is art education important essay

The Importance of Arts Education Essay

Introduction, the importance of teaching arts education.

Art has been in existence for since the beginning of human civilisation. The field, in most cases, is viewed as a way of action and knowing. Art has played a key role in the development of human identities. It has also been significant to the evolution of cultural practices in all human societies. Consequently, art is regarded as one of the defining elements of humanity. To some advocates of this field, art is believed to be the window to the soul of humanity. According to Nathan (2008), art is used to communicate and provide a framework for the understanding of passions, emotions, and the enduring conflicts that humans have always indulged in. The scholars who advocate for the centrality of arts in the development of humanity observe that even the cavemen recorded their history, experiences, and events through drawings of pageants that marked the passing of time and seasons (Anderson, 2014).

In this paper, the author explores the importance of art its contribution in the development of cognitive and cultural attributes among children. To this end, the author will demonstrate that art provides human societies with lens through which they can view both historical and contemporary issues. Finally, the paper will be used to support the argument that teaching art processes can improve the ability of students to shape the learning process and the way it is conceived in schools.

Arts in Traditional and Contemporary Societies

Arts are a common feature in both traditional and modern societies. In most traditional communities, trumpets and drums were used to herald the commencement of battle. In addition, birth and death in these societies were received with songs and dance. Consequently, theatre was viewed as an avenue through which solutions to dilemmas faced by mankind were provided. It can also be observed that in most communities, the portraits of heroes, kings, villains, and other important figures in the society were painted to record these particular moments in time ( Learning area, n.d).

To recognise the centrality of arts to experiences among humans, the Universal Declaration of Human Rights was adopted several decades ago ( The future of the Australian curriculum, 2014). The declaration observed that everybody has a right to participate in the cultural life of their community. In addition, each person should be able to enjoy and share arts in the scientific advancement of its benefits. In the western world, arts subjects have been neglected and pushed to the periphery of the academic field in favour of the sciences. The curriculums used in most schools focus on literacy, sciences, and numeracy. However, in the last few decades, the intrinsic values of arts have been recognised (Ross, 2014).

According to some advocates of this field, arts have the ability to release people’s imaginations to new perspectives. In addition, they can help people identify new solutions and alternative views to life. As a result, the vistas that could be opened, as well as the connections that could be made, are phenomenal. It is also noted that the encounter between the individual and the world around them would be newly informed with the help of arts. In addition, immersion in arts has been found to improve individuals’ sense of enjoyment and identity. The immersion can also offer positive changes in the direction taken by the life of the individual (Anderson, 2014). In most cases, it is argued that arts can transform learning in education contexts. They can also ensure improve the link between the learners and the curriculum.

A Working Definition of Arts

There are many ways through which arts can be defined. According to Bamford (2006), arts can be used to reflect the uniqueness of the cultural circumstances of a particular nation. Bamford (2006) further observes that art is characterised by fluidity and dynamism. In their attempts to arrive at a working definition of arts, Bamford (2006) recognises the impossibility of giving static definitions to this field. The reason is that the definitions become obsolete as soon as they are provided. As such, scholars should be conscious of the dynamism of contemporary art practices. In addition, the art terminology can be used to represent the important creative disciplines. The disciplines include dance, literature, drama, music, visual arts, film, as well as other forms of media arts. All these disciplines have a significant role in formal education contexts. They also play a significant role in the cohesion of the community.

The forms of art described above can be viewed as a representation of different languages. Their varying modes are used to communicate a wide range of skills, knowledge, and symbols. In light of this, it is imperative to study each form of art (Burton, 2010). Each form of art should be explored for its intrinsic values. The reason is that each of them has different ways of creating knowledge and improving communication (Sinclair & O’Toole, 2008). The various forms of art should be viewed and understood as different types of literary elements. However, it is important to note that all of them involve some kind of design, experimentation, play, provocation, and exploration. In addition, they entail expression, communication, representation, and visualisation. All these elements are used to shape other forms of media (Ross, 2014).

Developmental Benefits of Arts

Arts play a significant role in the development of a child’s motor skills. For instance, most of the motions involved in the creation of art, such as scribbling with a pencil or a crayon, are important in the development of fine motor skills ( The future of the Australian curriculum, 2014). Participation helps learners to improve their skills in mathematics and reading. It also improves one’s cognitive and verbal competencies. According to Burton (2010), engaging in arts has a positive correlation with verbal capabilities. Learning these subjects is also associated with an increase in levels of motivation and enhanced confidence. It also improves concentration and teamwork among the learners ( Why art matters, 2011).

Many scholars observe that the intrinsic pleasures derived from arts entail more than just the ‘sweetening’ of a person’s life (Burton, 2010). Such experiences help to deepen the connection between the individual and the world around them. They also provide them with new ways to view the world. The development lays the foundation for strong social bonds and improved cohesion in the community. A strong programming of arts within the curriculum also helps to close the intellectual gap that has made many children lag behind in intellectual achievement. It is noted that the children from affluent backgrounds are exposed to arts through visits to museums and attending Mozart concerts and other platforms. As a result, their interaction with the arts is assured regardless of whether or not the subjects are provided in their schools. However, teaching arts in schools provides children from poor economic backgrounds a level playing field (Nathan, 2008).

Arts Education and Academic Achievement

A new picture is emerging in the new educational era. School districts have started to focus on the field of arts. The emerging models are anchored on new brain research findings and cognitive development. The new models have embraced a variety of approaches that regard arts as a significant learning tool. For instance, musical notes are increasingly being used to teach fractions (Nathan, 2008). The models have also incorporated arts into the teaching of the core classes. For example, the teaching of slavery and other historical themes can be delivered by having the students act a play that dramatises those events.

In the US, Australia, and Europe, it is widely acknowledged that the students exposed to a learning process embedded in arts achieve improved grades and better test scores compared to those who are not exposed to this field. The students are less likely to play truants. In addition, they are rarely bored and have a healthy and positive self concept (Marshall, 2010). They are also most likely to participate in community service. Nascent studies have demonstrated that learning through arts can improve educational outcomes for other academic disciplines (Burton, 2010). For instance, the studies have observed that the students who partake in drama and music attain higher levels of success in reading and mathematics than those who do not take part in such ventures. Consequently, arts are seen as strategies to engage difficult students. The subjects connect learners to self, others, and the world. Engaging in arts also helps the teacher to transform the classroom environment. Most importantly, it challenges the students who may already be successful to work harder (Burton, 2010).

Specific Connections

Experimental evidence demonstrates a strong link between non-arts and arts skills. For example, I carried out an experiment on 10 children who were involved in a family theatre program. The program demonstrated that an exposure in theatrical activities for a year improves the empathy and emotional regulation among the children. For the adolescents involved in a similar program, it was shown that arts helped them improve their empathy. It also improved their understanding and appreciation of the mental status of other participants. The linkage makes sense to the advocates of arts education (Marshall, 2010). Training in arts, acting, and theatre puts the participants in other people’s shoes. The experience helps them to imagine how other people feel. In addition, it enables them to understand their emotions and view the world differently. After undertaking the program, I concluded that students should be given the opportunity to study arts in school irrespective of whether or not the subjects have discernible positive effects.

Cognitive Benefits of Arts

The cognitive benefits that are derived from arts include the development of skills needed in learning, improvement of academic performance, as well as enhancement of reading and mathematical capabilities. In addition, arts improve creative thinking among the learners (Marshall, 2010). The experiment mentioned above also showed that participation in theatre helped students from low socioeconomic backgrounds improve their academic performance. Consequently, I can conclude that the effects of arts education are transformative. The effects hold true across the socioeconomic divide. The impacts are cumulative and increase as the students from poor background get more exposure to the study of arts. It can also be emphasised that the students who are exposed to arts had better scores, which are higher than those of learners who are less engaged. The scores are especially better in such educational areas as creative thinking and originality (Burton, 2010).

The Benefits of Arts with Regards to Behaviour and Attitude

The study of arts has a positive impact on the attitudes and behaviour of the students. The benefits of behavioural and attitude change include improved self-efficacy and self-discipline. The advantages are easily associated and directly linked to improved school attendance, as well as reduced rates of drop-outs (Burton, 2010). In addition, the benefits are associated with the development of social skills. Such social and life skills include better understanding and appreciation of the consequences of an individual behaviour. The students also portray an increased ability to participate in teamwork, acceptance of constructive critiquing from fellow students, and the willingness to adopt pro-social behaviours.

Health Benefits of Arts Education

I must recognise that art has many health benefits. The therapeutic effects include improved physical and mental health. In Australia, the benefits are beginning to be recognised with several ongoing projects in schools reporting positive outcomes. It is argued that people who engage in relaxing activities, such as reading a novel, playing a musical instrument, painting, or singing, develop a healthy mind ( Why art matters , 2011). It is also observed that people who enjoy attending a good concert, a dance, a movie, or an art exhibition exercise their body and mind through the enjoyment, social inclusion, and relaxation. The individuals also improve their confidence, resilience, and self-esteem (Marshall, 2010). An art-mental paradigm can deliver significant health benefits to the students at school and in their adult life.

Arts Education in Australian Curricula

There are three different approaches to the learning of arts in Australia. The first can be described as the appreciation of Australian arts heritage. In this approach, the field is conceptualised as a domain for the talented. The approach points to the belief that the talented artist will provide the Australian society with its cultural artefacts ( Learning area , n.d). The second approach is the identification of the students who demonstrate artistic potential. The teachers focus on these learners and prepare them for future careers. The third approach is the desire to avail every student with an opportunity to engage with art and to appreciate it (Marshall, 2010). As such, the Australian curriculum anticipates that the students will actively learn, engage in artistic activities and processes, as well as appreciate the works of art done by others.

It must be remembered that the role of arts is to enhance learning by increasing enjoyment, fostering creativity, and enhancing imaginative activities. The objectives can only be achieved through participation in arts programs. It is also observed that students become more cognisant of the larger spectrum of world experiences by engaging in this field. The role of arts is to transform the students’ learning experiences by celebrating creativity. As such, teaching of arts should be encouraged and promoted at all levels of learning. Every student should be provided with the opportunity to participate in arts so as to improve their academic performance and develop into healthy adults with enhanced social skills.

Anderson, M. (2014). Why this elitist attack on arts education is wrong . Web.

Bamford, A. (2006). The wow factor: Global research compendium on the impact of the arts in education . Berlin, Germany: Waxmann Verlag.

Burton, B. (2010). Dramatising the hidden hurt: Acting against covert bullying by adolescent girls: Research in drama education. The Journal of Applied Theatre & Performance, 15 (2), 255-278.

Learning area. (n.d). Web.

Marshall, J. (2010). Five ways to integrate: Using strategies from contemporary art. Art Education, 63 (3), 13-19.

Nathan, L. (2008). Why the arts make sense in education. Phi Delta Kappan, 90 (3), 177-181.

Ross, M. (2014). The aesthetic imperative: Relevance and responsibility in arts education. New York: Pergamon.

Sinclair, C., & O’Toole, J. (2008). Education in the arts: Teaching and learning in the contemporary curriculum: Principles and practices for teaching. South Melbourne, Australia: Oxford University Press.

The future of the Australian curriculum: The arts: A response to the review of the Australian curriculum . (2014). Web.

Why art matters . (2011). Web.

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New evidence of the benefits of arts education

Subscribe to the brown center on education policy newsletter, brian kisida and bk brian kisida assistant professor, truman school of public affairs - university of missouri @briankisida daniel h. bowen dhb daniel h. bowen assistant professor, college of education and human development - texas a&m university @_dhbowen.

February 12, 2019

Engaging with art is essential to the human experience. Almost as soon as motor skills are developed, children communicate through artistic expression. The arts challenge us with different points of view, compel us to empathize with “others,” and give us the opportunity to reflect on the human condition. Empirical evidence supports these claims: Among adults, arts participation is related to behaviors that contribute to the health of civil society , such as increased civic engagement, greater social tolerance, and reductions in other-regarding behavior. Yet, while we recognize art’s transformative impacts, its place in K-12 education has become increasingly tenuous.

A critical challenge for arts education has been a lack of empirical evidence that demonstrates its educational value. Though few would deny that the arts confer intrinsic benefits, advocating “art for art’s sake” has been insufficient for preserving the arts in schools—despite national surveys showing an overwhelming majority of the public agrees that the arts are a necessary part of a well-rounded education.

