Benefits of an Arts Education
Congress recognized the vital role the arts play in American culture, and not only retained, but increased funding in 2019 budget. Instead of phasing out the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), and the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as the current administration wished, Congress increased the NEA and NEH’s funding by $3 million and the IMLS’s funding by $9 million. In doing so, Congress has reiterated its commitment to preserving these vibrant cultural institution as well as seeing the correlation between the arts and providing a strong education for future generations.
Studies bear this out. The Arts Education Partnership (AEP) is a national coalition of consisting of more than 100 education, arts, cultural, government, business, and philanthropic organizations. Created in 1995 by the NEA, the organized strives to ensure art remains a vital part of education. The mission is simple: AEP is committed to providing a complete and competitive education that includes the arts as an essential component for every student. An education in and through the arts is an integral part of the solution in preparing all students, regardless of background, for success in college, career, and life.
Three main reasons demonstrate why the arts in education are so essential:
The arts prepare students for success in school through engaging students and increasing learning and achievement in art and non-art subjects by doing the following:
- Boosting literacy and English Language Arts skills.
- Advancing math achievement
- Helping engage students in school and motivates them to learn
- Developing critical thinking skills
- Improving teaching and school culture
The arts prepare students for success in the 21st Century workforce by:
- Equipping students to be creative – we as writers should understand this
- Strengthening problem solving abilities
- Building collaboration and communication skills
- Increasing the capacity for leadership roles
The arts prepare students for success life and its many challenges through:
- Strengthening perseverance
- Facilitating cross-cultural understanding
- Building communities and supports civic engagement
- Fostering creative communities
It’s refreshing to know that Congress got it right.
Leave a comment below if you have any thoughts or questions!