DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF MARCH 2026 AS “MARCH FOR THE ARTS” IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Sen. Lockman & Sen. Buckson & Rep. Shupe & Rep. Gorman

Sens. Brown, Cruce, Hansen, Hocker, Hoffner, Huxtable, Lawson, Mantzavinos, Paradee, Pettyjohn, Pinkney, Poore, Richardson, Seigfried, Sokola, Sturgeon, Townsend, Walsh, Wilson; Reps. Berry, Carson, Griffith, Osienski, Yearick

DELAWARE STATE SENATE

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 152

DESIGNATING THE MONTH OF MARCH 2026 AS “MARCH FOR THE ARTS” IN THE STATE OF DELAWARE.

WHEREAS, “March for the Arts” was founded in 2003 when Delaware Senator Dorinda Connor authored Senate Bill No. 116, designating the month of March as “March for the Arts in Education Month.” Senator Connor envisioned a month devoted to celebrating arts education throughout the state; and

WHEREAS, the Arts and Culture Caucus, a bipartisan bicameral group within the General Assembly, aims to cultivate a legislature that appreciates and advances the contributions of the arts to our society; and

WHEREAS, the arts, encompassing a rich array of disciplines such as dance, media arts, music, theatre, visual arts, and more, are an essential element of a complete and well-rounded life for all Delawareans, supporting lifelong education, a strong economy, and vibrant communities; and

WHEREAS, arts education contributes to increased school attendance and graduation rates, elevates academic achievement, and prepares students for college, career, and citizenship readiness; and

WHEREAS, arts education programs in schools and the community provide a step in the pathway toward gainful employment within the creative sector, or other non-arts sectors; and

WHEREAS, success in today’s economy requires the 21st century workforce to develop and master artistic traits such as communicating through words, images, sounds, and movement; and inclusion of the arts develops creativity and innovation elements appreciated and considered by organizations and the business community for employment purposes; and

WHEREAS, the month of March recognizes all-state music programs, spring theatrical productions and musicals, spring dance recitals, “Music in the Schools Month” sponsored by the National Association for Music Education, “Youth in Art Month” sponsored by the National Art Education Association, “Theatre In Our Schools” month sponsored by the Educational Theatre Association, and National “Dance In Your Schools Month” sponsored by the National Dance Education Organization; and

WHEREAS, the General Assembly has taken steps to strengthen this sector starting in school through initiatives such as Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 109, which directed the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Delaware Department of Labor and the Delaware Workforce Development Board, to evaluate opportunities for Delaware Pathways programs to better support careers in the creative economy; and reported that opportunities exist to: (1) Update state workforce data systems to more accurately capture creative economy employment and entrepreneurial activity, supporting evidence-based decision making by policy makers; (2) Expand the number of registered apprenticeship programs and registered apprentices in creative occupations, providing a clear pathway to good jobs located in Delaware; and (3) Improve local career pathway quality, coordinate career readiness activities, and remove local structural barrier through increased alignment within, and technical assistance from, the Delaware Department of Education; and

WHEREAS, this work reflects a growing recognition that arts, culture, design, media, and related fields represent meaningful career opportunities for Delawareans, and that strengthening connections between arts education, workforce development, and creative industries will help expand opportunities for students while supporting the continued growth and innovation of Delaware’s creative economy.

NOW, THEREFORE:

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the 153rd General Assembly of the State of Delaware, the House of Representatives concurring therein, that the Delaware General Assembly designates the Month of March 2026 as “March for the Arts” to recognize the critical role that the arts play in providing a well-rounded education for Delaware's youth.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that “March for the Arts” celebrates the individual contributions of visual, performing, and media arts educators across the state for their service to our students, schools, and community; students participating in arts programming and classes for their artistry, creativity, and dedication; artists and arts administrators for providing all Delawareans with access to culturally enriching experiences, and arts advocates for elevating the needs of the creative economy to elected officials.

SYNOPSIS

This Senate Concurrent Resolution designates the Month of March 2026 as “March for the Arts” in the State Delaware to recognize the critical role that the arts play in providing a well-rounded education for Delaware’s youth, which in turn supports Delaware’s community vibrancy and creative economy.

Author: Senator Lockman