Over the last few decades, the proportion of students receiving arts education has shrunk drastically . This trend is primarily attributable to the expansion of standardized-test-based accountability, which has pressured schools to focus resources on tested subjects. As the saying goes, what gets measured gets done. These pressures have disproportionately affected access to the arts in a negative way for students from historically underserved communities. For example, a federal government report found that schools designated under No Child Left Behind as needing improvement and schools with higher percentages of minority students were more likely to experience decreases in time spent on arts education.

We recently conducted the first ever large-scale, randomized controlled trial study of a city’s collective efforts to restore arts education through community partnerships and investments. Building on our previous investigations of the impacts of enriching arts field trip experiences, this study examines the effects of a sustained reinvigoration of schoolwide arts education. Specifically, our study focuses on the initial two years of Houston’s Arts Access Initiative and includes 42 elementary and middle schools with over 10,000 third- through eighth-grade students. Our study was made possible by generous support of the Houston Endowment , the National Endowment for the Arts , and the Spencer Foundation .

Due to the program’s gradual rollout and oversubscription, we implemented a lottery to randomly assign which schools initially participated. Half of these schools received substantial influxes of funding earmarked to provide students with a vast array of arts educational experiences throughout the school year. Participating schools were required to commit a monetary match to provide arts experiences. Including matched funds from the Houston Endowment, schools in the treatment group had an average of $14.67 annually per student to facilitate and enhance partnerships with arts organizations and institutions. In addition to arts education professional development for school leaders and teachers, students at the 21 treatment schools received, on average, 10 enriching arts educational experiences across dance, music, theater, and visual arts disciplines. Schools partnered with cultural organizations and institutions that provided these arts learning opportunities through before- and after-school programs, field trips, in-school performances from professional artists, and teaching-artist residencies. Principals worked with the Arts Access Initiative director and staff to help guide arts program selections that aligned with their schools’ goals.

Our research efforts were part of a multisector collaboration that united district administrators, cultural organizations and institutions, philanthropists, government officials, and researchers. Collective efforts similar to Houston’s Arts Access Initiative have become increasingly common means for supplementing arts education opportunities through school-community partnerships. Other examples include Boston’s Arts Expansion Initiative , Chicago’s Creative Schools Initiative , and Seattle’s Creative Advantage .

Through our partnership with the Houston Education Research Consortium, we obtained access to student-level demographics, attendance and disciplinary records, and test score achievement, as well as the ability to collect original survey data from all 42 schools on students’ school engagement and social and emotional-related outcomes.

We find that a substantial increase in arts educational experiences has remarkable impacts on students’ academic, social, and emotional outcomes. Relative to students assigned to the control group, treatment school students experienced a 3.6 percentage point reduction in disciplinary infractions, an improvement of 13 percent of a standard deviation in standardized writing scores, and an increase of 8 percent of a standard deviation in their compassion for others. In terms of our measure of compassion for others, students who received more arts education experiences are more interested in how other people feel and more likely to want to help people who are treated badly.

When we restrict our analysis to elementary schools, which comprised 86 percent of the sample and were the primary target of the program, we also find that increases in arts learning positively and significantly affect students’ school engagement, college aspirations, and their inclinations to draw upon works of art as a means for empathizing with others. In terms of school engagement, students in the treatment group were more likely to agree that school work is enjoyable, makes them think about things in new ways, and that their school offers programs, classes, and activities that keep them interested in school. We generally did not find evidence to suggest significant impacts on students’ math, reading, or science achievement, attendance, or our other survey outcomes, which we discuss in our full report .

As education policymakers increasingly rely on empirical evidence to guide and justify decisions, advocates struggle to make the case for the preservation and restoration of K-12 arts education. To date, there is a remarkable lack of large-scale experimental studies that investigate the educational impacts of the arts. One problem is that U.S. school systems rarely collect and report basic data that researchers could use to assess students’ access and participation in arts educational programs. Moreover, the most promising outcomes associated with arts education learning objectives extend beyond commonly reported outcomes such as math and reading test scores. There are strong reasons to suspect that engagement in arts education can improve school climate, empower students with a sense of purpose and ownership, and enhance mutual respect for their teachers and peers. Yet, as educators and policymakers have come to recognize the importance of expanding the measures we use to assess educational effectiveness, data measuring social and emotional benefits are not widely collected. Future efforts should continue to expand on the types of measures used to assess educational program and policy effectiveness.

These findings provide strong evidence that arts educational experiences can produce significant positive impacts on academic and social development. Because schools play a pivotal role in cultivating the next generation of citizens and leaders, it is imperative that we reflect on the fundamental purpose of a well-rounded education. This mission is critical in a time of heightened intolerance and pressing threats to our core democratic values. As policymakers begin to collect and value outcome measures beyond test scores, we are likely to further recognize the value of the arts in the fundamental mission of education.

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A Better Argument for Art Education

These days, it sometimes feels art education is under attack. The culture of high-stakes testing has increased over the last decade. In this climate, art educators need to justify our programs more than ever before. How can we help people understand why art education is important?

We’ve all seen the  data suggesting students who take art classes have higher SAT scores. It is an argument used often to defend our place on the educational landscape. “Kids who take art classes receive higher standardized test scores.” “Art students have higher GPAs than students who do not take any art classes.” These are common arguments for the importance of art classes.

The thing is, these arguments miss the point. The arts are valuable. They should be an important element in any well-rounded education. The importance of art education does not lie in its ability to raise test scores.

Here is why we need to change our argument for the importance of art education.

There is only a  correlation  between test scores and art classes.

A correlation means there is a connection between two things. But it doesn’t mean we know  why  that connection is there.

If you remember statistics class, you know there is a big difference between  correlation  and  causation . Just because there is a connection (correlation) between art classes and test scores, it does not mean the arts are the cause of the increased scores (causation).

Students who take art classes may already be high achievers. Or perhaps students with lower GPAs are not taking art classes because their schedule is filled with remedial academic classes. There just isn’t data to support the idea that arts classes actually cause higher test scores or GPAs.

By arguing the arts increase scores on standardized tests, we are missing the point.

If art education’s only importance were to increase scores in other subjects, then why not just cut art entirely? Then schools could increase math or science instruction time.

Did that give you chills? Yeah, me too. Because when we frame our argument only around test scores, it opens the door to this bleak option.

Art education has many unique qualities. Students develop skills in art that help them find success in many other areas of life. These skills help students well after the tests and schooling are done. The argument that our classes help students achieve higher test scores distracts from the true value of art education.

So, what should we be saying instead?

Instead of explaining art’s value to other disciplines, we should be focusing on the unique qualities of art class. There are many examples of valuable skills taught in art.

Art develops unique “habits of mind.”

Harvard’s Project Zero  developed the Studio Habits of Mind nearly a decade ago. These habits develop naturally when engaging in art-making.

These habits of mind provide art educators with a strong framework outlining the unique skills developed in art class. These habits include the ability to:

• Develop Craft
• Engage & Persist
• Stretch & Explore
• Understand Art Worlds

These habits transfer to many other areas of school and life. They are also highly valued by employers.

Art builds students’ capacity for critical thinking, self-directed learning, and problem-solving.

Critical thinking and problem-solving are alive and well in the art room. The process of analyzing and creating art challenges students to develop these skills. Art students are given open-ended problems to solve. This encourages them to think critically to solve problems in their own unique way.

These skills transfer to many other areas of life. And they cannot be assessed on a standardized test.

Art helps students understand cultures beyond their own.

We live in an increasingly global world. It is important for our students to leave school with a broad understanding of the world and its cultures. Art classes expose students to art from all over the world. This exposure helps them understand our shared humanity. The study of art history also helps highlight the issues of the past and the present.

Art develops communication skills.

When art students analyze an artwork, they use art vocabulary to express their ideas. Discussions about art build students’ capacities to listen to and learn from one another. When a student creates an artwork, they make careful choices to communicate their ideas. And when reflecting about art-making through artist statements, students are further developing these skills.

Art activities consistently rank highest on Bloom’s Taxonomy.

I often attend professional development meetings with colleagues from other disciplines. In these meetings, I hear leaders encourage teachers to hit the higher levels of Bloom’s Taxonomy in their lesson plans.

In art class, we are always engaging our students in these highest levels of thinking. Art students are analyzing, evaluating, and creating every day. High order thinking is naturally present in art classes.

As art educators, it is important to articulate why our class is important. We all know the value of art for our students. We need to communicate this value to our stakeholders.

We do not need to justify art in relation to other disciplines; art class has its own qualities, and we need to share why those qualities are so valuable.

How do you communicate the value of art education to your community?

What other arguments for art education did we miss?

Magazine articles and podcasts are opinions of professional education contributors and do not necessarily represent the position of the Art of Education University (AOEU) or its academic offerings. Contributors use terms in the way they are most often talked about in the scope of their educational experiences.

Anne-Marie Slinkman

Anne-Marie Slinkman, an elementary school art educator, is a former AOEU Writer. She is passionate about providing relevant and meaningful art experiences for all students.

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The Importance of Art Education in the Classroom

November 30, 2023

That deceptively simple, four-word query confronts a topic that’s occupied some of the world’s greatest creators and philosophers since Plato. How we answer this question can have much bigger consequences than whether you get to buy a piece of artwork from Banksy’s online store. The issue of art’s value becomes far more pressing when policymakers and administrators decide how to allocate time and funding for art education in schools.

Art teachers must be ready to advocate for committing the necessary resources to prioritize the value of creativity in the classroom. You may have to explain the importance of art education in a school’s curriculum and present the research to back up those claims. We can become powerful advocates for the power of art and improved student outcomes by investigating the many benefits that come out of integrating more creativity into the school day and improving our classroom strategies .

Why Is Art Education In Schools Important?

Anyone who’s passionate about the arts recalls formative moments of experiencing a work of art pushing through a creative challenge. When we’re exposed to remarkable artworks or have opportunities to create, we find that art is crucial to individual growth and development and can even impact our health.

A literature review from Frontiers in Psychology outlined several studies linking aesthetic experiences with broad improvements in subjects’ emotional states that promote physical and psychological well-being. Giving learners the time, space, and materials for creative expression can lower stress, improve memory, and make them feel more socially connected. Instructors can build their careers on bringing those experiences to students in a variety of settings, like galleries, museums, or events organized by nonprofit and community organizations.

Appreciation for art also makes a significant difference in people’s lives on a macro level. Entire societies may stand to gain from an investment in the arts. Drawing on data from the General Social Survey, researchers from the University of Illinois at Chicago’s Department of Public Administration linked participation as either an audience member or creator to higher levels of civic engagement and social tolerance . This work suggests that children learning how to draw, paint, sing, or just appreciate the works made by others can help us become not just happier and healthier, but also better people. Learn about UF’s Online Master of Arts in Art Education program

How Does Art Education Help Students?

When surveyed by the nonprofit organization Americans for the Arts, members of the U.S. public overwhelmingly agreed that the arts are one aspect of a well-rounded K-12 education . In addition, a recent study conducted in Houston public schools showed that students who participated in arts education see the following benefits:

• Improved writing achievement
• Reduced disciplinary infractions
• More student engagement
• Improved college aspirations
• No drop in standardized test scores

Yet, participation in the visual and performing arts is often treated as merely supplemental to other aspects of learning. As a result, there are major differences in access to art and music classes across the country.

2019 findings from the National Assessment of Educational Progress showed that eighth graders in the Northeast were much more likely to report being enrolled in a visual arts course than those in the South. Disparities were also tied to race, ethnicity, family income, and whether a school is located in a city, suburb, town, or rural area.

Meanwhile, the Nation’s Report Card shows that U.S. students continue to score lower than many of their peers in Europe and Asia on standardized tests despite years of pressure on educators to close the achievement gap. But seeking to improve student performance in math and reading does not have to come at the expense of art education.

In fact, researchers from the Johns Hopkins University School of Education, argue that instruction becomes more effective when educators integrate creative activities and make them central to academic development. Across disciplines, including STEM, there’s room to reimagine classes with a strong emphasis on drawing, painting, playing music, performing drama, and other creative pursuits. Encouraging students to use their imagination can help them actively engage with new concepts and discover connections between ideas as well as provide advantages for their social and emotional well-being.

