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Board endorses downtown arts-education hub and relocation of Ruth Asawa School of the Arts
Summary
The school board unanimously endorsed a resolution supporting creation of a Downtown Civic Center Arts Education Center at 135 Van Ness and the relocation of the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts to the site, citing benefits for students and partnerships with cultural institutions.
The San Francisco Unified School District board unanimously endorsed a resolution to support a Downtown Civic Center Arts Education Center at the 135 Van Ness block and to relocate the Ruth Asawa School of the Arts there.
Chief facilities staff read the resolution, which commits SFUSD to work with city, civic and business stakeholders on a plan to relocate the school and to develop a citywide arts-education hub that would serve the district’s students. The resolution frames the move as aligning with district strategic goals on equity and access in arts education and cites the potential to benefit more than 55,000 SFUSD students through expanded arts curricula, teacher professional development and public performances.
The board allocated 15 minutes of public comment on the item; parents, alumni, arts organizations and educators urged support. Speakers included Ruth Asawa School of the Arts alumni, arts leaders and representatives from arts institutions who emphasized the professional opportunities and partnerships a downtown location would enable. One speaker, a historian involved in a Ruth Asawa retrospective, said the site would honor Asawa’s vision.
Commissioners praised the initiative and discussed the board’s fundraising and advocacy role to secure resources for the project. The resolution passed unanimously by roll call.
