Art At Its Finest

JoLynn Fletcher
Professor Kirkmeyer
English 1010
25 September 2009

Art At Its Finest

It is imperative that funding for the arts be maintained at appropriate levels in order to provide a well-balanced visual and performing arts curriculum to school children. The arts are pivotal to the development of self expression, individualism, sense of community, communication, and creativity in all fields. In addition, the arts provide an avenue by which we can better understand ourselves, our culture and our history, as the arts (jazz, blues, gospel, slave songs) have been present at each defining moment of our young nation’s development.

Art history spans from the earliest drawings/sketches of mankind in caves, to current day happenings all over the world. From the patriotic songs that fill the air on days of national pride, to the most beautiful paintings and sculptures that grace museum and gallery walls, the history of art is inevitable everywhere you turn. Through these artifacts we understand our history, our culture, and what it is that makes us uniquely human and American. As Wynton Marsalis noted in the 2009 Nancy Hanks Lecture at the Kennedy Center, it is through art that we remember, identify and relate to our circumstances, history and culture.

Many people believe that art programs are a luxury – that they are elitist and serve no justifiable place in an educational institution. These people use reasoning’s such as: the arts are frivolous, art programs do not serve as a core subject and they have no necessary application in the real world. Additionally, opponents often misunderstand art and therefore claim it be offensive (remember the elephant dung on the Virgin Mary at the MOMA?!).

The arts serve as not only a critical component to a complete education, but have become a proven statistic that young people who consistently participate in comprehensive, sequential and rigorous programs are not only more likely to be recognized for academic achievements, positive school attendance and the participation in math and science fairs, but also for holding offices throughout their educational years and the writing of essays, poems and other artistic outlets (Americans for the Arts). As it has come to show, the arts play a crucial role in not only academic success throughout a great percent of the student population, but also individual success. Students are given confidence and a burning passion to excel at something in which they truly enjoy.

Public schools across the nation aren’t just centers for educational excellence but also a place in which communal ties are formed. Children continue to learn of and experience “community” in the school environment. It is in public (and private) instruction that students learn to relate to one another, share common and unique experiences, and communicate – something that is often done through the arts and other creative means.

Schools are playing a large role in the integration of formal art instruction for America’s youth. Well-designed educational advances will give students the ability to peak at their academic consummation as well as move forward in a positive direction with the necessary skills acquired to be successful in the workplace as well as be a positive influence among their peers. The arts help children develop literacy skills such as reading, writing, speaking, and listening. The arts encourage divergent thinking and problem-solving skills, enabling students to think creatively (Americans for the Arts).

Much of today’s research states that a great portion of a child’s academic and social development can be attributed to education through the arts. In addition, research and formative evaluation of successful arts programs have demonstrated that access to and participation in the arts helps decrease and prevent negative behavior by at-risk youth (Americans for the Arts).

According to the American’s for the Arts Advocacy Day: The 2009 National Arts Action Summit Congressional Arts Handbook; not only does involvement in the arts increase academic performance as well as standardized test scores, but it also lowers dropout rates. By the 10th grade, students with a high involvement in the arts have a 1.4% dropout rate compared to the 4.8% of students who aren’t involved in the arts in any significant way (Dr. Shirley Brice Heath). Constant participation in art and music classes throughout all four years of high school has also been statistically proven to raise SAT results to 85 points higher than students who only take one-half year or less (The College Board).

There has been a significant amount of research done on arts education and how it directly relates to cognitive development. “Neuroscientists from seven universities across the country used brain imaging studies and behavioral assessments to advance our understanding of the effects of music, dance, and drama education on other types of learning. The findings from their coordinated three-year study suggest that children motivated in the arts develop attention skills and strategies for memory retrieval that also apply to other academic subject areas” (LEARNING, ARTS, AND THE BRAIN, The Dana Consortium Report on Arts and Cognition). Throughout the duration of these studies, the scientists have come up with many interesting findings that can better explain the impact that the arts have on a growing mind. Interests in performing arts often lead to a higher state of motivation and the training of attention that both lead to individual improvements in these areas. Specific links were also discovered between interaction with high levels of music training and the ability to manipulate information in other areas such as geometry and other forms of numerical expression. Several correlations were also identified between music training and the positive effects that it had on reading and sequence learning (LEARING, ARTS, AND THE BRAIN, The Dana Consortium Report on Arts and Cognition). All of this research and more can help stabilize the arts as a whole and bring forth all of the positive attributes art programs possess for all who are involved.