One example of effectively integrating arts and creative expression with other fields as a pedagogical strategy can be seen in the collaboration between University of Florida faculty members Susan K. Jacobson, who studies wildlife ecology and conservation, and Robert C. Mueller, who teaches printmaking. The UF professors collaborated on an interdisciplinary project in climate change communication in which groups of graduate students from both the School of Natural Resources and the Environment and the College of the Arts visited the university’s Seahorse Key Marine Laboratory. The students participated in learning activities like scientific lectures, discussions, and making collages before working in small groups to create environmental communication materials for visitors.

As this example shows, students benefit from learning to embrace insights from multiple disciplines, and this can be valuable when they go on to pursue jobs. A 2019 survey from the National Association of Colleges and Employers showed that employers are interested in hiring professionals with skills that can be strengthened through participation in the arts, such as written communication, problem-solving, teamwork, and taking initiative. Art teachers can help students become more well-rounded and capable individuals by teaching them to develop original ideas through creative projects and practices.

The Importance of Art Education in Early Childhood and Beyond

It’s never too soon to introduce kids to the possibilities of creative expression. As outlined in a literature review from the National Endowment for the Arts, a variety of studies demonstrate the value of embedding artistic practice into early childhood education . Imaginative activities for young learners can lead to better skills in social interactions and emotional regulation.

Lessons in the arts introduce K-12 students to problem-solving techniques, which help them to see the world in new ways, and provide access to creative ways of knowing. Kids discover how art can communicate their own ideas and may become interested in creating increasingly realistic depictions and mastering new techniques. By high school, young artists can think critically about their own work and that of others, establishing a unique point of view and a sense of community with other creative individuals.

The National Core Arts Standards provide a framework for advancing students’ artistic understanding . This structure breaks down the developmental stages from Pre K through high school into 10 anchor standards. In each stage, students build creative habits as they learn to:

• Generate and conceptualize artistic ideas and work
• Organize and develop ideas and work
• Refine and complete artistic work
• Select, analyze, and interpret artistic work for presentation
• Convey meaning through the presentation
• Perceive and analyze artistic work
• Interpret intent and meaning
• Apply criteria to evaluate work
• Make art by synthesizing and relating knowledge and personal experiences
• Deepen understanding by relating artistic ideas to societal, historical, and cultural contexts

Pediatrician Dr. Perri Klass outlined the benefits of art education in schools in the New York Times, noting improvements for overall motivation, thinking, and academic achievement . An arts-integrated curriculum that asks students to draw or sing as part of the learning process may enhance their ability to recall material such as scientific principles or vocabulary. Foregrounding creativity can be especially effective for students who struggle to retain information from traditional lectures and reading assignments alone.

Art does matter in the classroom, delivering a wide range of advantages for students. Educators can make the most of that potential by equipping themselves to offer creative practice as a central feature in the curriculum and show decisionmakers how these initiatives can achieve transformative results. The University of Florida’s online Master of Arts in Art Education (MAAE) program helps teachers make a difference. This program features courses that prepare educators to work in a variety of learning environments , support students of all ages, incorporate digital tools into their pedagogy, and foster critical thinking.

About the Online Master’s in Art Education from the University of Florida

The University of Florida’s online Master of Arts in Art Education (MAAE) program engages students purposefully in art education theory and practice, contemporary art, and their own studio work. Our dynamic online learning environment fosters meaningful interaction with peers and our world-class faculty as members of a supportive, close-knit community of art educators, artists, cultural workers, and scholars. This flexible program brings you the advanced concepts and immersive, hands-on experiences you need to flourish academically and creatively.

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Why study art?

Find out why art education is important from artists, young people and major cultural figures

Art in schools shouldn’t be sidelined… it should be right there right up in the front because I think art teaches you to deal with the world around you. It is the oxygen that makes all the other subjects breathe Alan Parker, filmmaker

Arts education is in crisis. In the UK, school time and budgets are under pressure and school inspections increasingly value ‘core’ subjects as the indicators of school level and success. Subjects including art, music and drama are often sidelined in the curriculum. This has led to a steady decline in the number of students choosing to study arts subjects at school.

In 2018 a landmark research project commissioned by Arts Council England, and undertaken by the University of Nottingham, called Tracking Learning and Engagement in the Arts (TALE) outlined the overwhelmingly positive benefits of arts and cultural education for young people. The research drew from the experience and voices of thousands of young people and their teachers in secondary and special schools.

We have pulled together some of these voices and findings from TALE and other research, as well as helpful resources on studying art.

Whether you’re choosing art as a GCSE; would like to study art or design at university; or are a parent or teacher interested in arts education: explore, join in and have your say!

Why is it important to study art?

School in general is so stressful… this is the one lesson I look forward to every week because I know it’s not going to majorly stress me out. Student, Three Rivers Academy, Surrey

[School is] all very robotic. It’s all very, it needs to be this, this and this. You can’t do this because it is wrong. It’s all following a strict script. That’s not what we’re made to do. We’re made to be our own person, we’re made to go off and do something that someone else hasn’t done before. Student, Ark Helenswood, Hastings

Creativity is critical thinking and without it how are you going to open up and ask harder questions? Art opens up those… possibilities to think beyond what we already know. Catherine Opie, artist

Learning through and about the arts enriches the experience of studying while at school as well as preparing students for life after school.

• Arts subjects encourage self-expression and creativity and can build confidence as well as a sense of individual identity.
• Creativity can also help with wellbeing and improving health and happiness – many students in the TALE study commented that arts lessons acted as an outlet for releasing the pressures of studying as well as those of everyday life.
• Studying arts subjects also help to develop critical thinking and the ability to interpret the world around us.

What are art lessons like? What do you learn?

You feel free because it’s just you sitting down, doing your work. No one is there to tell you what to do. It is just you, sitting there and expressing yourself, and sometimes we listen to music, which is helpful because you get new ideas. Student, Archbishop Tenison School, south London

Art is a non pre-prescribed dangerous world full of possibilities. Cate Blanchett, actor

The art room is a very different space to other spaces in the school. On her visit to Archbishop Tenison School in London TALE researcher Lexi Earl describes the bustle of the art classroom:

‘There are piles of sketchbooks, jars with pencils, paintbrushes, sinks splattered with paint. There are large art books for students to reference. Often there is a kiln, sometimes a dark room too. There are trays for drying work on, or work is pegged up over the sink, like clothing on a washing line.’

• The art room is a space where students have the freedom to express their ideas and thoughts and work creatively.
• The way art is taught means that interaction with other students and with the teacher is different in art and design classes. Students comment on the bonds they form with classmates because of their shared interests and ideas. The art teacher is someone they can bounce ideas off rather than telling them what to do.
• Studying art and design provides the opportunity to acquire new skills. As well as knowledge of different art forms, media and techniques you can also gain specialist skills in areas such as photography and digital technologies.

Have your say!

Do you think art is important? Do you think the arts should be an essential part of education? How do you think studying art is useful for the future?

Why Study Art? 2018 is an artwork by collective practice They Are Here commissioned by the Schools and Teachers team at Tate. The inspiration for the artwork was prompted by Mo, a 14 year old workshop participant who told the artists that ‘art is dead’.

All responses are welcome whether you’ve studied art or not! (You will be re-directed to the Why Study Art? artwork site).

Tate champions art in schools

ASSEMBLY at Tate Modern © Tate

Every year Tate Modern hosts ASSEMBLY, a special event for around 1500 London school students and their teachers. The students are invited to occupy, explore and take part in activities in Tate’s Blavatnik building and Turbine hall – which are closed to all other visitors.

This annual event, first staged in 2016 which invited schools from all over the UK, reflects Tate’s mission to champion the arts as part of every child’s education. The project aims to highlight not only the importance of visual culture in young people's lives, but the importance of those young people as future producers of culture.

Research at Tate

Tracking Arts Learning and Engagement (TALE) was a collaborative research project involving Tate, The Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) and the University of Nottingham. The research focused on thirty secondary schools spread across England and included three special schools.

Over three-years (2015 – 2018) the research investigated four main questions:

• What do teachers learn from deep engagement with cultural organisations?
• How do teachers translate this learning into the classroom?
• What do pupils gain from these learning experiences?
• What do the two different models of teacher professional development at Tate and RSC offer and achieve?

See the findings of the project and explore fascinating insights through the project blogs that feature the voices of students and teachers interviewed during the research.

I don’t want to be an artist – why bother studying art?

It doesn’t matter if you’re going to study history or geography or science, you still need to be creative because the people who are the outliers in those fields are the most creative people. To have art eroded in schools is disastrous… Cornelia Parker, artist

Those skills go with you for the rest of your life as well. If you go for an interview, if they can see that you’re confident it is better for them because they know that they can ask questions that need to be asked. Student, Ark Helenwood, Hastings

Art may not be your favourite subject, but studying the arts alongside other subjects significantly boosts student achievement. Schools that integrate arts into their curriculum show improved student performance in Maths, English, critical thinking and verbal skills.

Arts education can also help with developing skills and ways of working that will benefit you in the future in whatever career you choose.

• The leading people in any field are those who can think creatively and innovatively. These are skills that employers value alongside qualifications. Making and participating in the arts aids the development of these skills
• When you study art you learn to work both independently and collaboratively, you also gain experience in time management – skillsets valued by employers
• Studying the arts teaches determination and resilience – qualities useful to any career. It teaches us that it is okay to fail, to not get things totally right the first time and to have the courage to start again. As a drama student at King Ethelbert’s School, Kent commented: ‘Like with every yes, there is like 10 nos… It has taught me that if I work on it, I will get there eventually. It is determination and commitment. It has definitely helped’

Is art good for society and communities generally?

You don’t have innovation if you don’t have arts. It’s as simple as that Anne-Marie Imafidon, CEO of Stemettes which encourages girls to pursue careers in science and technology

It was really when I was at art school that I started to see the relationship between history, philosophy, politics and art. Prior to that I thought that art was just making pretty pictures – actually art is connected to life. Yinka Shonibare, artist

Art and cultural production is at the centre of what makes a society what it is Wolfgang Tillmans, artist

Arts and cultural learning is more important than ever for the health of our communities and our society

Creativity is essential in a global economy that needs a workforce that is knowledgeable, imaginative and innovative. Studying arts subjects also increases social mobility – encouraging and motivating students from low-income families to go into higher education. Studying the arts can also help with understanding, interpreting and negotiating the complexities and diversity of society

• Students from low-income families who take part in arts activities at school are three times more likely to take a degree
• By making art a part of the national curriculum, we give the next generation of artists, designers, engineers, creators and cultural leaders the opportunity to develop the imagination and skills that are vital to our future
• Engagement with the arts helps young people develop a sense of their own identity and value. This in turn develops personal responsibility within their school and wider community
• Arts and cultural learning encourages awareness, empathy and appreciation of difference and diversity and the views of others

Tate Collective

Tate Collective is for young people aged 15 to 25 years old. Its aim is to facilitate new young audiences in creating, experimenting and engaging in our galleries and online with Tate's collection and exhibitions.

In 2018 Tate launched £5 exhibition tickets for Tate Collective members. If you are 16 to 25 sign-up free to Tate Collective. You don’t have to live in the UK – young people anywhere in the world can join! Enjoy the benefits of exhibition entry for £5 (you can also bring up to three friends to shows, each for £5); as well as discounts in Tate’s cafes and shops.

I love art – but can it be a career?

Studying art and design at school opens the door to a range of careers in the creative industries. The creative industries, which include art, design and music, are an important part of the British economy – one of the areas of the economy that is still growing.

Art lessons at school include teaching functional and useful skills that prepare students for future careers in the arts. Art departments also forge links with arts organisations and creative practitioners, companies and agencies. They organise visits and workshops which provide inspiring opportunities to for students to see what it’s like to ‘do’ a particular job and hear how artists and designers got where they are. As a student at Uxbride High School commented:

When it is from someone who has actually been through it and does it now you get the push where you’re like ‘oh, so I could actually genuinely do that myself’, without having a teacher say it to you.

If you are interested in pursuing a career in art and design explore our art school and art career resources:

Working at Tate

Find out about working at Tate including how to apply, current jobs or vacancies and what we do

Art School Debate

Battling about where to study art or whether it's a good idea? Get a second opinion from those in the know...

