Pearl Mae Watson Arts Education Fund

Pearl Mae Watson was a gifted educator and an avid lover of the arts.  She spent over 20 years serving as an elementary school teacher in Brooklyn, NY while raising two children.  Pearl was adamant about exposing her kids to the arts and fully supported their training and artistic endeavors.  She spent countless hours with her children at dance and singing classes and rehearsals, and made it her business to seek out only the BEST training for them.  As a grandmother she continued this tradition with gymnastics, dance, voice, piano and acting lessons. Nothing made her happier than supporting her children and grandchildren at their many recitals and performances.   Over the years Pearl often spoke about her desire to sponsor a child, outside of her family, that was training in the arts in New York and, while she was not able to do so in life, her children and grandchildren are determined to fulfill this dream in honor of her passing.  

In 2021 we raised $10,000 in scholarship funds and helped students training in all genres of the performing arts at NYC arts institutions.  This year we hope to double that amount. 

Pearl's spirit of giving was unmatched and her love for education and the arts is embodied by her children and grandchildren some of  whom have gone on to become art educators, dancers, musicians and actors.

 Your generosity and support honors her tenacity and ensures that her legacy lives on. 

"Legacy is not leaving something for people. It's leaving something in people." _Peter Strople

With gratitude,

The family of Pearl Mae Watson

2021 PMW Arts Scholarship Recipients

Brooklyn Ballet Danielle Martinez and Leah Johnson

Harlem School For the Arts Carlos Hunter, Asantewa Adigun-Bomani, Ella Alburez

Covenant Ballet Theatre of Brooklyn Donatella Herteloo, Alelia Ollivierre

School of American Ballet Ayana Stampley