2.5 Opportunities for arts education

Arts education develops skills, stimulates creativity and problem-solving, and enhances our appreciation of new and established artistic forms.  The skill and desire to be creative is the foundation of innovative work not only in the arts but in all areas of work and endeavor.  As asserted by best-selling author Daniel Pink, “the MFA is the new MBA.” Today’s young people are growing up in a world in which creativity and the ability to “think outside the box” is increasingly valued.

Arts education contributes to improved academic outcomes for both children and youth.  According to a comprehensive review of data describing the impact of the arts on cognitive and academic outcomes, researchers at Harvard University's Project Zero concluded that instruction in the arts unequivocally correlates with improved verbal and spatial ability relevant to academic achievement.  This is supported by UCLA researcher James Catterall’s study of the school records of 25,000 US students, which found that those with high levels of arts participation had higher grades and scored better on standardized tests than other students.  The difference was most significant for students from low-income backgrounds who had high arts involvement.