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Student resources.

From GCSE and A level exam help and advice on applying for art school, to fun resources you can use when you visit our galleries.

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The Mind-Expanding Value of Arts Education

As funding for arts education declines worldwide, experts ponder what students — and the world at large — are losing in the process.

By Ginanne Brownell

This article is part of our special report on the Art for Tomorrow conference that was held in Florence, Italy.

Awuor Onguru says that if it were not for her continued exposure to arts education as a child, she never would have gotten into Yale University.

Growing up in a lower-middle-class family in Nairobi, Kenya, Ms. Onguru, now a 20-year-old junior majoring in English and French, started taking music lessons at the age of four. By 12, she was playing violin in the string quartet at her primary school, where every student was required to play an instrument. As a high school student on scholarship at the International School of Kenya, she was not only being taught Bach concertos, she also became part of Nairobi’s music scene, playing first violin in a number of local orchestras.

During her high school summer breaks, Ms. Onguru — who also has a strong interest in creative writing and poetry — went to the United States, attending the Interlochen Center for the Arts ’ creative writing camp, in Michigan, and the Iowa Young Writers’ Studio . Ms. Onguru, who recently returned to campus after helping organize Yale Glee Club’s spring tour in Kenya, hopes to become a journalist after graduation. She has already made progress toward that goal, serving as the opinion editor for the Yale Daily News, and getting her work published in Teen Vogue and the literary journal Menacing Hedge.

“Whether you’re in sports, whether you end up in STEM, whether you end up in government, seeing my peers — who had different interests in arts — not everyone wanted to be an artist,” she said in a video interview. “But they found places to express themselves, found places to be creative, found places to say things that they didn’t know how else to say them.”

Ms. Onguru’s path shows what a pivotal role arts education can play in a young person’s development. Yet, while the arts and culture space accounts for a significant amount of gross domestic product across the globe — in the United Kingdom in 2021, the arts contributed £109 billion to the economy , while in the U.S., it brought in over $1 trillion that year — arts education budgets in schools continue to get slashed. (In 2021, for instance, the spending on arts education in the U.K. came to an average of just £9.40 per pupil for the year .)

While experts have long espoused the idea that exposure to the arts plays a critical role in primary and secondary schooling, education systems globally have continually failed to hold it in high regard. As Eric Booth, a U.S.-based arts educator and a co-author of “Playing for Their Lives: The Global El Sistema Movement for Social Change Through Music,” said: “There are a whole lot of countries in the world that don’t have the arts in the school, it just isn’t a thing, and it never has been.”

That has led to the arts education trajectory heading in a “dark downward spiral,” said Jelena Trkulja, senior adviser for academic and cultural affairs at Qatar Museums , who moderated a panel entitled “When Arts Education is a Luxury: New Ecosystems” at the Art for Tomorrow conference in Florence, Italy, organized by the Democracy & Culture Foundation, with panels moderated by New York Times journalists.

Part of why that is happening, she said, is that societies still don’t have a sufficient and nuanced understanding of the benefits arts education can bring, in terms of young people’s development. “Arts education is still perceived as an add-on, rather than an essential field creating essential 21st-century skills that are defined as the four C’s of collaboration, creativity, communication and critical thinking,” Dr. Trkulja said in a video interview, “and those skills are being developed in arts education.”

Dennie Palmer Wolf, principal researcher at the U.S.-based arts research consultancy WolfBrown , agreed. “We have to learn to make a much broader argument about arts education,” she said. “It isn’t only playing the cello.”

It is largely through the arts that we as humans understand our own history, from a cave painting in Indonesia thought to be 45,000 years old to “The Tale of Genji,” a book that’s often called the world’s first novel , written by an 11th-century Japanese woman, Murasaki Shikibu; from the art of Michelangelo and Picasso to the music of Mozart and Miriam Makeba and Taylor Swift.

“The arts are one of the fundamental ways that we try to make sense of the world,” said Brian Kisida, an assistant professor at the University of Missouri’s Truman School of Public Affairs and a co-director of the National Endowment for the Arts-sponsored Arts, Humanities & Civic Engagement Lab . “People use the arts to offer a critical perspective of their exploration of the human condition, and that’s what the root of education is in some ways.”

And yet, the arts don’t lend themselves well to hard data, something educators and policymakers need to justify classes in those disciplines in their budgets. “Arts is this visceral thing, this thing inside you, the collective moment of a crescendo,” said Heddy Lahmann , an assistant professor of international education at New York University, who is conducting a global study examining arts education in public schools for the Community Arts Network. “But it’s really hard to qualify what that is.”

Dr. Lahmann’s early research into the decrease in spending by public schools in arts education points to everything from the lack of trained teachers in the arts — partly because those educators are worried about their own job security — to the challenges of teaching arts remotely in the early days of the Covid pandemic. And, of course, standardized tests like the Program for International Student Assessment, which covers reading, math and science, where countries compete on outcomes. “There’s a race to get those indicators,” Dr. Lahmann said, “and arts don’t readily fit into that.” In part, that is because standardized tests don’t cover arts education .

“It’s that unattractive truth that what gets measured gets attended to,” said Mr. Booth, the arts educator who co-authored “Playing for Their Lives.”

While studies over the years have underscored the ways that arts education can lead to better student achievement — in the way that musical skills support literacy, say, and arts activities lead to improved vocabulary, what have traditionally been lacking are large-scale randomized control studies. But a recent research project done in 42 elementary and middle schools in Houston, which was co-directed by Dr. Kisida and Daniel H. Bowen, a professor who teaches education policy at Texas A&M, is the first of its kind to do just that. Their research found that students who had increased arts education experiences saw improvements in writing achievement, emotional and cognitive empathy, school engagement and higher education aspirations, while they had a lower incidence of disciplinary infractions.

As young people are now, more than ever, inundated with images on social media and businesses are increasingly using A.I., it has become even more relevant for students these days to learn how to think more critically and creatively. “Because what is required of us in this coming century is an imaginative capacity that goes far beyond what we have deliberately cultivated in the schooling environment over the last 25 years,” said Mariko Silver, the chief executive of the Henry Luce Foundation, “and that requires truly deep arts education for everyone.”

The Benefits of Arts Education for K-12 Students

While arts programs often fall victim to budget cuts, they can be an important contributor to students' success at school.

Benefits of Arts Education

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Just like after-school sports programs allow students to learn skills not necessarily taught in the classroom, like teamwork and self-discipline, the arts provide students with broad opportunities for growth outside of strictly academic pursuits.

Your child’s art class involves a lot more than just the Crayola marker scribble-scrabble that will end up hanging on your refrigerator.

“Good arts education is not about the product,” says Jamie Kasper, director of the Arts Education Partnership and a former music teacher. “It is about the process of learning.”

Policymakers, school administrators and parents alike may overlook the significance of arts education, but these programs can be a crucial component of your child’s school life. Whether they're practicing lines for a school play or cutting up magazine scraps for a collage, children can use art to tap into their creative side and hone skills that might not be the focus of other content areas, including communication, fine motor skills and emotional intelligence.

“Sometimes folks who are not involved in the arts focus on the product without realizing that that is not the most important part of what we do,” Kasper says.

While arts programs often fall victim to budget cuts, they can be an important contributor to students' overall success at school. Arts education can help kids:

• Engage with school and reduce stress.
• Develop social-emotional and interpersonal skills.
• Enrich their experiences.
• Handle constructive criticism.
• Bolster academic achievement.
• Improve focus.

Engage With School and Reduce Stress

Kasper says she often hears from other educators that art programs are one of the main factors that motivate children to come to school.

"If they don't want to come to school, you're never going to get them," she says. "So why wouldn't you do that thing that makes them want to come to school, that also teaches them these really great skills?"

Michelle Schroeder, the president of the New York State Art Teachers Association and a high school animation teacher, seconds this. She says the arts allow students an opportunity to have fun throughout the day without having to worry so much about the stressors of other content areas. And this is backed by research, too – some studies have shown that the arts, from drama to dance , can have therapeutic effects.

"It's that part of their day where they can have fun and just play with materials, and really not have to worry about the answers on their tests," Schroeder says.

Develop Social-Emotional and Interpersonal Skills

Participating in arts programs – particularly those that focus on more collaborative forms like theater and music – is a good way for students to sharpen their communication and social-emotional skills, experts say.

Camille Farrington, managing director and senior research associate at the University of Chicago Consortium on School Research, says art classes offer students opportunities to interact with their fellow students in a constructive and creative manner, a process that fuels their social and emotional development. For example, one study published in the Journal of Primary Prevention found that students in low-income schools who participated in an after-school dance program tended to experience heightened self-esteem and social skills.

Building those skills is more important than ever after the isolation of the COVID-19 pandemic, says Denise Grail Brandenburg, arts education specialist and team lead at the National Endowment for the Arts. “Arts education can support the social and emotional learning needs of students," Brandenburg wrote in an email, "including helping students learn to manage their emotions and have compassion for others.”

Kasper also says that even with somewhat solitary artistic endeavors like painting or drawing, the act of perfecting one’s technique allows students to come up with creative ways to express and communicate their viewpoints.

“You teach the fundamentals of making the art ... – your instrument, your voice, your body in motion, painting, sculpture, whatever it is – so that students can then take those skills and use them to communicate more effectively,” she says.

Enrich Their Experiences

Human beings have practiced various art forms to express themselves since the dawn of their existence.

“Art immensely improves and enriches the lives of young people,” Farrington says. “It's a core part of being a human being and human history and culture.”

For kids in low-income neighborhoods, where residents may have less access to art and cultural resources that can improve quality of life , school arts programs are especially important. An analysis from the National Endowment for the Arts, drawing on data from four longitudinal studies, found that students with high levels of arts involvement had more positive outcomes in a variety of areas, from high school graduation rates to civic participation.

Just like after-school sports programs allow students to learn skills not necessarily taught in the classroom, like teamwork and self-discipline, Farrington says the arts provide students with broad opportunities for growth outside of strictly academic pursuits.

"One of the things that's really critical to young people of all ages ... is the opportunity to explore a wide variety of different kinds of activities," Farrington says. "Some of them are going to gravitate to one thing, and some are going to gravitate to another thing, but they can't gravitate to them if they've never experienced them."

Handle Constructive Criticism

Unlike many other school subjects, in which questions often have one specific answer, the arts allow for students to come up with a nearly unlimited variety of final products. This means that art teachers often give feedback a little bit differently, particularly with older students.

“They're teaching something and then immediately asking students to demonstrate that skill in a really authentic way, which is different from going to teach something and three months later giving students a test,” Kasper says.

Schroeder says that art teachers typically provide their students with highly individualized, constructive criticism. This allows students to learn how to gracefully receive a critique and respond to it, she says, explaining how and why they developed the artwork that they did.

“In so much of their careers and their future, people are either going to criticize or they're going to suggest improvements, and our students need to become comfortable with receiving feedback from other people,” she says. “So many experiences that they’ll have in an art classroom give them the opportunity to feel what it’s like to have someone question them. There's so much dialogue that happens in the classroom.”

Bolster Academic Achievement

While Farrington says that making art for art’s sake ought to be sufficient justification for school arts programs, research has also shown that arts education can lead to academic gains.

For example, a 2005 study on the impact of a comprehensive arts curriculum in Columbus, Ohio, public schools found that students with the arts program scored higher on statewide tests in math, science and citizenship than students from control schools. This effect was even greater for students from low-income schools. In the NEA analysis, socially and economically disadvantaged children with significant arts education had better academic outcomes – including higher grades and test scores and higher rates of graduation and college enrollment – than their peers without arts involvement.

Different disciplines also provide their own specific cognitive benefits – for example, participating in dance has been shown to sharpen young children's spatial awareness , while making music can help students develop their working memory .

Improve Focus

In addition to the specific benefits of each individual art practice, Kasper says that across the board, the arts are a good way for students to learn impulse control.

Intuitively, it makes sense that the act of concentrating in order to perfect one's craft can help an individual develop the ability to focus closely on other things as well. Research has shown that training in the arts also helps students hone their ability to pay closer attention and practice self-control. In 2009, researchers at the Dana Foundation , which funds neuroscience research and programming, posited based on multiple studies that training in the arts stimulates and strengthens the brain's attention system.

