Disneyland’s Role in Arts Clarified

* I feel compelled to write in response to Pamela A. Bobit’s letter of July 26 that criticized Disneyland for its modest support of arts education in Orange County, because I feel it paints a very incomplete picture.

The letter refers to the $5,000 given in support of Arts Orange County’s Arts Education Initiative, which will be studying the state of arts education in the county over the next few months.

In fact, Disneyland’s partnership in this project is just one of many things the company does to encourage arts.

Disneyland works on a number of levels to introduce children to the arts. Through a partnership with the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, Disneyland provides a music education program that helps second-graders learn the families of instruments.

The Disneyland Band program reached more than 50,000 Orange County students last year and an estimated 500,000-plus in the 13-year history of this program.

Disneyland’s artists have worked with educators to develop a lively visual arts curriculum for grades K-8, which is being used by six school districts and is being made available to districts worldwide via the Internet. In addition, Disney’s animation division is connecting with and inspiring the next generation of animators through partnerships with a number of Southern California schools.

As the countywide arts council, we are pleased to be partnering with Disney on this important arts education initiative.

BONNIE BRITTAIN HALL

Executive Director

Arts Orange County