Arts Education Broadens Our Understanding of and Appreciation for Other Cultures and Histories

Art opens a window into experiences distant from ours. Research shows that arts education not only increases historical knowledge but also historical empathy. It develops a deep understanding of what it was like to live in different times and places, that surpasses the information found in a textbook.

At every level of school, art connections deepen a child’s understanding of the world.

“The arts are a powerful antidote against bigotry and hate. The arts can build bridges, promote tolerance, and heal social divisions.” – Mary Anne Carter, National Endowment for the Arts, Chair

  • Arts Education Supports Social and Emotional Learning

    The arts provide opportunities for students to reflect on who they are and who they want to be. Artistic creations offer a glimpse into diverse personal viewpoints and life stories, through these experiences students find new ways to see themselves and their role in the world.

    Each art form has a unique language of elements, principles, and techniques. They all share the ability to promote collaboration, resilience and the ability to learn how to fail and recover.

    Education in the arts introduces students to a broader spectrum of viewpoints and concepts, ultimately challenging their existing perceptions and fostering increased empathy.

  • Arts Education Develops Valuable Life and Career Skills

    Arts education fosters a creative workforce that can drive innovation and economic growth.

    • Creative Thinking: Art encourages individuals to think outside the box, solve problems in unconventional ways, and develop a more open-minded approach to challenges.
    • Critical Thinking: Students learn to observe, interpret, evaluate, and make decisions. Art promotes problem-solving skills and teaches students how to find innovative solutions to complex problems.
    • Communication Skills: Students learn to express their thoughts and ideas effectively, both verbally and non-verbally. Working in collaborative teams enhances communication skills, by learning when to listen, when to contribute, and when to lead, all to achieve a common goal.

    Lastly, we teach students arts:

    • Not because we expect them all to major in an art discipline
    • Not because we expect them to dance, draw, act, play or sing all their life
    • Not so they can just have fun

    BUT so, students will:

    • recognize beauty
    • be sensitive and empathetic to the world around them
    • be closer to an infinite beyond this world
    • experience how arts bring us together and build community
    • have more love, more compassion, more gentleness, more good and in short, more life.

  • Art Education Sources

    Art for life’s sake. American Academy of Arts & Sciences. (2023, March 10). https://www.amacad.org/publication/case-for-arts-education

    Kisida, B., Goodwin, L., & Bowen, D. H. (2020). Teaching History Through Theater: The Effects of Arts Integration on Students’ Knowledge and Attitudes. AERA Open, 6(1). https://doi.org/10.1177/2332858420902712

    Understanding arts integration and Sel. The Kennedy Center. (n.d.). https://www.kennedy-center.org/education/resources-for-educators/classroom-resources/articles-and-how-tos/articles/educators/professional-development/understandingartsintegrationandsel2/

    The possibilities of art in socio-emotional learning: Curating young learners’ well being. UNESCO MGIEP. (n.d.). https://mgiep.unesco.org/article/the-possibilities-of-art-in-socio-emotional-learning-curating-young-learners-well-being