"That's something that I think we forget that kids have to learn," Kasper says.

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Why Arts Education Is Crucial, and Who’s Doing It Best

Art and music are key to student development.

"Art does not solve problems, but makes us aware of their existence," sculptor Magdalena Abakanowicz has said. Arts education, on the other hand, does solve problems. Years of research show that it's closely linked to almost everything that we as a nation say we want for our children and demand from our schools: academic achievement, social and emotional development, civic engagement, and equitable opportunity.

Involvement in the arts is associated with gains in math, reading, cognitive ability, critical thinking, and verbal skill. Arts learning can also improve motivation, concentration, confidence, and teamwork. A 2005 report by the Rand Corporation about the visual arts argues that the intrinsic pleasures and stimulation of the art experience do more than sweeten an individual's life -- according to the report, they "can connect people more deeply to the world and open them to new ways of seeing," creating the foundation to forge social bonds and community cohesion. And strong arts programming in schools helps close a gap that has left many a child behind: From Mozart for babies to tutus for toddlers to family trips to the museum, the children of affluent, aspiring parents generally get exposed to the arts whether or not public schools provide them. Low-income children, often, do not. "Arts education enables those children from a financially challenged background to have a more level playing field with children who have had those enrichment experiences,'' says Eric Cooper, president and founder of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education .

It has become a mantra in education that No Child Left Behind, with its pressure to raise test scores, has reduced classroom time devoted to the arts (and science, social studies, and everything else besides reading and math). Evidence supports this contention -- we'll get to the statistics in a minute -- but the reality is more complex. Arts education has been slipping for more than three decades, the result of tight budgets, an ever-growing list of state mandates that have crammed the classroom curriculum, and a public sense that the arts are lovely but not essential.

This erosion chipped away at the constituencies that might have defended the arts in the era of NCLB -- children who had no music and art classes in the 1970s and 1980s may not appreciate their value now. "We have a whole generation of teachers and parents who have not had the advantage of arts in their own education,'' says Sandra Ruppert, director of the Arts Education Partnership (AEP), a national coalition of arts, business, education, philanthropic, and government organizations.

The Connection Between Arts Education and Academic Achievement

Yet against this backdrop, a new picture is emerging. Comprehensive, innovative arts initiatives are taking root in a growing number of school districts. Many of these models are based on new findings in brain research and cognitive development, and they embrace a variety of approaches: using the arts as a learning tool (for example, musical notes to teach fractions); incorporating arts into other core classes (writing and performing a play about, say, slavery); creating a school environment rich in arts and culture (Mozart in the hallways every day) and hands-on arts instruction. Although most of these initiatives are in the early stages, some are beginning to rack up impressive results. This trend may send a message to schools focused maniacally, and perhaps counterproductively, on reading and math.

"If they're worried about their test scores and want a way to get them higher, they need to give kids more arts, not less," says Tom Horne, Arizona's state superintendent of public instruction. "There's lots of evidence that kids immersed in the arts do better on their academic tests."

Education policies almost universally recognize the value of arts. Forty-seven states have arts-education mandates, forty-eight have arts-education standards, and forty have arts requirements for high school graduation, according to the 2007-08 AEP state policy database. The Goals 2000 Educate America Act , passed in 1994 to set the school-reform agenda of the Clinton and Bush administrations, declared art to be part of what all schools should teach. NCLB, enacted in 2001, included art as one of the ten core academic subjects of public education, a designation that qualified arts programs for an assortment of federal grants.

In a 2003 report, "The Complete Curriculum: Ensuring a Place for the Arts and Foreign Languages in American's Schools," a study group from the National Association of State Boards of Education noted that a substantial body of research highlights the benefits of arts in curriculum and called for stronger emphasis on the arts and foreign languages. As chairman of the Education Commission of the States from 2004 to 2006, Mike Huckabee, then governor of Arkansas, launched an initiative designed, according to commission literature, to ensure every child has the opportunity to learn about, enjoy, and participate directly in the arts.

Top-down mandates are one thing, of course, and implementation in the classroom is another. Whatever NCLB says about the arts, it measures achievement through math and language arts scores, not drawing proficiency or music skills. It's no surprise, then, that many districts have zeroed in on the tests. A 2006 national survey by the Center on Education Policy , an independent advocacy organization in Washington, DC, found that in the five years after enactment of NCLB, 44 percent of districts had increased instruction time in elementary school English language arts and math while decreasing time spent on other subjects. A follow-up analysis, released in February 2008, showed that 16 percent of districts had reduced elementary school class time for music and art -- and had done so by an average of 35 percent, or fifty-seven minutes a week.

Some states report even bleaker numbers. In California, for example, participation in music courses dropped 46 percent from 1999-2000 through 2000-04, while total school enrollment grew nearly 6 percent, according to a study by the Music for All Foundation . The number of music teachers, meanwhile, declined 26.7 percent. In 2001, the California Board of Education set standards at each grade level for what students should know and be able to do in music, visual arts, theater, and dance, but a statewide study in 2006, by SRI International , found that 89 percent of K-12 schools failed to offer a standards-based course of study in all four disciplines. Sixty-one percent of schools didn't even have a full-time arts specialist.

Nor does support for the arts by top administrators necessarily translate into instruction for kids. For example, a 2005 report in Illinois found almost no opposition to arts education among principals and district superintendents, yet there were large disparities in school offerings around the state.

Reviving Arts Education

In many districts, the arts have suffered so long that it will take years, and massive investment, to turn things around. New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg has made arts education a priority in his school reform plans, and the city has launched sweeping initiatives to connect more students with the city's vast cultural resources. Nearly every school now offers at least some arts instruction and cultural programming, yet in 2007-08, only 45 percent of elementary schools and 33 percent of middle schools provided education in all four required art forms, according to an analysis by the New York City Department of Education , and only 34 percent of high schools offered students the opportunity to exceed the minimum graduation requirement.

Yet some districts have made great strides toward not only revitalizing the arts but also using them to reinvent schools. The work takes leadership, innovation, broad partnerships, and a dogged insistence that the arts are central to what we want students to learn.

In Dallas, for example, a coalition of arts advocates, philanthropists, educators, and business leaders have worked for years to get arts into all schools, and to get students out into the city's thriving arts community. Today, for the first time in thirty years, every elementary student in the Dallas Independent School District receives forty-five minutes a week of art and music instruction. In a February 2007 op-ed piece in the Dallas Morning News , Gigi Antoni, president and CEO of Big Thought , the nonprofit partnership working with the district, the Wallace Foundation , and more than sixty local arts and cultural institutions, explained the rationale behind what was then called the Dallas Arts Learning Initiative : "DALI was created on one unabashedly idealistic, yet meticulously researched, premise -- that students flourish when creativity drives learning."

The Minneapolis and Chicago communities, too, are forging partnerships with their vibrant arts and cultural resources to infuse the schools with rich comprehensive, sustainable programs -- not add-ons that come and go with this year's budget or administrator.

In Arizona, Tom Horne, the state superintendant of public instruction, made it his goal to provide high-quality, comprehensive arts education to all K-12 students. Horne, a classically trained pianist and founder of the Phoenix Baroque Ensemble, hasn't yet achieved his objective, but he has made progress: He pushed through higher standards for arts education, appointed an arts specialist in the state Department of Education, and steered $4 million in federal funds under NCLB to support arts integration in schools throughout the state. Some have restored art and music after a decade without them.

"When you think about the purposes of education, there are three," Horne says. "We're preparing kids for jobs. We're preparing them to be citizens. And we're teaching them to be human beings who can enjoy the deeper forms of beauty. The third is as important as the other two."

Fran Smith is a contributing editor for Edutopia .

More on Arts Education:

• Schools That Work Package: School Transformation Through Arts Integration
• Watch This Video: Sir Ken Robinson on the Power of an Imaginative Mind
• Blog: Use Music to Develop Kids’ Skills and Character

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New Report Makes the Case for Arts Education: Recommends Access for All

In the 20 years since the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001 defined “arts” as a “core academic subject,” and the six years since the Every Student Succeeds Act declared them as part of a “well-rounded education,” arts education in American public schools has shrunk dramatically. The Commission on the Arts, at the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, says we are at a crisis point, where access to arts education is declining steadily—and action must be taken to reverse the trend.

In 2018, the American Academy of Arts & Sciences convened a Commission on the Arts to examine the state of arts education in the United States, and to assess the need for greater support. The Commission ultimately focused on the challenges of access to arts education in public schools.

The resulting report, Art for Life’s Sake: The Case for Arts Education , finds ample evidence for the attributes, values, and skills that come from arts education, including social and emotional development, improvements in school engagement, as well as more vital civic and social engagement. It also offers concrete recommendations to improve educational policy at the local, state, and national levels.

The Commission is chaired by three Academy members: actor and author John Lithgow , Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts President Deborah Rutter , and two-time United States Poet Laureate, Natasha Trethewey . They led a group of 38 other artists, scholars, and activists, all of whom contributed their time and expertise to this multi-year effort.

Art for Life’s Sake documents a persistent decline in access. While 88% of Americans agree that arts education is an essential component of a well-rounded education, there has been a persistent decline in support for arts education, particularly in communities that cannot finance it on their own.

“Americans understand the value of an education that includes the arts,” says Rutter, “but we as a nation have not established sustainable educational policies that make it possible for all students to receive the education they need.”

“We want every child to have access to music, paintings, writing, theater—all the arts—regardless of their socio-economic circumstances,” says Lithgow. “We want all American children to learn how to express themselves and to understand the ways in which others express themselves.”

To reverse negative trends, the Commission on the Arts is issuing a set of policy recommendations in six key areas for local, state, and national elected leaders to embrace.

• Make the Arts an Important Part of Every Child’s Education by offering a diverse set of arts classes and including arts among the core distribution requirements.
• Elevate the Role of the Arts through Data, Research, and Accountability at the federal, state, and school district levels, and reform accountability systems to incorporate arts education into the range of outcomes schools cultivate.
• Ensure Arts Education Funding Is Adequate and Equitable through substantial economic support for public education and adequate funding mechanisms at the state and local level.
• Recruit, Develop, and Support Arts Educators by establishing policy and funding priorities to increase the availability of arts educators, especially those from underrepresented groups.
• Foster Collaboration within the Arts Education Landscape through adequately funded arts-based school-community partnerships.
• Restore Federal Leadership in the Arts through increased funding, the reinstatement of the President’s Committee on the Arts and Humanities, and a national celebration of arts education.

“Ultimately, arts education must be a group effort, a partnership in every community,” says Trethewey. “ Art for Life’s Sake offers strong recommendations to our policymakers and calls on our public institutions to make a greater effort. At the same time, it acknowledges that museums, community centers, and other stakeholders have an important role to play in the dissemination of the arts in our public schools.”

“ Arts education is not simply a training ground for future artists. It is a critical element in the education of every American, an important window on the wider world,” said Academy president David Oxtoby. “The American Academy of Arts & Sciences is grateful for the work of the commission members who produced this report and determined to help find a way to make arts education more accessible to every student.”

The Commission is funded by the Barr Foundation, the Ford Foundation, the Getty Foundation, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and Roger and Victoria Sant.

Contact: Alison Franklin / [email protected]

Commission on the Arts

The Commission on the Arts is a multi-year project with distinguished cochairs, more than $1 million of support from foundations and individuals, and a commitment to exploring the role of the arts in American life, with an emphasis on arts education and infrastructure.

Art for Life’s Sake

Congressional briefing: the value of equitable arts education, now what an action plan for advancing arts education.

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The importance of art education

• Post date November 22, 2022
• In Newsboard

Students deserve to have competitive, creative, and comprehensive education that includes art. Art education imparts knowledge through various creative fields, including theater, music, visual art, and dance. It is not enough to teach students the skills they need to succeed in life. Instead, education should focus on developing holistic skills. 

Like science and math, art education requires regular practice and critical thinking that students can’t achieve through sporadic learning. Art education teaches students some of the most demanded skills in academia and the job market, such as innovation, interpersonal skills, and teamwork. Still, many people often overlook the importance of art education.

There is sufficient evidence to support the belief that student participation in art education improves learning and personal character development. Some concepts, such as time, space, and emotions, are difficult to explain in a regular classroom, but easier to explain to students using art. Read on to learn more top reasons why art education is important for students.

