Democratic Governor-elect John Bel Edwards turned the political world on its head when he defeated two-term Republican Senator David Vitter in last month’s Louisiana gubernatorial election. Edwards’ victory marked the first time in 12 years that a Democrat was elected Governor of a state in the Deep South.

Ever since then, political commentators across Louisiana–and much of the country–have been wondering what priorities will change when the Democrat takes his seat in Baton Rouge.

A number of issues, from food stamps and Medicaid to refugees seeking asylum, have already been addressed by the Governor-elect himself. However, it was incoming First Lady Donna Edwards that was the first to mention another new priority–arts education.

A longtime music teacher in Tangipahoa Parish, Donna Edwards has revealed that she intends to champion music and arts education during her time in the capitol. Speaking with WBRZ earlier this week, the incoming First Lady said: “Music and the arts to be programs that kind of fly in the wind. They depend on funding and I’d like to see them have stronger roles in our schools.”

Donna Edwards also told the WWL-TV: “Music and arts in the schools is something I’d really like to be a part of and really highlighting that in the schools, and being an advocate for the teachers. Being a voice for them.”

An emphasis on arts and music education would be a welcome change from the policies of the Jindal Administration, which consistently advocated cuts to education funding and funding for arts and music programs . In 2009, Jindal passed a budget that included an 83% cut in funding for the Louisiana Decentralized Arts Fund Program, a government initiative that provides grants to local arts and cultural projects with the goal of making arts accessible in every parish.