Section 9.01. Legislative findings and declaration

The legislature hereby
  finds and declares that the  legislative  findings  set  down  upon  the
  creation of the empire state youth theatre institute pursuant to chapter
  eight  hundred  twenty-six of the laws of nineteen hundred seventy-four,
  continue to be valid and hereby reaffirms and restates these findings:
    1. The arts are a motivating force in our schools and in our  society.
  They  are a sensitizing experience for a fuller life and a complement to
  the skills of reading, writing and mathematics.
    2. The use  of  creative  arts  for  children  and  youth  within  the
  educational  structure has been shown to increase student success in all
  disciplines and to encourage emotional growth.
    3. Teachers should be experienced in  the  use  of  arts  and  theatre
  techniques  in  reaching  and working with children and young people, as
  well as  be  prepared  in  the  use  of  community  cultural  and  human
  resources.
    The  legislature  further  finds  that there should be a state theatre
  institute dedicated to bringing arts in education to  the  children  and
  young people of this state.
    It  is further found that such state theatre institute should embody a
  model theatre and education program for the children of New  York  state
  and  should  symbolize  the commitment of the people of the state of New
  York to the maintenance and development of  theatre  and  education  for
  children  and  young  people  while  making  programs  of  such  theatre
  institute accessible to the general public.
    It is further found that such state theatre institute should establish
  affiliations with public and private  schools,  institutions  of  higher
  learning  and  arts  centers to assure delivery of its services to young
  people throughout the state.  It is therefore found  and  declared  that
  these  findings  can  best  be met through the establishment of a public
  benefit corporation to be known as the New York state theatre  institute
  corporation and the powers and duties of the corporation defined in this
  article are necessary and proper for the achievement of these ends.