Why is art education important in schools: Top 10 benefits 

• Boosts academic performance

Art education boosts students’ skills and talents and grows their creativity. These qualities are critical in advancing academic achievement. Students apply the same skills learned in arts to academics, leading to improved performance. For instance, art education fosters high levels of critical thinking, observation, and interpretation skills, all of which boost academic performance. Also, art education teaches measurement, estimation, proportional thinking, and number manipulation, all of which help students learn mathematical concepts. Art education also enriches learning in other subjects, such as history, literature, science, technology, and writing.

• Teaches self-reliance and perseverance

Participating in art functions and dancing improves self-reliance skills and gives students self-confidence. Also, art education requires adopting and mastering techniques, a process that can take a long time to perfect. Many people assume that learning to play an instrument, draw, or paint is easy. However, students have to dedicate many hours of practice to succeed in art projects. The process teaches students that hard work and perseverance is the key to achieving what they want. In the end, the mindset prepares students to learn new skills and work through difficult processes.

• Helps students practice teamwork

Another reason why art education is important is that it gives them a chance to experience the benefits of teamwork. Art education requires students to share responsibilities and compromise to meet a common goal. For example, students practice the art of teamwork when developing a group performance or theatrical production. They have a chance to learn about diversity and cultural differences and realize that collaboration contributes to excellent performance. Teamwork is an important skill that students can apply in their workplace, home life, and education.

• Assists students to manage stress

Art-making sessions provide an outlet for students facing stress and anxiety from having tons of assignments and short submission deadlines. You can also relieve the emotional and mental stress of academics by enlisting professional essay writing help while you focus on interesting art projects. The online services are provided by legit companies that hire nerds in every subject to serve students 24/7. Using writing services can smoothen your academic life and lift the worry of essay grades from your shoulders since you’re sure of getting a high-quality paper on time. Also, the experts write all orders from scratch based on the rubric. If you feel like academic stress is getting to you, visit CustomWritings.com and talk to an expert that will help you with your assignment.

• Enhances creativity

Arts advance the creative skills of students, which is one of the top skills that employers look for. Students who get an art-rich education perform better on creative academic papers than their peers with little or no art education. Creativity comes from allowing students to view things from a fresh standpoint, create original artwork, play with colors, develop unique rhythms, and display creative use of space. Arts classes are a wonderful environment for fostering creativity, which is a useful skill throughout adult life.

• Improves decision-making

Creativity and critical thinking go hand in hand in art education. Art engages the brain, allowing students to understand problems and come up with creative solutions. Art education gives students the freedom to explore different choices and make decisions on the best way to proceed. Some students decide to enlist art essay writing services to help with homework while they focus on practical areas of the course. Art also gives students a strong sense of identity and confidence in their ability to change situations in a meaningful way. As a result, art molds leadership skills by guiding students to develop strategies, reflect on decisions, and plan accordingly.

• Instills positive habits, behaviors, and attitudes

Art education is very hands-on, focuses on positive achievements, fosters collaboration, has immediate rewards, and develops concrete products. All these qualities enable students to think positively about their abilities. Thus, art education fosters a positive culture and climate in colleges. Integrating art into the curriculum increases the effectiveness of instruction and supports teachers in meeting the learning needs of the students.  Learning an artistic discipline is a good way to develop character since it teaches behaviors, habits, and attitudes that young people need to succeed in any endeavor.

• Teaches methods for learning language skills

Art education provides students skills needed to learn new languages with ease. As students read notes, play an instrument, compose music, create paintings, memorize dances, or act in a drama, they build their vocabulary and learn new concepts. For instance, visual forms assist learners to comprehend the meaning of words. Art also teaches descriptive materials, colors, textures, and writing. Craft activities help with language and speech development in young students. Drawing leads students into new areas of the subject matter, which enlarges their verbal expression. Thus, art and language complement each other.

• Teaches responsibility and accountability 

Another importance of art education is that it teaches accountability, especially when learners have to work as a group. Each student has their part to play in the group. If they fail to complete their responsibility, they learn how letting others down can impact a group project and what it feels like to take ownership of the outcomes. Mistakes are part of life, and students learn to be responsible, make mistakes, accept them, deal with them, and move on. Accountability is a quality that will serve students in other areas of life.

• Creates cultural awareness

The varying experiences that occur in art classes boost engagement and cultural awareness. Art teaches students to be mindful and thorough in the way they view the world. In a multicultural society, art education is a great way to empower students of different backgrounds to express their unique perspectives and messages through their art projects. They expose students to other cultures by challenging them to explore different art forms. It also challenges students to think critically about other diverse groups in society and review how they correlate with them.

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What is Art Education: Exploring its Purpose and Impact

Time to Read:

What is Art Education

Are you curious about the power of art education? Have you ever wondered why it’s so important to have art in the classroom?

In this article, we will explore what is art education. From its benefits on individual growth and development to its ability to prepare students for life and work, we will dive into the fascinating world of art education .

Join us on this journey as we discover the true value of art education and how it can make a difference in students’ lives everywhere. Get ready to be inspired and amazed!

Key Takeaways

• Art education covers a wide range of visual and performing arts disciplines.
• The main goal is to teach students the creation, production, and appreciation of various art forms.
• Art education promotes creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Table of contents

The Disciplines in Art Education

Art education encompasses a variety of disciplines that involve learning, instruction, and programming based on visual and tangible arts.

It includes performing arts such as dance, music, theatre, and visual arts like drawing, painting, sculpture, and design.

Art education aims to teach students how to create, produce, and appreciate various art forms, as well as to understand and evaluate the work of others.

Through art education, students are exposed to diverse artistic practices, where they can develop their creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills.

Furthermore, it provides opportunities to explore cultural heritage and appreciate the importance of creativity in society.

Integrating arts into education allows learners to express themselves and discover their talents.

Understanding Art Education

Art education is a vital educational experience that fosters creativity and artistic expression and offers various cognitive and emotional benefits.

It prepares students for the challenges in life by enhancing their problem-solving skills, visual-spatial abilities, and collaboration capabilities.

Incorporating arts in education allows you to explore your creative potential while providing a foundation for understanding various art forms.

Whether it is music, dance, visual arts, or theatre, arts education is crucial in broadening your perspective and nurturing your imagination.

As you delve deeper into the art world, you will learn that it is a powerful medium to express emotions, thoughts, and ideas, transcending cultural and linguistic barriers.

The essence of arts learning lies in its ability to facilitate the acquisition of artistic skills and instil a sense of appreciation for diverse art forms.

This helps you better understand various cultures, traditions, and histories, fostering empathy and respect for others.

Moreover, exploring, creating, and appreciating art can be therapeutic, enabling you to manage stress and emotional turmoil effectively.

To sum up, understanding art education is vital for holistic personal growth, encompassing cognitive, emotional, and social development.

So, embrace the world of arts, experience art education’s benefits , and appreciate the richness it brings to your life.

Importance of Art Education

Art education is crucial in fostering creativity and promoting a well-rounded learning experience.

As you explore the importance of art education , you will find numerous benefits that contribute to the overall development of every student.

One of the primary reasons art education is essential is because it helps students engage with school and reduce stress.

Participating in various art forms, you can experience a sense of accomplishment, personal growth, and a deeper connection with your emotions.

This engagement enhances your learning experience and helps you better manage stress.

Incorporating art education into your curriculum aids in developing social-emotional and interpersonal skills .

Through artistic expression, you learn to communicate effectively, work collaboratively with others, and build empathy toward diverse perspectives.

These skills are essential for success in both personal and professional life.

A robust arts-learning environment enriches your educational experience by stimulating critical thinking and problem-solving skills.

Art education challenges you to view the world differently and develop innovative solutions to complex problems.

This exposure to diverse art forms fosters cognitive flexibility and adaptability, which are highly valued in today’s fast-paced world.

Partaking in art education equips you to handle constructive criticism. In the creative process, receiving feedback and refining your work is integral.

By embracing constructive criticism, you develop resilience and learn to persevere in facing challenges.

In conclusion, art education is vital to creating a well-rounded academic experience.

With numerous benefits, ranging from stress reduction to the development of interpersonal skills, it is clear that art education plays an essential role in every student’s overall growth.

Pedagogy in Art Education

As an art educator, your primary role is to foster the development of creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills in students.

Pedagogy in art education is vital to this role, as it outlines the methods and techniques used to teach art in a K-12 setting.

Choice-based pedagogy is a popular approach in art education, where you, as the art teacher, design learning activities that support students as artists and provide them with authentic choices to respond to their ideas and interests through art-making  [1] .

This approach encourages student autonomy, allowing them to explore various materials and techniques and their artistic visions.

Another critical aspect to consider in your pedagogy is culturally responsive teaching. As an art teacher, you must acknowledge and respect the diverse backgrounds of your students.

By incorporating their unique cultural experiences into your teaching and adapting your methods to ensure that all students can connect with the material, you are contributing to an inclusive art education environment.

This can be done by showcasing diverse artists, discussing various art forms from different cultures, and incorporating culturally relevant themes into projects  [2] .

You should also strongly understand discipline-specific knowledge and techniques to teach art effectively.

Your coursework and professional development should emphasize art history , contemporary artistic practices, and various media and materials.

This helps you introduce students to a wide range of artists and movements, enabling them to critically engage with the world of art.

As a teaching artist, you may also work in community settings, collaborating with schools, museums, or other organizations to bring art education experiences to various age groups and populations.

Your pedagogy might need to be flexible while working as a teaching artist, adapting to the unique needs and goals of each project or setting.

Collaboration and community engagement become essential elements of your teaching approach in these contexts.

Remember, your pedagogy in art education should be confident, knowledgeable, and clear, reflecting your dedication to fostering creative growth in your students while remaining attentive to their needs and backgrounds.

Doing so contributes to developing a new generation of artists and creative thinkers.

The Role of Art Educators

As an art educator, your primary responsibility is to provide students with a well-rounded understanding of the visual and tangible arts.

This includes teaching various art forms such as drawing, painting, sculpture, and design works and performing arts like dance, music, and theatre  [3] .

Your role goes beyond teaching the techniques and skills required to create art. It would help if you also instilled in your students an appreciation for and understanding of the cultural , historical , and social contexts in which different art forms have evolved.

This helps students develop critical thinking abilities and better comprehend the significance of art in society.

In addition to being knowledgeable in your subject matter, as an art educator, you should cultivate a creative and supportive learning environment for your students.

This includes encouraging experimentation, curiosity, and self-expression while providing constructive feedback to help students grow as artists.

Actively engaging in arts advocacy is another crucial aspect of your role as an art educator.

You can promote the value of art education by communicating its benefits to parents, school administrators, and community stakeholders, highlighting how it contributes to students’ overall engagement and achievement in school  National Art Education Association .

In summary, as an art educator, your role encompasses teaching a variety of art forms , nurturing creativity , fostering critical thinking , and advocating for the importance of an arts education in students’ lives.

Visual and Performing Arts

You’ll explore various disciplines in art education, including visual, performing, media , and  contemporary art .

These fields allow you to understand creative expression better and develop your artistic abilities.

Visual art encompasses traditional fine arts such as drawing, painting, printmaking, photography, and sculpture.

You’ll also delve into media arts involving film, graphic communications, animation, and emerging technologies.

The curriculum includes architectural, environmental, and industrial skills like urban, interior, and product design [5] .

On the other hand, performing arts consist of disciplines like theatre, dance, and music. These fields emphasize movement, expression, and storytelling, often utilizing the human body as the primary instrument.

Similarly, media arts focus on the fusion of technology and artistic mediums, like film, sound, and digital art .

Contemporary art is a vital aspect of art education as it helps you examine the current trends and societal issues shaping today’s art world.

This can involve exploring the works of present-day artists, situating them within a broader cultural context, and critically analyzing their messages and methodologies.

Ultimately, by studying visual and performing arts, you will foster your critical thinking and creative skills, preparing you to contribute to the global art community.

Art Education Programs

Art education programs play a crucial role in developing well-rounded students.

As a part of these programs, you’ll find courses encompassing various disciplines such as dance, music, theatre, and visual arts like drawing, painting, sculpture, and design works.

