- In arts rich schools, discipline referrals decrease and students demonstrate more positive attitudes toward school (Burton, Horowitz & Abeles, 2000; Corbett, et al., 2001).
- Higher Self-Esteem: According to a multi-city U.S. Department of Justice study, arts programming not only increased academic performance, but also decreased juvenile delinquency and drug use, increased self-esteem, and led to more positive interactions with peers and adults.
- Art Education is Essential because "just 45 minutes of art making, at any skill level, significantly reduces stress hormones." Kaimal, G., Ray, K. & Muniz, J. (2016) Reduction of cortisol levels and participants' responses following art making. Art Therapy, 33(2), 74-80, DOI: 10.1080/07421656.2016.1166832
- Research shows that creating art provides opportunities for students
- A growing awareness of sexual or gender differences and similarities;
- A growing awareness of their own selves or personal identity with an emphasis upon how they are unique, as well as, part of a larger culture or subculture, and
- A new curiosity about the natural and human made environment.
- Engagement in the arts nurtures the development of cognitive, social and personal competencies.
- Art celebrates multiple PERSPECTIVES. One of their large lessons is that there are many ways to SEE and INTERPRET the world.
- The U.S. Department of Education’s 10 year review of Arts in Education found that students in arts programming had better attendance, fewer disciplinary issues, and improved on-task behavior relative to comparison students.
- Arts improve individual well-being. 81% of the population says the arts are a “positive experience in a troubled world,” 69% of the population believe the arts “lift me up beyond everyday experiences,” and 73% feel the arts give them “pure pleasure to experience and participate in.”
- Students who participate in arts programs develop Self-Efficacy and Self-Confidence, as well as a belief in their own abilities to accomplish goals. (Luftig, 2000 and Kennedy, 1998).
- Students in arts integrated classes improved their ability to turn perceived barriers into opportunities and were more motivated to continue learning than students in traditional learning environments (DeMoss & Morris, 2002).
- Through project based learning in the arts, students learn skills that transfer to English language arts learning, such as critical thinking, communication, and understanding of other perspectives and cultures (Dewhurst, 2009; Heath, Soep & Roach, 1998; Heath & Roach, 1999; Horn, 1992; Stevenson, 2011; Winner, et al, 2006).