Arts Access Miami will expand into the Central District of Miami-Dade County Public Schools this fall, bringing free arts education programming to thousands of additional students across Brownsville, Allapattah, Liberty City, West Little River and Gladeview.

The organization says the expansion will increase Arts Access Miami’s reach to more than 17,000 students during the 2026–2027 school year.

Launched in Miami Gardens in 2020 by a coalition of eight arts organizations, Arts Access Miami was created to address inequities in arts education access throughout Miami-Dade County. The initiative later expanded into North Dade and South Dade feeder patterns. The Central District marks the third of five planned regional alliances aimed at creating a countywide arts education system by 2030, according to a press release.

The expansion was celebrated May 18 at the African Heritage Cultural Arts Center. Attendees included Miami-Dade County Public Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Linda Amica-Roberts, Central Region Superintendent Brenda Swain, South Region Superintendent Rafael Villalobos and The Miami Foundation President and CEO Rebecca Fishman Lipsey, along with principals, teachers and education leaders from across the county.

During the event, Miami-Dade County Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Jose L. Dotres received the inaugural Arts Champion Award for his support of arts education access.

“Arts education is not an enrichment opportunity for a select few students — it is an amplified and essential part of student development and success,” Dotres said in the release. “Arts Access Miami has demonstrated what is possible when schools, nonprofits, funders, and civic leaders work together around a shared vision. This expansion reflects our commitment to ensuring more students have access to the creativity, engagement, and opportunities that arts education provides.”

The celebration also featured performances from organizations including Diva Dance Arts Studio, Teeny Violini, Vocal Youth Miami and Young Musicians Unite.

According to the release, Arts Access Miami currently includes more than 25 partner organizations serving 66 schools and community sites throughout Miami-Dade County. With the Central District expansion, the initiative is expected to grow to 31 partner organizations across more than 90 schools and community sites.

Since its launch, the organization said it has reached more than 40,000 students through programs in music, dance, visual arts and other creative disciplines.

“What makes this work meaningful is that we are not simply adding programs school by school — we are building sustainable infrastructure that allows entire communities of students to consistently access the arts,” said Alan Valladares, director of Arts Access Miami. “When students feel connected, inspired, and engaged in school, it impacts everything from attendance to academic performance to long-term opportunity.”

The expansion coincides with the release of a new Arts Access Miami impact study analyzing student records from participating schools during the 2024–2025 school year.

According to the organization, the study found participating schools saw up to 20% higher attendance rates across grade levels. Elementary students were also 45% more likely to achieve higher English Language Arts scores, while K–8 students were twice as likely to improve in ELA and 57% more likely to improve in math. Middle school students were 68% more likely to score higher in math.