A  Master of Arts  degree in art education can help you advance your career and acquire expertise in art theory, practice, and pedagogy, enabling you to transform learning through creative engagement.

An art education program can give you the knowledge and skills to become an effective teacher and advocate for arts education in K-12 schools, community arts organizations, and other educational settings.

Many  art education programs  focus on building stronger communities and fostering strategic alliances that propel the arts forward as a solution.

As the demand for art education rises, it is essential to understand the benefits it offers to students.

When considering the different art education programs available, some focus on community arts, while others prioritize education in specific disciplines.

In  community arts programs , participants often collaborate on art projects, emphasizing community involvement and social change. These programs aim to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Art education often plays a vital role in graduation programs, with many states having arts requirements for high school graduation.

This ensures that students are exposed to various art forms during their education, helping them appreciate diverse perspectives and enhance their creativity.

Enrolling in a reputed  art school  can help you access top-notch facilities, dedicated faculty members experienced in various art forms, and networks of fellow artists and creative professionals.

In summary, art education programs provide comprehensive exposure to the arts, building a solid foundation for creativity and critical thinking.

Participating in these programs contributes to developing your artistic skills and overall personal and intellectual growth.

Arts Integration in Education

Arts integration is a teaching approach where content standards are taught and assessed equitably in and through the arts.

Through this interdisciplinary method, you can effectively incorporate multiple disciplines into your learning environments, enriching the core curriculum and enhancing students’ overall educational experience.

In an arts-integrated classroom, students construct and demonstrate understanding through various art forms.

This creative process connects an art form with another subject area, meeting evolving objectives and fostering a well-rounded educational experience.

For instance, you could combine visual arts with mathematics, helping students grasp geometric concepts in a hands-on, engaging way.

As a teacher looking to implement arts integration, collaboration is critical. Start by meeting with other educators to plan lessons using backward design.

This method focuses on the desired outcome, like your culminating event, exhibition, or final artwork , and builds the curriculum to achieve that goal.

This approach ensures all subject areas are effectively woven together and essential content is included in the learning process.

Implementing arts integration in your classroom has several benefits. It offers an innovative way to engage students and provides opportunities for differentiated instruction, reaching students with varying learning styles and abilities.

Connecting subject areas through the arts can create a more inclusive, diverse, and stimulating learning environment for all students.

So, as you strive to create a more dynamic and comprehensive educational experience for your students, consider exploring arts integration in your curriculum.

By merging multiple disciplines and fostering creativity, you can empower students and make learning more engaging, diverse, and meaningful.

Student Outcomes in Art Education

In art education, students experience various improvements in their learning outcomes.

By participating in arts programs, students can develop their ability to think creatively and critically, solve problems, and work effectively in teams.

When students engage in art education, they can nurture their creative thinking. Creative thinking is essential for creating innovative solutions to problems and uniquely expressing one’s ideas.

By honing their creative skills, students become more capable of generating new ideas and adapting to different situations.

Art education also fosters critical thinking abilities. As students analyze and interpret works of art, they learn to evaluate different perspectives, assess the quality of arguments, and make informed decisions.

This more profound understanding of artistic meaning helps students develop a more nuanced approach to interpreting the world around them.

Problem-solving is another critical learning outcome associated with art education. Students who engage in art projects often face complex challenges that require them to find solutions by experimenting with various techniques and materials.

Through this process, students become comfortable tackling complex problems, which can benefit them in other areas of their education and life.

Lastly, art education enhances teamwork skills. Many art projects require students to collaborate with others, either by working on a joint project or by critiquing each other’s work.

Students learn to communicate effectively , listen to others, and contribute to a larger goal by engaging in these collaborative activities.

Students can experience growth in these essential skills by participating in art education.

Creative thinking, critical thinking, problem-solving, and teamwork are all crucial outcomes of a well-rounded art education, providing students with a strong foundation for future success.

Art Practice and Learning Opportunities

Studio Practice

In art education, studio practice is a crucial component that enables you to develop your technical skills and artistic abilities.

Engaging in hands-on experiences within a studio allows you to explore various materials, techniques, and creative processes.

This active participation not only refines your skills but also fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of the visual arts.

Practical Experiences

Practical experiences in art education provide invaluable opportunities to apply your artistic knowledge in real-life situations.

These experiences can range from collaborating on group projects, participating in workshops, or attending masterclasses led by experienced artists.

Through these engagements, you gain insights into different perspectives, expand your creative horizons, and enhance your interpersonal skills.

Art Making and Creativity

Art-making and creativity go hand-in-hand in the realm of art education. By actively participating in creative activities, you develop a stronger sense of self-expression and expand your ability to generate innovative ideas.

Engaging in imaginative and artistic practice also promotes critical thinking, problem-solving, and visual communication skills, which can benefit you in various aspects of life.

Embracing art-making and creativity fosters a lifelong love of learning and enriches your educational experience.

The Impact of Art Education on Early Childhood Development

In early childhood education, the integration of art plays a significant role in the development of young artists.

Art education can be especially beneficial in the early years, as it helps to develop a strong foundation for future learning and overall growth.

When you introduce young children to the art world, you help foster their social and emotional development .

Various studies have demonstrated the value of incorporating artistic practices into early childhood education programs  [6] .

Encouraging young learners to engage in imaginative activities can improve social interaction, self-expression, and emotional regulation skills.

It is essential to believe that art education provides a unique opportunity for children to explore their creativity and learn to appreciate the beauty in their surroundings.

Children develop a sense of curiosity and wonder that translates into a lifelong love of learning by participating in diverse artistic experiences, such as painting, drawing, sculpture, and music.

As you support your child’s artistic journey, consider providing various materials and opportunities for them to engage in creative exploration.

By offering a safe and nurturing environment where children can experiment and express themselves freely, you can develop critical skills such as problem-solving, spatial awareness, and fine motor coordination  [7] .

In conclusion, as an advocate for your child’s education, it is essential to consider the impact of art education on their early childhood development .

By embracing the power of creativity and artistic expression, you can ensure that your child experiences a well-rounded and enriching educational journey with a solid foundation for future success.

Art Education Beyond the Classroom

Art education is not confined to the walls of a classroom. Many opportunities for growth and development exist beyond traditional art education settings, such as museum education, arts organizations, and community arts programs.

Museums are a great place to expose yourself to various art forms and expand your understanding of different artistic styles and periods.

By participating in  museum education , you can enhance your appreciation for these masterpieces and gain a deeper connection to the cultures they represent.

While in-person art classes offer a distinct experience, joining art organizations can provide valuable knowledge and opportunities to network with other artists and professionals .

These groups often provide workshops, events, and resources to help you grow as an artist.

Community arts programs are another excellent way to pursue your artistic passions. Engaging in  community arts  helps bridge the gap between formal art education and everyday creative expression.

It is a chance for people of all ages and skill levels to collaborate, learn from each other, and make an impact in their local neighbourhoods.

Art education can also benefit non-arts fields by fostering creativity, problem-solving, and collaboration skills.

Brainstorming techniques, like collaborative sketching and mind-mapping, can be used across various industries to generate new ideas and improve decision-making.

Remember, art education is not just about painting and drawing; it is a flexible, powerful tool to help you develop your unique creative voice and become a better problem solver.

Take advantage of the opportunities available, explore new avenues, and let your art flourish beyond the classroom.

Future Perspectives in Art Education

Art education plays a vital role in shaping the creative minds of the future.

With upcoming trends and advancements,  arts-based  methods are being integrated into various aspects of learning, ensuring a more comprehensive and innovative approach to education.

One key aspect of future perspectives in art education is how it prepares students for the evolving world.

Including artistic practices in curriculums allows them to develop critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills.

Engaging in creative arts fosters a deep understanding of different perspectives, promoting empathy and tolerance.

Moreover, the integration of new concepts and innovations in the field of art education will provide unique opportunities for students to thrive.

For instance, using digital technologies and online platforms can open doors to new methods of exploration and collaboration, enabling learners to connect with experts from various disciplines and backgrounds.

The embrace of technology in art education will significantly enhance how you approach creative projects, equipping you with the necessary tools to master emerging forms of artistic expression.

Furthermore, the future of art education aims to focus on the importance of art in addressing social and emotional well-being.

Research  indicates  that engaging in creative endeavours helps students express themselves safely and positively, ultimately benefiting their mental health.

In conclusion, as you embrace the future perspectives in art education, you stand to benefit from integrating arts-based methods, new concepts, and a focus on holistic development.

By being involved in this ever-evolving field, you will be better prepared for the challenges ahead, fostering creativity and innovation that can significantly impact the world.

Final Thoughts on What is Art Education

As we conclude our exploration of art education, we are left with a deep appreciation for the power of creativity and self-expression.

Art education is not just about learning how to draw or paint; it’s about developing critical thinking skills, emotional intelligence, and empathy.

It’s about preparing students for a future where innovation and creativity are more crucial than ever before.

Art education can change the world by giving students the tools and skills they need to succeed in life and work.

So let us continue to support and advocate for art education, and let us never forget the profound impact it can have on individuals, communities, and society.

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Home Essay Examples Education Liberal Arts Education

The Importance Of Arts Education

• Category Education
• Subcategory Learning
• Topic Liberal Arts Education

The purpose of art education is to cultivate people’s feelings, to understand beauty and ugliness, and to cultivate a noble interest and a positive attitude towards life. Through the education of art, students can develop the artistic instinct of themselves, enabling students to perceive many forms of the world. According to Goussy (2018), “an educational program that incorporates the arts can increase students’ performance in other subjects” (para.4). It was also said that many schools may not have art courses. Because the art-related courses are not well started, the teachers are not enough. In colleges and universities, many people are not interested in participating in rich cultural and artistic activities. It is a waste of time and may not fair for all students. This is a problem because art not only has its own important interests, but the combination of art education with mathematics and science courses can really improve the success rate of students in these disciplines. These subjects might be considered more important, Goussy (2018) claim that multiple time showing the benefits of integrating art into student’ curriculum (para.1). Even though funds and budgetary issues, public schools are cutting arts and music classes in favor of prioritizing subjects like math and science. Therefore, schools should incorporate art into our core classroom curriculum because art education can improve confidence in one’s own worth and academic benefit although someone think that rating may be unfair.

Art education can improve confidence in one’s own worth. Art makes test scores higher in class. According to the Arts to Boost Self-Esteem (2012) In the 2005 of Harris Poll, it has 93% of Americans supported art to provide education in all aspects of student. (para.6). Because music and art help to improve students’ classroom skills, which is including the most important teamwork, good critical thinking, how to solve problems, and effective communication skills. Arts can enhance each person’s sense of appendant or attachment to the society. It is a long process because art teaching is not just a matter of letting students express more emotions. Through the school to create an atmosphere and integrate art into education, the students’ emotions can be transformed, such as turning some negative emotions into positive emotions. Students will trust in learning and develop communication ability and friendships. Art can help with other subjects. Seneca Academy (N.A) claim that engaging in art work can help learners develop students’ problem-solving skills and through art teaching can clearly understand difficult concepts, making it easier to understand and how to solve problems. (para.3). Art education also can help children to develop more skills. For example: children who are passionate about sports, good at using words to express themselves, social skills to improve their decision-making ability, team adventure and creativity. For students who don’t study art, these ways of teaching can’t guide them.

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Art education can improve academic benefit. Brian, K and Daniel, H. B (2019) claim that in the future, efforts should continue to expand with the type of measures used to evaluate the effectiveness of educational programs and policies. Some report results indicate that using art education to study will make it easier for students to achieve their learning goals, and have good results in mathematics course or some assessment tests (para.10). Engaging in art education can improve the school atmosphere, give students a sense of purpose and teamwork, and promote mutual respect for teachers and students. These findings provide strong evidence that arts educational experiences can produce significant positive impacts on academic and social development. Because students in the visual arts hall express some personal growth feelings through art works, so that teachers can understand the needs and psychological conditions of students from different channels. Through art teaching, students are encouraged to enlighten their essays in specific situations, develop rich imaginations, and generate interest in inquiry, thereby actively participating in learning, actively exploring and creating, and promoting art education to improve academic efficiency.

