In 2010, Congress passed House Resolution 275, a bill that designates the week starting with the second Sunday in September as National Arts in Education Week. This week celebrates the power of creative skill and recognizes the impact that arts education has on young people. Skills in dance, music, theater, media arts, literature, design, and visual arts all equip students to succeed in their future careers and adult lives.
Arts Education Helps Students in All Areas of Life
Research shows that exploring arts and crafts helps students in many ways. The most obvious benefits are an increase in imagination and creativity, and alternative ways to communicate and express their ideas. This is immensely helpful for students who have social or speech obstacles. Discovering new ways of expressing themselves through the arts gives students a positive outlook about school, so they’re more likely to graduate, and increases academic success in other content areas.
Looking to their future, an arts education helps students develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills, fosters discipline, and improves their understanding of other cultures. All of these important skills help them increase their personal growth outside the classroom as they grow up.
How to Celebrate National Arts in Education Week
Schools across the country can celebrate National Arts in Education Week by hosting art exhibits and presentations, talent shows and other performances, reading and writing competitions, and much more!
In the classroom, give children the opportunity to try out different types of art such as watercolor painting, digital arts, culinary arts, plastic arts, architecture, and more. Letting children play around with Makerspace kits and tools will provide them with exposure to these activities and help them adapt to this new way of learning as it becomes more prevalent in schools.
Bring Arts Education to Your School
If your school is limited on arts funding, there are still plenty of ways to show kids the value of an arts education! Spare paper and drawing instruments are always on hand. You can also pull up YouTube videos or show a movie of a musical performance, Bob Ross painting, cartoon illustrator, or any other artistic endeavor!
If you think your school could make the budget for it, now would be a great time to advocate for a Fab Lab or Makerspace! With a greater trend towards STEAM and computer science subjects, building a Makerspace or Fab Lab now will provide decades of useful space as new educational standards are released and adopted into curriculum.
The Power of Art for All
An arts education gives students a well-rounded school experience. Whether they choose a career in the arts or not, the skills gained from artistic endeavors will be a great value to them. But don’t feel like you missed out if the arts weren’t a high priority in your childhood. Tap into your inner creative genius alongside your students and be open to possibility!
Show us how you’re celebrating this week! We’d love to see the creative projects your students come up with.