The National Endowment for the Arts is another organization that focuses all of its attention and energy on the beneficial aspects of art programs. The organization realizes the many ways in which public school art programs help students of all ages, ethnic backgrounds and levels of intellect come together for the sole purpose to create and re-create so much of what our American culture is based upon. With a goal of providing leadership in arts education as well as recognizing the contributing role in which the arts play in the overall educational process as well as opportunities brought forth is the mission upon which this organization thrives.

“Today, the Arts Endowment's focus is on identifying and supporting model programs and projects that provide in-depth knowledge, skills, and understanding of the arts to children and youth in schools and communities. Research strongly suggests that young people who learn about and participate in the arts acquire skills that help them in decision making, problem solving, creative thinking, and teamwork. An increasing number of studies also find that arts programs motivate children to learn, assisting in improving performance in core academic subjects. For some children, the arts provide the impetus to stay in school until graduation and, for others, the inspiration to pursue college education. Arts education programs will continue to play a pivotal role as the nation struggles to improve high school graduation rates, develop pre-kindergarten programs, and counter the achievement gap in urban communities” (National Endowment For the Arts).

A great majority of students look to their public schools for ways to participate in many art programs; although, without appropriate funding for these programs, students are often left with few other options in which they can participate in aforementioned programs. Art programs are funded through federal agencies, grants and private donors, however, art education funds are generally limited in comparison to other educational program funding. In 2005, the United States Department of Education received approximately $40 million in appropriations for arts education grants (Americans for the Arts).

The arts, as a whole, are written into Federal law as a core subject in all K-12 public schools through the Goals 2000: Educate America Act (Americans for the Arts). While the Federal government asserts that the arts are indeed a core subject, that doesn’t mean that school districts are required to offer such programming. While many states are mandates for art education, it is up to the individual school districts to decide whether they will implement or allow funding for the programs to function.

People come together on many different levels to discuss and interact with the issues that face the arts community today. As we continue to grow within ourselves, we need to keep steadfast what is really important to American culture: the arts. Art advocates, such as National Arts Policy Roundtable, come together to address recommended policies, among other things, through forums and conferences and provide knowledge to all who are interested in preserving art programs for future generations.

The fate of the continuation of art programs lies solely within the hands of administrators, school board faculty, educators and parents. It is through the commitment of multiple persons that the arts can receive the representation necessary to carry on its goal of reaching millions of kids per year within their public schools and communities. It is crucial for administrators to take notice of the great achievements that accompany art programs, it is the school boards job to allocate and secure the funds necessary for these programs to continue and it is the educator’s responsibility to properly provide students with the academic environment in which they can acquire their artist and creative identity.

Applaud and take note of the remarkable advances that have been made in association with art education up until this point, but don’t shy away from the responsibility that now lies before each and every one of us to keep the academic torch burning for the funding of art programs across the United States. Not only will the arts assist us in understanding who we are, but they will provide a solid foundation for our future endeavors, most of which are bound to need an injection of creativity in order to keep us competitive in a global marketplace.


Works Cited

Americans for the Arts. 07 Aug. 2009. Web. 23 Sept. 2009. .

The College Board. "2008 College-Bound Seniors: Total Group Profile Report." (2008). Abstract.: n. pag. Print.

Dana Press. "LEARNING, ARTS, AND THE BRAIN, The Dana Consortium Report on Arts and Cognition." (2008). Print.

Dr. Shirley Brice Heath. "Carnegie Foundation for The Advancement of Teaching." N. pag. Print.

"Grants for Arts Education." National Endowment for the Arts. Web. 24 Sept. 2009. .

"Nancyhanks09." Americans for the Arts. 07 July 2009. Web. 23 Sept. 2009. .