However, some people claim that rating may be unfair, so school should teach art. Grading art at advanced level is difficult, according to Ratings Show (2017). “The rating process could also be affected by student expectations as to how professors of certain subjects should look and act” (para.17). Therefore, students are not graded using art teaching. There is no scoring standard, and the performance of students is not necessarily standard, and the performance of students is not necessarily. The teacher’s criteria for scoring do not necessarily agree, and students are treated unfairly. In this case, increasing evidence shows that art education can ameliorate student learning and thereby foster better citizens. Generally speaking, critics of art say it is too difficult and subjective to grade fairly, but some objective criteria can be introduced. Art education provides insight into how others have used a variety of methods to express themselves visually, and art instruction helps students learn techniques that they can use to express themselves.

In conclusion, schools should play a pivotal role in nurturing a new generation of citizens and leaders. Therefore, schools should also continuous to teach art because art education can improve confidence in one’s own worth and academic benefit. The students can develop the artistic instinct and increases opportunities of themselves through art education. However, the art education that unfair for rate. There is no any scoring standard on performance. Teachers should refer to different aspects to evaluate students fairly which is grade on other things as well; such as class performance, assignment, attendance and team project. However, I think it may improve confidence in myself and improve academic benefit on art education. Proving that it should still be taught and graded even though it’s difficult.

• Arts Integration in School: 10 Reasons Why It’s Important Seneca academy. Retrieved from https://www.senecaacademy.org/10-reasons-why-integrating-art-is-important-in-school/
• Brian, k & Daniel, H. B. (2019, February 12). New evidence of the benefits of arts education. Brookings. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/blog/brown-center-chalkboard/2019/02/12/new-evidence-of-the-benefits-of-arts-education/#page-content
• Fendrich, L. (2011, November 29) Grading Art. Chronicle. Retrieved from https://www.chronicle.com/blogs/brainstorm/grading-art/41702
• Goussy, T. (2018, May 3). Why is Arts Education Important? Sphinx. Retrieved from https://www.sphinxmusic.org/why-is-arts-education-important/
• Knight, E. (2003). Why is art education not important? Retrieved from https://www.quora.com/Why-is-art-education-not-important
• Ratings Show Students Unfairly Favor Male Professors. (2017). Voanews. Retrieved from https://learningenglish.voanews.com/a/ratemyprofessors-rating-system-unfair-to-females/3718237.html
• Turn to the Arts to Boost Self-Esteem. (2012). Retrieved from https://www.pbs.org/parents/thrive/turn-to-the-arts-to-boost-self-esteem 

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Response: The Role Of Arts Education In Schools

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This week’s question is:

What role should arts education have in an overall school curriculum?

There’s certainly been a lot of interest in this topic, and I’ve included many readers’ comments in this post.

In addition, I’m featuring guest responses from three educators -- Virginia McEnerney, David Booth and Heather Wolpert-Gawron.

You can also listen to a ten minute conversation I had with Virginia and David on my BAM! Radio Show.

I’m compiled additional related resources at The Best Resources Discussing The Importance Of Art In Education , and you can watch a number of videos and read about how I work closely with a talented teacher at our school to use art as a language-learning activity.

Response From Virginia McEnerney

Virginia McEnerney is the Executive Director of the Alliance for Young Artists & Writers, the nonprofit administrator of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards which recognizes and provides scholarship opportunities for creative teens:

In order to create change, students must first learn to create. Just like adults and perhaps even more so because they are still developing their own identities, young people turn to and respond to the arts to help them communicate and understand ideas, viewpoints and emotions. In this way, the arts cultivate creative thinking which leads to other supplemental skills such as problem-solving which ultimately can benefit students across disciplines.

Arts education should play an essential role in affirming and developing creative abilities among students of all skill levels, without limiting it to those who aspire to be professional artists or writers. It’s just as likely that a biologist who developed creative thinking in middle or high school arts classes could think of a new way of looking at cancer research as it is that an artist can develop new forms and media for artistic expression. In fact, I’ve seen this among the past winners of the Scholastic Art & Writing Awards.

Our contemporary economy depends and thrives on innovation and new ways of thinking about and seeing the world. This is exactly what arts education nurtures - young people who, through creative practice, develop the skill to imagine the world differently. Studies such as Reinvesting in Arts Education: Winning America’s Future Through Creative Schools from the President’s Committee on the Arts and the Humanities, display the powerful role that arts education can play in increasing student engagement, closing the achievement gap, and nurturing the skills that will ultimately change our world.

If young people have an inherent pull to create, which we believe, then the arts must be integral to students’ education, rather than viewed as separate.

Response From David Booth

David Booth is Professor Emeritus at the University of Toronto. For more than 25 years he has worked with teachers in creating, applying, and evaluating approaches to how children learn to read and write. His latest book is I’ve Got Something to Say: How Student Voices Inform Our Teaching :

As caring and concerned members of our home and school communities, we want our children to grow into adulthood with arts-enhanced lives, engaging fully in the world’s activities with their aesthetic, cognitive, physical, and emotional strengths, and entwining all these processes as often as possible. We need to “feel our thoughts,” and we need to “think about our feelings.” Knowing that emotion is a powerful component of life’s intellectual responses, we require opportunities to grow as whole beings, to fill our personal worlds with events and experiences that reveal as many shades of color as possible, that widen the possibilities inherent in everything we see and do.

What if our schools opened up the repertoire of artful choices that children could encounter each day, so that as their knowledge expands, their senses grow, and their feelings find form, their responses to life’s situations could become more mindful and thoughtful? That is the real role of the arts in school--to help youngsters construct their worlds in wonderful and meaningful ways and, at the same time, gain satisfaction from their expanded understanding of how to accomplish this lifelong process.

The arts are an imperative. In the concentration camps in World War II, some children drew and wrote poems; you can read their poems and find their drawings in the book I Never Saw Another Butterfly. After the disaster of 9/11 in New York City, parents and schools were at a loss about what to tell vulnerable and shocked youngsters. What followed in New York is a metaphor for arts education, as thousands of schoolchildren turned to creating paintings and drawings and poems and stories and letters to somehow give form to their feelings and to share in the sadness that had enveloped their communities. As they engaged in arts responses, they revealed so much more than they could articulate in talk. They were able to imagine hope beyond the destruction. They were able to find catharsis, to seek out ways of demonstrating their compassion and anger. They were able to use art to construct a present reality and to recognize a better future. As parents and teachers and friends, we view their pictures and read their words in the book Messages to Ground Zero, and recognize the depth of their feelings and the connections they have made to the human family. We were better able to cope because of their artistic efforts.

The arts are a way of learning, of exploring, of responding, of revealing and demonstrating, of imagining, depicting, and making meaning. They belong in the school curriculum, as they belong in the minds and hearts of all lifelong learners.

Response From Heather Wolpert-Gawron

Heather Wolpert-Gawron is an award-winning middle school teacher. She has authored workbooks on teaching Internet Literacy , Project Based Writing, and Nonfiction Reading Strategies for the Common Core. She is the author of ˜Tween Crayons and Curfews: Tips for Middle School Teachers and Writing Behind Every Door: Teaching Common Core Writing Across the Content Areas . Heather blogs for The George Lucas Educational Foundation’s Edutopia.org as well as her own www.tweenteacher.com :

This country is going crazy for STEM. STEM, STEM, STEM. But the fact is that if we don’t focus on the arts, on writing, on speaking, we’re neglecting how to communicate that which we find so important. You can’t get funding for your inventions without writing. You can design a building based on green technologies without some level of art. You can’t be selected from an interview of you can’t speak with confidence.

Incorporating the arts into your curriculum is about developing kids that are well rounded, that are exposed to things other than simply the CORE subjects. Think about our innovators, or simply about those people in your life you respect the most. They have elements about them that are diversified.

Additionally, it’s vital that we expose students to things in life that are NOT in their nature, which may NOT be what they believe to be interesting or important. We are meant to expand their knowledge and make their world bigger. So we can’t limit them by focusing solely on one subject group or the other. Our subjects need to be interconnected. Our subjects need to weave more than ever before.

Besides, going to school is like going to the gym. We can’t only work out our biceps while neglecting our glutes. We’d be off-balance, or we wouldn’t function at the level we could have had we focused our attention on all of the important muscles. Art is a muscle. Math is a muscle. Writing is a muscle. So are history, and PE, and Theater. By shutting off one or by cutting funding to an entire outlet, we’ve stunted our students’ growth and learning.

Teaching sequencing from one variable to another? Try having the kids create hand drawn or digital storyboards.

Assigning persuasive writing? Have the kids write a speech to the United Nations asking for them to support a researched solution to an international problem.

Having students observe a cow’s eye? Have them pair their note taking with labeled sketches and drawings.

The opportunities are there to incorporate the arts no matter what subject you teach. It’s critical that we develop those STEM muscles, yes. But it’s more critical that we focus on STEAM.

Responses From Readers

Jonathan Bethards:

Arts are incredibly important for all schools and all types of students to think and act creatively as well as innovative way for student to problem solve.

The beauty of the Arts is that they are incredibly broad and should be kept as so. Art is not simply a 2D drawing course and Pottery. They include music, theatre, sculpture, drawing, creative writing, design, woodshop, and many, many more courses.

The Arts must absolutely be integrated into students’ education in order liberate them from the overtly oppressive nature of a school, despite teachers’ beliefs. The Arts cannot be quantified unfortunately for those desiring data and numbers for every single class; this is not possible, but the Arts are still as important as ever.

Curriculum should not define Art nor assign specific values to other forms of Art. Curriculum should provide many different paths for students to freely follow in order for self-expression and realization.

Billy Bowden:

Without being educated necessarily in other forms of Arts education such as theatre and digital or media arts, I can say that these forms of learning are important to help students express what they are learning in a contemporary and innovative way. If students are asked to record videos, to utilize social media or blogs, this enables them to produce their own sense of voice in the twenty-first century. By adding these strategies or methods into contemporary curricula, we get students engaged and thinking about how they can be effective learners and workers in the future. Starting students off with this sort of curricula at an early age, will ensure that they are crafty and intelligent workers, who can collaborate with peers and colleagues in their future. Thus, Arts education is essential to the modern curricula, if we are to encourage all students, who are interested in all disciplines to adequately support their ideas, to be able to debate, and to produce an effective rhetoric that will prepare them for college work, and ultimately for the workforce. This will eventually contribute to our country’s economy and well being.

wintersgina:

Performing and visual arts must be a part of school curriculum. I am passionate about this. Students discover gifts and abilities, they feel a part of the school when involved in the arts, and it motivates them to further their education. Students can learn a life long skill in such classes. These classes blend many subjects - math, history, science, English. A play is set in a time period, lines are memorized and presented, themes analyzed, sets and stage have dimension and balance, programs are formatted. Music and art is historically and mathematically grounded. It makes everything personal and practical. Students produce something they are proud of, often in a group, and on a deeper, personal level. I could go on and on...

Readers sent many comments via Twitter, and I’ve used Storify to collect them:

Thanks to Virginia, Paul and Heather, and to readers, for their contributions!

Please feel free to leave a comment your reactions to the topic or directly to anything that has been said in this post.

Consider contributing a question to be answered in a future post. You can send one to me at [email protected] .When you send it in, let me know if I can use your real name if it’s selected or if you’d prefer remaining anonymous and have a pseudonym in mind. You can also contact me on Twitter at @Larryferlazzo .

Anyone whose question is selected for weekly column can choose one free book from a number of education publishers. I’ll be highlighting one particular publisher every two months, and it’s Jossey-Bass’ turn now..

Just a reminder -- you can subscribe to blog for free via RSS Reader or email .... And,if you missed any of the highlights from the first two years of blog, you can see a categorized list of them here. You won’t see posts from school year in those compilations, but you can review those new ones by clicking on the monthly archives link on blog’s sidebar.

You can also see annual lists of my most popular posts.

Education Week has published a collection of posts from blog -- along with new material -- in an ebook form. It’s titled Classroom Management Q&As: Expert Strategies for Teaching .

Last, but not least, I’ve recently begun recording a weekly eight-minute BAM! Radio podcast with educators who provide guest responses to questions. You can listen and/or download them here .

Watch for the next “question-of-the-week” in a few days....

The opinions expressed in Classroom Q&A With Larry Ferlazzo are strictly those of the author(s) and do not reflect the opinions or endorsement of Editorial Projects in Education, or any of its publications.

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