The Importance of Arts Education
By Laura Butler
Education in the arts is essential in improving the quality of students’ lives in school and beyond. The arts expect students to push the boundaries of creativity that differs from other subjects. Students are able to learn in physical and embodied ways, by collaborating with others, by responding to their work emotionally, and by drawing upon other acquired knowledge from different areas of study. Studies have shown that learning in the arts can provide intellectual benefits including general thinking skills and problem-solving abilities, consequentially cultivating intellectual achievements in other subjects.1
Education in the arts can also improve students’ quality of life outside of school. Students are able to explore their talents and improve confidence. They can develop a sense of pride by demonstrating their abilities and talking about their work. The arts also provide students the opportunity to learn about empathy through the work of other others by discovering life that differs from their own.2
Kawartha Art Gallery reached out to local visual arts educators to hear how their careers have affected their appreciation of arts education:
“As a Visual Arts educator in a variety of capacities for over forty years, I have to say that I was blessed with one of the most fascinating and rewarding jobs on the planet. There are very few other positions that allow you to share something you truly have a passion for with others, to actually see the private “inner workings” of your students, and not only help individuals fulfill their innate need to create but also give them the courage to truly become themselves as they develop their potential.
Picasso once said: “Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once we grow up.” That is the role of teachers - to keep creative thought and the desire to create flowing. Whether or not students choose a career in the Arts is irrelevant. The skills they learn in Art class and the confidence they develop to express their ideas will follow them throughout their lives.
I am very lucky that many of my former students have chosen to stay in touch and share their artistic adventures and creative explorations with me, and I am excited to see this exhibition of work by Kawartha Lakes graduates curated by an I.E. Weldon art grad, Laura Butler.”
“From a teacher’s point of view to see the journey students in grade 9 learning how to do some of the introductory assignments and techniques through to grade 12 where a personal voice and expression have been found. The journey and the challenges, the questioning and exploration of identity.
I have seen the benefits to students who have no intention of becoming an artist. They sign up for courses throughout high school often for the reasons of an intellectual challenge, doing something different and to be able to “play/explore”. A few years ago, I had a student in particular who did not go on in the arts but went into the sciences. He was asked: What was the most important thing you did in high school?
He answered- I took art all the way through.
Seeing how this student used divergent thinking when he approached art assignments and choice of mediums was really interesting.
A couple of years ago I was asked by a student if I was going somewhere over the break.
I answered - I’m going to go to my studio and travel my mind which is far more dangerous and quite rewarding.”
Upitis, Rena. “Engaging Students Through the Arts.” Ministry of Education, Apr. 2011, www.edu.gov.on.ca/eng/literacynumeracy/inspire/research/WW_Engaging_Arts.pdf.
“Why Is Arts Education Important for 21st-Century Learning? 5 Reasons to Go from STEM to STEAM.” Art in Action, 29 Jan. 2018, artinaction.org/resource/arts-education-important-21st-century-learning-5-reasons-go-stem-steam/.
