the arts… if you’re tired of hearing “Are they paying you?” … or if you believe fine arts is not optional, this one is for you.

👉 Listen now and join the fight to shift the culture around fine arts.

Why do some booster clubs thrive while others struggle to get volunteers? The difference often comes down to one thing: the invitation.

In this episode of the Booster Culture Series, we go deep into the art of inviting parents to join your music, choir, theater, and marching band booster organizations. Drawing from principles used in corporate sales and volunteer recruitment, you’ll learn:

• ✅ How to make personal, disarming invitations that eliminate objections up front

• ✅ Real-life role plays you can use to invite parents into concessions, uniforms, props, and more

• ✅ Why “clipboard sign-ups” don’t work—and what does

• ✅ How to break down cliques that unintentionally push parents away

• ✅ Why booster parents must act like one family, not separate circles

This is the hard conversation nobody wants to have: cliques kill booster culture. It’s time to step up, model belonging, and create organizations where every parent feels welcome.

If you’re ready to grow your booster club and lighten the load on the “same five people,” this episode is for you.

🎧 Listen now, share with your parent group, and let’s start building the culture our students deserve.

Why is it always the same few parents doing everything? Why do so many people stay on the sidelines? In this first episode of the Booster Culture Series, we talk honestly about the frustration, burnout, and cliques that so many parents are seeing in their fine arts booster groups.

But there’s also hope. I’ll share real stories—from overwhelmed parents to leaders who created a culture of belonging—that show us the difference a single act of invitation can make.

If you’re feeling tired, unseen, or frustrated, this one’s for you. You’re not alone—and things can get better.

🎧 Listen now, and stick around for the next part of this series where we’ll explore how to practically bring more parents in and build a healthier booster culture.

Be sure and follow us here on Spotufy to get the rest of this series and leave us a comment to start some dialogue.

It’s Band Season. This episode is a love letter—and a challenge—to every stadium: stay for halftime, show up at a Saturday comp, and see how marching band builds grit, belonging, and school spirit. We pull back the curtain on band camp’s grind, heat/hydration realities, and five tips to watch a show like a pro. Parents, directors, coaches, and ADs—this one’s for you. Share it with your booster group.

• StyckMan’s original post on WUSY US-101 (Facebook). Facebook

• Bands of America / Music for All: mission, events, and FAQs. Music for All, Inc.BOA Marching Championships

• Music participation & student outcomes (NAMM Foundation research roundups). NAMM Foundation+1

• ESSA recognizes music as part of a “well-rounded education” (NAfME explainer; U.S. ED arts page). NAfMEaaec.ed.gov

• Marching band heat & hydration guidance (NATA, NFHS, UIL-TX). nata.orgNFHSUniversity Interscholastic League

Fine arts students—this one’s for you. Whether you’re a theater kid, band kid, choir singer, orchestra musician, or show choir performer, this episode is packed with the motivation you need to crush this school year.

We dive deep into the stories of artists and programs who prove that discipline, grit, and creativity matter more than grades alone:

• Yo-Yo Ma – mastery and service through music.

• Billie Eilish – bedroom recordings to GRAMMYs and Oscars.

• Beyoncé – record-breaking GRAMMY wins built on relentless rehearsal.

• Ben Platt – leaping into Broadway greatness with Dear Evan Hansen.

• Clinton Attaché & Carmel Ambassadors – show choir legends who built excellence through culture.

• Avon High School Marching Black & Gold – Hall of Fame leadership and national recognition built on consistency and grit.

We also get real about the college trap: why chasing a degree isn’t the only way to succeed in the arts. With three bachelor’s degrees of my own that I barely use, I’ll tell you why certifications, real-world skills, and determination often carry more weight than a diploma. College can be powerful—but your path to success doesn’t have to start or end there.

This is your reminder that you already have what it takes. Fine arts kids are leaders in academics, in life, and in culture. Now is the time to step up, show up, and prove that the arts—and the students who carry them—are unstoppable.

#SoundstageEDU #FineArtsStrong #TheaterKids #BandLife #ChoirFam #OrchestraLife #ShowChoirNation #MarchingBandLife #AvonMarchingBlackAndGold #PerformanceGrit #BackToSchoolMotivation #ProtectTheArts #StudentSuccess

After a post in the Band Parents community took off, I’m jumping in to read the room out loud: the “first YES” moments that kept students in band, the found-their-people stories, the rides and fee help that made participation possible, and the quiet truth so many shared—the arts don’t just decorate school; they stabilize it.

I’m a Midwest band dad with Kansas/Oklahoma roots and a drumline background (performed it, taught it, still counting off eights). This quick episode gathers parent voices to carry into the bigger conversation on the real cost of cutting the arts. If you’re a principal, superintendent, school board member, or booster leader, this is your porch-light invitation to listen.

Want to be included in the deep-dive episode?
Send a 30–60s voice note with your “first YES,” “found their people,” or “someone made a way” story (first name only; details protected).

If you or a student needs support: call/text 988 (US).

Theater kids, band kids, choir, and orchestra—it’s time to step back into the spotlight this school year. Fine arts students have always been known for their grit, discipline, and leadership on stage and on the field, but now it’s about bringing that same energy into the classroom.

In this episode of the SoundstageEDU podcast, I’m talking directly to fine arts students about why academics matter just as much as rehearsal, how to use your performance mindset to succeed in school, and why administrators are watching the grades, the effort, and the leadership of theater, band, choir, and orchestra students when making decisions about funding and protecting fine arts programs.

If you’ve ever wondered how to balance your love of theater with academics, how to keep motivation during back-to-school season, or how fine arts students can prove their value beyond the stage, this episode is for you. You’ll hear real encouragement, practical reminders, and a call to action for all fine arts kids to step up, shine bright, and set the bar this year.

Back to school is more than new classes—it’s a chance for fine arts students to prove, once again, why the arts matter and why cutting them would be cutting excellence.

#SoundstageEDU #TheaterKids #FineArtsStrong #BandLife #ChoirFam #OrchestraLife #BackToSchoolVibes #ArtsMatter #ProtectTheArts #PerformanceGrit #StudentSuccess